October 27, 2019
Greetings:
Just ONE new news director opening this week, that at a station that rarely has a vacancy, and. as fas as I know, NO newly hired NDs.
My figures show 25 stations are looking for a new news director. That list, as always, is at the end of this report.
That ONE new opening is featured in a paid help wanted ad below.
ONE obituary this week, but it’s about a man with a most interesting life who helped found Univision.
THREE stories in Names in the News…a veteran newsman returns to TV after a short sojourn to ‘the other side’, an Indiana anchor adds some management duties, and an honor for an Oklahoma news director.
And we’ll tell you about TWO new GMs at CBS owned stations…and one of the stations is NOT a CBS affiliate.
Read on.
Newly Named News Directors:
I’m not aware of any new news directors this week. If you are, please share with me via an email to rick@rickgevers.com.
New News Director Opening:
Benedict
WISC-TV, Madison, WI…COLIN BENEDICT is stepping aside as news director of this CBS affiliate to concentrate on his other job…that of VP/News for parent company Morgan Murphy Media. That leaves a pretty attractive opening…there have been only FOUR news directors here in the past 42 years. Colin, obviously, is the fourth, and has been the ND since August, 2008. He had been managing editor, and first joined the station in 1998 as an anchor/reporter. Learn more about this unique opportunity in the Paid Help Wanted Ad below.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
News Director, WISC-TV, Madison, WI:
News 3 Now/WISC-TV has a rare opening for a News Director to lead our team at the family-owned flagship of Morgan Murphy Media in one of America’s best cities. One of the best places to raise a family. One of the best college sports towns. One of the best places to live, period.
There have been four news directors at this station in the past 42 years so this opportunity doesn’t come along very often. We are looking for someone to break the mold and connect with local audiences in a new way. We embrace coverage through our app, social, web site and streaming video channels resulting in a digital leadership position in the market. The right candidate will have a proven track record of audience growth and understand how to build emerging platforms.
We’ve been committed to quality journalism since 1890. We’ve been honored to win five national Edward R. Murrow Awards from the RTDNA in the past four years, including the top prize for overall excellence in 2016. We are searching for someone that has an expectation of excellence.
In this role, you’ll be asked to set and execute a strategy for audience growth with a content editorial team. You’ll lead efforts to build and retain a top-notch staff. You’ll need to be aggressive moving resources to meet the demand of a shifting local news marketplace. You’ll be asked to make critical editorial decisions with a deep understanding of journalism ethics.
You’ll be asked to inspire.
Click here to learn more and apply.
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 9/8/19)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (relisted 9/8/19)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (relisted 9/8/19)
WTXL-TV, Tallahassee, FL (listed 10/20/19)
KRCG-TV, Jefferson City, MO (listed 9/15/19)
KXMA-TV, Bismarck, ND (listed 10/20/19)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (listed 10/20/19)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (Dayside EP, listed 8/18/19)
KDVR/KWGN-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP, relisted 10/20/19)
KTVI/KPLR-TV, St. Louis, MMO (listed 10/20/19)
WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 10/20/19)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 10/20/19)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (AM EP, listed 9/29/19)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 10/20/19)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (Dayside EP, listing modified 9/15/19)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Senior EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 9/29/19)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WPBF-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (AM EP, listed 10/13/19)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (Digital EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted 10/13/19)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (PM EP, relisted 8/18/19)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 10/6/19)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (AM EP, listed 9/8/19)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (new listing this week)
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital Executive Producer, relisted 9/1/19)
WFXG-TV, Augusta, GA (relisted 10/20/19)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CA (listed 10/13/19)
WVNS-TV, Beckley, WV (listed 9/15/19)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KNSD-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 10/13/19)
Other News Management Openings:
Listed 10/13/19:
WTXL-TV, Tallahassee, FL (Content Manager)
Listed 9/15/19:
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Editorial Director)
Relisted 8/25/19:
Rocky Mountain PBS, Denver, CO (Investigative Producer)
Obituary:
Nicolas
EMILIO NICOLÁS, who is credited with helping to found the Univision Network, died earlier this month at the age of 88. But what 88 years those were! His college degrees were in chemistry and biology with a minor in math…he once did research work with live polio viruses. But he later moved into television. The rest of the story comes via this Los Angeles Times obituary.
Names in the News (and other items):
Luhn
BRIAN LUHN‘s foray into the world of corporate communications was short-lived. He’s joined Houston’s KPRC-TV as EP of Special Projects, where he will lead the investigative team and promotable stories production. Brian was the Assistant ND at KRIV-TV in Houston until January, when he jumped to the ‘other side’. He’s a former ND in Charleston, SC, and has worked in Asheville, NC, Seattle, Atlanta, Denver, Louisville, Ft. Myers, and Sherman, TX.
Powell
Congratulations to TOM POWELL, evening anchor at WPTA-TV (the NBC side of that duopoly) in Ft. Wayne, IN. He’s adding responsibilities as Assistant ND and will continue to anchor at 5:00, 6:00, and 11:00. ND JONATHAN SHELLEY explained it to the staff in this memo. Tom’s worked at the station since 2016, and has also worked in Sioux Falls, Memphis, and South Bend.
Bruce
A tip of the hat to KTUL-TV (Tulsa) News Director PHILLIP BRUCE, one of four people to be inducted into the Lemke Alumni Society’s Hall of Honor at the University of Arkansas. Learn more about Phil…and the other three honorees… here. In addition to KTUL, Phil’s a former ND at KHOU-TV in Houston, Managing Director for NPR on the West Coast who began his career as a reporter and anchor before moving into management.
General Manager News and Notes:
New General Managers for TWO CBS owned stations this week:
CHRIS COTUGNO, a 17 year veteran of KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, has been promoted to the top job. He’s also worked for another station in the market.
And in Tampa, MICHELLE CALACHINO moves up from her current role as controller for WTOG-TV to become general manager. She’s been with this CW affiliate since 2014.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, October 27, 2019:
It’s unofficial, there may be others that are open, and some of these may have been filled. If you know of any in either category, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com
KTTV 1999 South Bundy Drive Los Angeles CA 90025
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KCPQ-TV 1813 Westlake Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
KSHB-TV 4720 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64112
WDAF-TV 3030 Summit St, Kansas City, MO 64108
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Dr, Columbus, OH 43215
WFRV-TV 1181 E Mason Street Green Bay, WI 54301
WDBJ-TV 2807 Hershberger Rd NW, Roanoke, VA 24017
WISC-TV 7025 Raymond Road Madison, WI 53719 (see ad above!)
KGAN-TV 600 Old Marion Rd NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd E, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
WWAY-TV 1224 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC 28451
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KRCR-TV 755 Auditorium Dr. Redding, CA 96001
WJFW-TV 3217 County Rd G Rhinelander, WI 54501
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Ave, Medford, OR 97504
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
WVVA-TV 3052 Big Laurel Highway Bluefield WV 24701
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr, Carterville, IL 62918
KAEF-TV 540 E St Eureka, California 95501
**: Spanish language station