Rick Gevers & Associates

December 17, 2011

Wednesday, December 21, 2011 UPDATE:

Valentine

MICHAEL VALENTINE, who’s been the news director for Belo’s WFAA-TV in Dallas since 2005, has been promoted toVP of Content for the company.  He’ll work from Belo’s Dallas headquarters.  Michael had earlier been the ND for the company’s WVEC-TV in Norfolk, and has earlier been and ND in Evansville, IN.

His promotion was announced Tuesday, just one day before the station won another Alfred I. Dupont Award for investigative reporting.  WFAA was one of four local stations honored, joining WSB-TV in Atlanta, WTVF-TV in Nashville, and Detroit Public Television.

We’ll have more on these stories and tell you about a couple of new news directors when we update the full newsletter later this week.

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Greetings:

We’re always happy to report when a News Director is being promoted to General Manager, and that happened with a Memphis ND this week. And her assistant ND was promoted to be the next ND there. That’s one of TWO new NDs to tell you about this week, while we have THREE new news director openings.

Our list of open ND jobs now totals 28.

We have help wanted ads for two of those open ND jobs, for two Assistant ND jobs, and for a producer opening at a station in New England.

We’ve updated our list of Other News Management Openings, and we have two news managers on the move in Names in the News.

And we have two obituaries: one for a former Maryland ND and anchor, and the other for the mother of a three time ND.

All that, and so much more (even I can’t say that with a straight face) after this week’s changes:

New News Director Openings:

KOLO-TV, Reno, NV…DAVE BEECH has left this ABC affiliate after three years as ND. Dave previously was an ND in Grand Junction, CO. His replacement will be the seventh ND in just over ten years for the Gray Television owned station.

KNOE-TV, Monroe, LA…this Hoak Media owned CBS affiliate is advertising for a new news director. My records show MARLA GILCREASE has been ND there since April, 2009.

KWES-TV, Midland, TX…MARK KURTZ is leaving this NBC affiliate to become the new Assistant ND for WAVY-TV in Norfolk. That’s the LIN Media-owned NBC station there. Mark spent almost four years as ND for this Drewry-owned station. He’s also worked in Waco and Corpus Christi, TX.

Newly Named News Directors:

Whitmeyer

KDFW-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX…as we first reported to you yesterday, ROBIN WHITMEYER will be the next ND for this Fox o-and-o. Robin most recently was ND for WSOC-TV in Charlotte, a job she left in February after eight years as ND and a total of 30 years at the station. At KDFW, she replaces another longtime ND, MARIA BARRS, who served as ND for 13 of her 17 years at the station. Maria left in August to become GM for KXTV in Sacramento.

Phillips

WMC-TV, Memphis, TN…TAMMY PHILLIPS has been promoted to ND for this Raycom-owned NBC affiliate. She’s been the Assistant ND there and has worked at the station for ten years. And congratulations to the woman she replaces, TRACEY ROGERS, who’s being promoted within Raycom to become GM of KAIT-TV in Jonesboro, AR. Tracey spent four years as ND in Memphis, and earlier was an ND in Huntsville and Paducah, KY. Tracey’s a Tennessee native and has also worked (for three stations) in Nashville.

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Help Wanted Ads:  

Senior Director of News, Central Florida News 13, Orlando, FL:

Central Florida News 13 is seeking its next great Senior Director of News. This person will be overseeing an award-winning team of journalists providing around-the-clock local television news coverage for viewers in the Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, FL, market. The largest television newsgathering team in Central Florida needs a hands-on leader who can coach and develop talent, inspire a passion for excellence, and who thrives on new technology and innovation.

Previous News Director experience a must, along with a track record of aggressive and strategic news and weather coverage.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

** Developing news coverage strategy for 24-hour local news channel, web site, and on-demand products;
** Daily newscast analysis for quality control and program growth;
** Collaborating editorially with other stations within Bright House Network’s Local Programming Group;
** Leading and inspiring a talented and accomplished team committed to providing outstanding local coverage.

This is an exceptional opportunity to take your career to the next level at a station utilizing the very latest state-of-the-art technology. We have the finest tools available and an exceptional team using them. In the past year alone News 13 has won, among others, a national SPJ breaking news award, regional Edward R. Murrow award for its website, and a national Walter Cronkite Award for Political Reporting. The best candidate for this job will be a leader who appreciates the tradition of television news and who is also constantly looking for ways to establish new and creative coverage traditions for News 13 and its viewers.

Apply online at: www.mybrighthouse.com

Central Florida News 13 is an EOE – all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

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Assistant News Director, KDAF-TV, Dallas, TX:

Our non-traditional newsroom seeks a non-traditional manager to help us evolve our non-traditional news product in the nation’s 5th Market.

KDAF-TV, the Tribune, CW station in Dallas-Fort Worth, has an immediate opening for a Deputy Content Czar, aka Assistant News Director. The person hired will help us break old school TV rules as we pursue our non-traditional news audience while still maintaining Big J values.

We are looking for someone who leads by example and is equally comfortable producing for the web as they are producing for air. Primary duties include direct oversight of newscasts, work with producers and reporters to create compelling content, and work with our Content Czar to set the tone and direction for the newsroom.

If you have television news management experience, a strong Klout score, and social media skills that equal your journalism skills, send your resume and news philosophy to openings@the33news.com or snail mail to:

Content Czar
KDAF-TV
8001 John Carpenter Freeway
Dallas, TX 75247

EOE

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Assistant News Director, KTXS-TV, Abilene, TX:

KTXS Television is searching for an Assistant News Director. The ideal candidate would have 3 or more years of experience in television news. Some supervisor experience a plus.

The Assistant News Director will work closely with the ND, and play a major editorial role in the day to day operation. We’re looking for an aggressive journalist who can take charge of a highly motivated newsroom.

KTXS is a station that puts news first, we have the area’s only satellite truck, the market’s only live Doppler radar, and we’re the only station that broadcasts our news in High Definition.

If you’d like to be a part of this team, email your resume to: levesque@ktxs.com

or via mail to:

Assistant News Director Search
KTXS-TV
4420 N. Clack
Abilene, TX 79601

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Producer, WLNE-TV, Providence, RI:

ABC6 in Providence, Rhode Island is looking for a creative and energetic newscast producer who has the ability to juggle breaking and daily news. We want a producer who takes ownership of the newscast and understands relevant news content and viewer benefit.

Only producers with significant booth and editorial experience will be considered. Please send your resume by 12/31/2011 to:

Anne Marie Menard
Business Manager
WLNE/ABC6
10 Orms Street
Providence, RI 02904

No phone calls please. WLNE-TV / ABC6 is and equal opportunity employer.

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News Director, KTUU-TV, Anchorage, AK:

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Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WFLD-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted this week)
KDAF-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (listed 12/9/11 see ad above!)
WOIO/WUAB-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 10/14/11)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (relisted this week)
WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 10/28/11)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 10/28/11)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 11/25/11)
WTEN-TV, Albany, NY (listed 11/25/11)
WRDW-TV, Augusta, GA (listed 11/25/11)
KTXS-TV, Abilene, TX (listed 12/9/11, see ad above!)
KTVM-TV, Bozeman, MT (relisted this week)

EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:

KYW-TV, Philadelphia, PA (listed 12/2/11)
The Weather Channel, Atlanta, GA (relisted this week)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM EP, listed 10/7/11)
KUNS-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 11/25/11) **
KTVI/KPLR-TV, St. Louis, MO (relisted this week)
KPTV, Portland, OR (AM EP, relisted this week)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (listed 9/17/11)
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (Dayside EP, relisted 11/25/11)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted 11/11/11)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (AM EP, listed 10/28/11)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (PM EP, listing revised 8/12/11)
WPEC-TV, W. Palm Beach, FL (listed 10/7/11)
WPMT-TV, Harrisburg, PA (AM EP, listing revised 10/14/11)
WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 9/23/11)
WINK-TV, Fort Myers, FL (Dayside EP, relisted 12/9/11)
WBAY-TV, Green Bay, WI (listed 12/9/11)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (relisted 12/9/11)

Obituaries:

Borngesser

A one time Maryland News Director and anchor, BOB BORNGESSER, died this week of cancer at the age of 79. He worked for 19 years for WHAG-TV in Hagerstown. Bob also worked in Washington as a correspondent for NBC, where he went by the name BOB KEANE. He retired from WHAG in 1997. Bob’s survived by his wife, daughter, and several grandchildren.

Our sympathy to veteran news director ADAM BRADSHAW on the death of his mother.  INEZ P. BRADSHAW died Wednesday at the age of 88, less than a month after she was diagnosed with cancer. Mrs. Bradshaw was a retired school teacher for the Urbana, IL school district who also hosted a cooking show for the blind on the University of Illinois radio networks for several years. She is survived by her husband, Glenn R. Bradshaw, and 5 children, including Adam. He’s currently ND at KVVU-TV in Las Vegas, has previously been an ND in Rochester, NY, and Salt Lake City, and also worked in Los Angeles. Your kind note would reach him via email at: mrnews5@gmail.com

Names in the News:

TIM LIVINGSTON heads west to become the morning EP for KXAS-TV, the NBC o-and-o in Dallas/Ft. Worth. Tim’s currently the Assistant ND for WKEF/WGRT-TV in Dayton, OH. He’s a former ND in Toledo.

Who says you can’t go home again? JULIE JOHNSON has returned to KTUL-TV in Tulsa, this time as Assistant News Director. She worked for the station for eight years before taking a four year break, during which she worked in a variety of positions in town, including the Tulsa World and Cox.

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The Full List:

To the best of my knowledge, here is the list of stations with open news director jobs, as of December 16, 2011.

If you know of any additions/deletions/changes/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com

NY 1 News                                             75 Ninth Ave. New York NY 10011
New England Cable News                160 Wells Ave. Newton MA 02459
WFDC-TV                                            101 Constitution Ave. NW Washington DC 20001  **
Central Florida News 13                  20 N. Orange #13, Orlando, FL 32801
KGW-TV                                                1501 SW Jefferson St. Portland OR 97201
WITI-TV                                               9001 N. Green Bay Road Milwaukee WI 53209
WLNE-TV                                            10 Orms St. Providence RI 02904
WACH-TV                                            1400 Pickens St. Columbia SC 29201
WICS/WICD-TV                                2680 E. Cook St. Springfield IL 62703
KHGI-TV                                              13 S. Highway 44 Kearney NE 66848
KOLO-TV                                         4850 Ampere Dr. Reno, NV 89502
KCOY/KKFX-TV                              1211 W. McCoy Santa Maria CA 93455
KVII-TV                                                One Broadcast Center Amarillo TX 79101
KNOE-TV                                         1400 Oliver Rd. Monroe, LA 71211
WJFW-TV                                           3217 County Road G Rhinelander WI 54501
KRCG-TV                                            Highway 54 North Holts Summit MO 65043
KAUZ-TV                                             PO Box 25 Wichita Falls TX 76309
WFXL-TV                                             1211 N. Slappey Blvd. Albany GA 31707
KTUU-TV                                          701 E. Tudor Rd. #220 Anchorage AK 99503 (see ad above!)
WTOV-TV                                           9 Red Donley Plaza Steubenville OH 43952
KWES-TV                                         11320 W. County Rd. 127 Midland, TX 79711
KSWT-TV                                             1301 Third Ave. Yuma AZ 85364
KYMA-TV                                           1385 S. Pacific Ave. Yuma AZ 85365
KGNS-TV                                             120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KKCO-TV                                             2325 Interstate Ave. Grand Junction CO 81505
KGWN-TV                                           2923 E. Lincolnway Cheyenne WY 82001
KSAX-TV                                             PO Box 189 Alexandria, MN 56308
WYIN-TV                                           8625 Indiana Place Merrilville IN 46410

** Spanish language station

December 10, 2011

Thursday, December 15, 2011 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Whitmeyer

ROBIN WHITMEYER has been named VP/ND for KDFW-TV in Dallas. Robin, of course, is the longtime ND for WSOC-TV in Charlotte before leaving the station last February.  Robin spent 30 years at that Cox-owned ABC affiliate, eight as ND.

At KDFW-TV, she replaces MARIA BARRS who left the station in August to become GM at KXTV in Sacramento, CA.  Maria worked at KDFW for 17 years, 13 as ND.  KDFW, of course, is the FOX o-and-o there.

More on this story when we update the full newsletter tomorrow.

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Greetings:

Lots and lots of news this week. We have just a handful of ND changes: TWO new NDs were named and there are TWO new ND openings, bring our list of open ND positions to 26.

I’m sorry to report the demise of another newsroom. KTRV-TV in Boise closed its news operation this week, a few months after losing the FOX affiliation. It now operates as an independent station. KTRV is a subsidiary of Block Communications.

We have several help wanted ads this week, including two new one for Assistant NDs in Texas: one in a top five market, and one smaller one. And we’re re-running the only help wanted ad we’ve ever had that features a bear! There’s also ads for an ND in New England, and an Assistant ND in Memphis.

We have a large number of items in Names in the News, too many to headline here, but stories cover new jobs for a number of well-known news directors, both current and former, among other items.

And we have an obituary for a former Georgia ND who also anchored for stations in Florida and Alabama.

All that and more after this week’s changes.

New News Director Openings:

KYMA-TV, Yuma, AZ…the ND search is on at this Intermountain West Communications (formerly Sunbelt) owned NBC affiliate. JENNIFER MUSA was just promoted to that position in August. Her replacement will be the ninth ND here in just over ten years.

WYIN-TV, Merrilville, IN… this PBS station located in Northwest Indiana has an ND opening listed. My records show RYAN PRIEST was promoted to ND more than two years ago.

Newly Named News Directors:

WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY…ROB CARTWRIGHT will be the new news director here. He’s currently the Assistant ND for KDAF-TV in Dallas (see below for an ad seeking his replacement there). Rob’s also worked for WFAA-TV in Dallas and b in Washington, DC. He replaces JIM TORTORA who left his Newport-owned ABC affiliate earlier this summer after ten years as ND. Jim’s now ND for WGGB-TV in Springfield, MA.

KMEG/KPTH-TV, Sioux City, IA…AARON WEISS will join this Pappas owned CBS/FOX duopoly as news director in early January. Aaron is currently the news integration manager for KGW-TV in Portland, OR. He’s also worked in Tucson as a producer, and worked for Microsoft before that. He replaces JEFF RAKER who left the station after more than six years as news director.

Help Wanted Ads:  

Assistant News Director, KDAF-TV, Dallas, TX:

Our non-traditional newsroom seeks a non-traditional manager to help us evolve our non-traditional news product in the nation’s 5th Market.

KDAF-TV, the Tribune, CW station in Dallas-Fort Worth, has an immediate opening for a Deputy Content Czar, aka Assistant News Director. The person hired will help us break old school TV rules as we pursue our non-traditional news audience while still maintaining Big J values.

We are looking for someone who leads by example and is equally comfortable producing for the web as they are producing for air. Primary duties include direct oversight of newscasts, work with producers and reporters to create compelling content, and work with our Content Czar to set the tone and direction for the newsroom.

If you have television news management experience, a strong Klout score, and social media skills that equal your journalism skills, send your resume and news philosophy to openings@the33news.com or snail mail to:

Content Czar
KDAF-TV
8001 John Carpenter Freeway
Dallas, TX 75247

EOE

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Assistant News Director, KTXS-TV, Abilene, TX:

KTXS Television is searching for an Assistant News Director. The ideal candidate would have 3 or more years of experience in television news. Some supervisor experience a plus.

The Assistant News Director will work closely with the ND, and play a major editorial role in the day to day operation. We’re looking for an aggressive journalist who can take charge of a highly motivated newsroom.

KTXS is a station that puts news first, we have the area’s only satellite truck, the market’s only live Doppler radar, and we’re the only station that broadcasts our news in High Definition.

If you’d like to be a part of this team, email your resume to: levesque@ktxs.com

or via mail to:

Assistant News Director Search
KTXS-TV
4420 N. Clack
Abilene, TX 79601

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News Director, WLNE-TV, Providence, RI:

This position is a great opportunity for a highly motivated, competitive, energetic person with solid news and personnel judgment. Prior News Director experience is required.

We are in the process of fully converting the Newsroom to full HD. Experience with a Newsroom HD transition would be helpful.

Our successful candidate will be the type of leader who is a highly focused, get it done well, motivator. Someone who knows how to produce top quality newscasts filled with well written, compelling and impactful story telling.

A firm grasp of News promotion is critically important- as is a history of Web based news and social media management.

If this describes you then we should talk!

Please send – resume news philosophy, salary history, DVD and/or Web link to:

Allen Sandubrae
VP – News
Citadel Communications Company
3903 Westown Parkway
West Des Moines IA 50266

Email: ASandubrae@myabc5.com
Phone: 515.457.9645 ext. 129

Please note: phone calls will be accepted only after initial email/mail is received.
Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. EOE
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News Director, KTUU-TV, Anchorage, AK:

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Assistant News Director, WREG-TV, Memphis, TN:

WREG has an immediate opening for Assistant News Director. We’re searching for a superlative journalist to lead a team of champions in Memphis — one of the sauciest cities in America. If you are good enough to win this job, you will manage the day-to-day operations in an aggressive newsroom in a market that can only be described as news heaven. We are looking for a straightforward person who leads by example, and is not afraid to show team members what it takes to succeed. We are looking for someone who is part coach, part counselor, part ramrod.

You do not have to like Barbeque or The Blues, but a good sense of humor is a must. Find out why song writers sing about Memphis more than any other city in the world. Don’t believe me? Read this article!:

Core Job Functions Include:

• Supervises, at the direction of the News Director, all producers, reporters, photographers, field producers and other personnel assigned.
• Sets the tone of our content and is responsible for the visual elements and accuracy of all products on all platforms.
• Puts the schizzle into Breaking News.
• Excels at strategic and tactical leadership.
• Coaches and motivates reporters in effective and imaginative storytelling.
• Previous management experience in television news is a must.
• Recruits and evaluates on-air talent

Interested parties should submit resume and references to:

Bruce Moore
News Director
WREG-TV
803 Channel 3 Drive
Memphis, TN 38103

or to bruce.moore@wreg.com

No calls.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WFLD-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 9/10/11)
KDAF-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (new listing this week, see ad above!)
WOIO/WUAB-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 10/14/11)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (relisted 9/17/11)
WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 10/28/11)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 10/28/11)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 10/7/11)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 11/25/11, see ad above!)
WTEN-TV, Albany, NY (listed 11/25/11)
WRDW-TV, Augusta, GA (listed 11/25/11)
KTXS-TV, Abilene, TX (new listing this week, see ad above!)
KTVM-TV, Bozeman, MT (listed 9/17/11)

EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:

KYW-TV, Philadelphia, PA (listed 12/2/11)
KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (AM EP, listed 11/11/11)
The Weather Channel, Atlanta, GA (listed 9/23/11)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM EP, listed 10/7/11)
KUNS-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 11/25/11) **
KTVI/KPLR-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 9/10/11)
KPTV, Portland, OR (AM EP, listed 9/10/11)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (listed 9/17/11)
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (Dayside EP, relisted 11/25/11)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted 11/11/11)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (AM EP, listed 10/28/11)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (PM EP, listing revised 8/12/11)
WPEC-TV, W. Palm Beach, FL (listed 10/7/11)
WPMT-TV, Harrisburg, PA (AM EP, listing revised 10/14/11)
WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 9/23/11)
WINK-TV, Fort Myers, FL (Dayside EP, relisted this week)
WBAY-TV, Green Bay, WI (new listing this week)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (relisted this week)

Obituary:

Williams

JOHN WILLIAMS, who served as an ND for WFXL-TV in Albany, GA until 2005, died in late November. He was 64 and had suffered from bladder cancer and heart complications. John also anchored in Panama City, FL, and Dothan, AL, where he worked twice for WTVY-TV. He left the news business a few years ago, ran unsuccessfully for the Alabama House of Representatives, and worked for AFLAC. He’s survived by his wife, twin daughters, and a son.

Names in the News:

Cavender

One time Washington, Atlanta, Tampa, and Nashville ND MIKE CAVENDER has been named Executive Director of both RTDNA and RTNDF. Mike’s a former chair of RTNDA who’s remained very actrive in both groups. He’s been working in public relations in Atlanta for the past few years, and will continue to live there. Mike’s thoughts on his new role, and the future of the organization, are here.

Davis

Another past RTNDA leader, PAUL DAVIS, is returning to a newsroom, at least part time. He’s now the Saturday morning anchor for WILL-AM/FM, the University of Illinois’ NPR affiliate. Paul anchored and served as ND for many years at WCIA-TV in Champaign, IL, and went on to be an ND for WGN-TV in Chicago and WLVI-TV in Boston.  After leaving FACS in California, Paul moved back to Illinois this summer.

Lord

Congratulations to long time news director BILL LORD who’s been promoted to VP/GM for WJLA-TV in Washington. Bill’s been station manager for WJLA most recently, and earlier served as VP/News for this Albritton-owned ABC affiliate and its cable news operation, NewsChannel 8. Bill’s a former ND in Seattle, Los Angeles, and Nashville, and earlier in his career was a correspondent for NBC News.

Grizzard

HOLLIS GRIZZARD has joined AR&D as a Senior Station Strategist/ Consultant. We told you a few weeks ago that Hollis was leaving his job as ND for KTSM/KDBC-TV in El Paso after two years there. Hollis is also a former ND in Lubbock and Corpus Christi, a reporter at several stations in Texas, and he spent six years as a consultant for Magid and also ran his own consulting company.

KTVX-TV in Salt Lake City has promoted CHRIS AVERY to executive producer. He’s been the 4:00 PM producer, and has worked at this ABC affiliate for nine years.

Labbe

Congratulations to KCTV (Kansas City) News Director BLAISE LABBE who was honored by the Urban League there with the organization’s “Difference Maker” award. He was honored for bringing diversity to the station’s newsroom. And Blaise was in pretty good company: the other two honorees were a founder of tax preparer H&R Block and the CEO of Sprint.

Finally, apologies to MATT KUMMER. In reporting his new job as Assistant News Director in Green Bay in our last edition, I had him moving to the wrong station. He’s joined WBAY-TV, the ABC affiliate there.

The Full List:

To the best of my knowledge, here is the list of stations with open news director jobs, as of December 9, 2011.

If you know of any additions/deletions/changes/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com

NY 1 News                                             75 Ninth Ave. New York NY 10011
KDFW-TV                                             400 N. Griffin St. Dallas TX 75202
New England Cable News                160 Wells Ave. Newton MA 02459
WFDC-TV                                            101 Constitution Ave. NW Washington DC 20001  **
Central Florida News 13                  20 N. Orange #13, Orlando, FL 32801
KGW-TV                                                1501 SW Jefferson St. Portland OR 97201
WITI-TV                                             9001 N. Green Bay Road Milwaukee WI 53209
WLNE-TV                                            10 Orms St. Providence RI 02904 (see ad above!)
WACH-TV                                            1400 Pickens St. Columbia SC 29201
WICS/WICD-TV                                2680 E. Cook St. Springfield IL 62703
KHGI-TV                                              13 S. Highway 44 Kearney NE 66848
KCOY/KKFX-TV                              1211 W. McCoy Santa Maria CA 93455
KVII-TV                                                One Broadcast Center Amarillo TX 79101
WJFW-TV                                           3217 County Road G Rhinelander WI 54501
KRCG-TV                                            Highway 54 North Holts Summit MO 65043
KAUZ-TV                                             PO Box 25 Wichita Falls TX 76309
WFXL-TV                                             1211 N. Slappey Blvd. Albany GA 31707
KTUU-TV                                             701 E. Tudor Rd. #220 Anchorage AK 99503 (see ad above!)
WTOV-TV                                           9 Red Donley Plaza Steubenville OH 43952
KSWT-TV                                             1301 Third Ave. Yuma AZ 85364
KYMA-TV                                         1385 S. Pacific Ave. Yuma AZ 85365
KGNS-TV                                             120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KKCO-TV                                             2325 Interstate Ave. Grand Junction CO 81505
KGWN-TV                                           2923 E. Lincolnway Cheyenne WY 82001
KSAX-TV                                             PO Box 189 Alexandria, MN 56308
WYIN-TV                                         8625 Indiana Place Merrilville IN 46410

** Spanish language station

December 3, 2011

Wednesday, December 7, 2011 UPDATE:

Cavender

One time news director and former RTNDA chairman MIKE CAVENDER has been named Executive Director of both RTDNA and RTNDF.  He’s a former ND in Washington, Atlanta, Tampa, and Nashville, and has been working in public relations for the past few years, though still very active in the organization.

Mike’s thoughts on his new role, and the future of the organization, are here.

More on this, and all the week’s news, in our regular weekly newsletter later this week.

**** ***** ****

Greetings:

We have a busy report this week. TWO new NDs were named (one in a very large market and one in a very small market) and TWO new ND openings.

That brings our total of open ND positions to 25.

We have paid help wanted ads for TWO of those 25 openings, one of which would allow you to be an ND on top of the world. And we have another ad for an Assistant ND’s job in a city that is written about by more musicians than any other. This is also the last week to take advantage of a free trial offer from another advertiser.

In Names in the News, a new job for a former East Coast ND, and successful open heart surgery for a veteran news director, among other items. And we have obituaries for a long time Illinois ND and for the father of a former Philadelphia news director.

All that and more after this week’s changes.

New News Director Openings:

Lemon

WITI-TV, Milwaukee, WI…saying he wanted to avoid another Wisconsin winter, JIM LEMON has announced his resignation from this FOX affiliate. He’s been ND for this LocalTV owned station since 2005, and earlier had been an ND in Sacramento, Honolulu, and Topeka, KS. His last day at WITI will be December 16th.

WLNE-TV, Providence, RI…this Citadel Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate is looking for a new ND. IRENE MAHONEY-PAIGE has left the station after just four months as news director. Her replacement will be the fourth ND in just over a year. You can learn more about this opportunity in the paid ad below.

Newly Named News Directors:

WPVI-TV, Philadelphia, PA…TOM DAVIS has been promoted to ND for this ABC o-and-o. He’s been the Assistant ND there for the past nine years, and earlier worked in Washington, DC, Cleveland, and Youngstown. Tom replaces longtime ND CARLA CARPENTER. She was named Senior VP of Digital Media for the ABC owned stations.

Fortney

WTAP-TV, Parkersburg, WV…JOHN FORTNEY is returning to the station where he began his career, this time as news director and anchor. He most recently has been the primary anchor for sister-Gray Television owned KOLN/KGIN-TV in Lincoln, NE. He’s also worked in Columbus, OH. At WTAP, he replaces BRUCE LAYMAN who left this NBC affiliate in September after more than nine years as news director.

**** ***** ****

Help Wanted Ads:  

News Director, WLNE-TV, Providence, RI:

This position is a great opportunity for a highly motivated, competitive, energetic person with solid news and personnel judgment. Prior News Director experience is required.

We are in the process of fully converting the Newsroom to full HD. Experience with a Newsroom HD transition would be helpful.

Our successful candidate will be the type of leader who is a highly focused, get it done well, motivator. Someone who knows how to produce top quality newscasts filled with well written, compelling and impactful story telling.

A firm grasp of News promotion is critically important- as is a history of Web based news and social media management.

If this describes you then we should talk!

Please send – resume news philosophy, salary history, DVD and/or Web link to:

Allen Sandubrae
VP – News
Citadel Communications Company
3903 Westown Parkway
West Des Moines IA 50266

Email: ASandubrae@myabc5.com
Phone: 515.457.9645 ext. 129

Please note: phone calls will be accepted only after initial email/mail is received.
Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. EOE
**** ***** ****

News Director, KTUU-TV, Anchorage, AK:

**** ***** ****

Assistant News Director, WREG-TV, Memphis, TN:

WREG has an immediate opening for Assistant News Director. We’re searching for a superlative journalist to lead a team of champions in Memphis — one of the sauciest cities in America. If you are good enough to win this job, you will manage the day-to-day operations in an aggressive newsroom in a market that can only be described as news heaven. We are looking for a straightforward person who leads by example, and is not afraid to show team members what it takes to succeed. We are looking for someone who is part coach, part counselor, part ramrod.

You do not have to like Barbeque or The Blues, but a good sense of humor is a must. Find out why song writers sing about Memphis more than any other city in the world. Don’t believe me? Read this article!:

Core Job Functions Include:

• Supervises, at the direction of the News Director, all producers, reporters, photographers, field producers and other personnel assigned.
• Sets the tone of our content and is responsible for the visual elements and accuracy of all products on all platforms.
• Puts the schizzle into Breaking News.
• Excels at strategic and tactical leadership.
• Coaches and motivates reporters in effective and imaginative storytelling.
• Previous management experience in television news is a must.
• Recruits and evaluates on-air talent

Interested parties should submit resume and references to:

Bruce Moore
News Director
WREG-TV
803 Channel 3 Drive
Memphis, TN 38103

or to bruce.moore@wreg.com

No calls.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WFLD-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 9/10/11)
WOIO/WUAB-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 10/14/11)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (relisted 9/17/11)
WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 10/28/11)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 10/28/11)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 10/7/11)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 11/25/11, see ad above!)
WTEN-TV, Albany, NY (listed 11/25/11)
KTUL-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 10/14/11)
WRDW-TV, Augusta, GA (listed 11/25/11)
KTVM-TV, Bozeman, MT (listed 9/17/11)

EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:

KYW-TV, Philadelphia, PA (new listing this week)
KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (AM EP, listed 11/11/11)
The Weather Channel, Atlanta, GA (listed 9/23/11)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM EP, listed 10/7/11)
KUNS-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 11/25/11) **
KTVI/KPLR-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 9/10/11)
KPTV, Portland, OR (AM EP, listed 9/10/11)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (listed 9/17/11)
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (Dayside EP, relisted 11/25/11)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted 11/11/11)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (AM EP, listed 10/28/11)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (PM EP, listing revised 8/12/11)
WPEC-TV, W. Palm Beach, FL (listed 10/7/11)
WPMT-TV, Harrisburg, PA (AM EP, listing revised 10/14/11)
WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 9/23/11)
WINK-TV, Fort Myers, FL (Dayside EP, listed 10/28/11)

Obituaries:

Hickman

We’re late in reporting the death November 19th of longtime WICS-TV (Springfield, IL) News Director DON HICKMAN, who died of natural causes at the age of 74. Don also anchored at WICS which remembered him in this story. Earlier in his career he’d worked in Minneapolis and Memphis, where he covered the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King and provided reports to NBC News. He began a magazine in Springfield after leaving WICS-TV. He’s survived by his wife, Betty, and two sons.

And our sympathy to former WTXF-TV (Philadelphia) News Director JOHN MUSSONI on the death of his father, FRANK, who died last week at the age of 87. Frank Mussoni was a chemical engineer, but John told me his father did two things to help launch his son’s career. He bought him a transistor radio when John was 10, and a reel to reel tape recorder when he was 15. That resonated with me since John and I worked together at the campus radio station at the University of Missouri.  Your note of sympathy would reach John at: mussonidel@comcast.net

Names in the News:

Green

Congratulations to one time Washington, DC (WTTG-TV) and Baltimore (WBAL-TV) news director KATHERINE GREEN. She’s been named Senior Vice President for CNN’s HLN network. She first joined CNN in 2008 as Senior VP of Programming for CNN International. Katherine worked as a reporter in Jacksonville and later became a producer in Miami and New York, and an EP in Tampa.

ALINA FALCON joins Telemundo as Senior Executive Vice President of News and Alternative Programming. She had been President of News at Univision until a year ago worked in Spanish language news for three decades.

Kummer

MATT KUMMER returns to Green Bay as the new Assistant News Director for WBAY-TV. Matt earlier worked as a reporter for WGBA-TV and an EP for WLUK-TV in Green Bay.  He’s also worked as an EP for WCCO-TV in Minneapolis and WISH-TV in Indianapolis, as a producer in Detroit, and as a reporter/anchor in Eau Claire, WI, Peoria, IL, and Saginaw, MI.

Connors

Congratulations to old friend KEITH CONNORS, ND for WTHR-TV here in Indianapolis, who’s recovering from successful open heart surgery last Tuesday. Keith was diagnosed with a failing heart valve during a routine physical earlier this year. He wanted me to encourage everyone to get an annual checkup.  It can save your life.  Keith is recovering at a Houston hospital and expects to be released early next week. He’s a former ND in Houston, Charlotte, Norfolk, and Rochester, NY. Keith plans to return to work after the first of the year, but he’s already checking email at kconnors@wthr.com.

The Full List:

To the best of my knowledge, here is the list of stations with open news director jobs, as of December 2, 2011.

If you know of any additions/deletions/changes/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com

NY 1 News                                             75 Ninth Ave. New York NY 10011
KDFW-TV                                             400 N. Griffin St. Dallas TX 75202
New England Cable News                160 Wells Ave. Newton MA 02459
WFDC-TV                                            101 Constitution Ave. NW Washington DC 20001  **
Central Florida News 13                  20 N. Orange #13, Orlando, FL 32801
KGW-TV                                                1501 SW Jefferson St. Portland OR 97201
WITI-TV                                             9001 N. Green Bay Road Milwaukee WI 53209
WLNE-TV                                          10 Orms St. Providence RI 02904
WACH-TV                                            1400 Pickens St. Columbia SC 29201
WSYR-TV                                             5904 Bridge St. Syracuse NY 13057
WICS/WICD-TV                                2680 E. Cook St. Springfield IL 62703
KHGI-TV                                              13 S. Highway 44 Kearney NE 66848
KCOY/KKFX-TV                              1211 W. McCoy Santa Maria CA 93455
KVII-TV                                                One Broadcast Center Amarillo TX 79101
WJFW-TV                                           3217 County Road G Rhinelander WI 54501
KRCG-TV                                            Highway 54 North Holts Summit MO 65043
KAUZ-TV                                             PO Box 25 Wichita Falls TX 76309
WFXL-TV                                             1211 N. Slappey Blvd. Albany GA 31707
KTUU-TV                                             701 E. Tudor Rd. #220 Anchorage AK 99503
WTOV-TV                                           9 Red Donley Plaza Steubenville OH 43952
KSWT-TV                                             1301 Third Ave. Yuma AZ 85364
KGNS-TV                                             120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KKCO-TV                                             2325 Interstate Ave. Grand Junction CO 81505
KGWN-TV                                           2923 E. Lincolnway Cheyenne WY 82001
KSAX-TV                                          PO Box 189 Alexandria, MN 56308

** Spanish language station

November 26, 2011

Thursday, December 1, 2011 UPDATE:

There’s a new ND in a top five market today.

TOM DAVIS has been promoted to VP/News Director for WPVI-TV, the ABC o-and-o in Philadelphia.

Tom’s been the Assistant ND there for almost nine years, and previously worked in Washington, DC, Cleveland, and Youngstown, OH.

At WPVI, he replaces CARLA CARPENTER who was promoted to Senior VP of Digital Media for the ABC owned stations in October.  Carla was ND here for 14 years.

We’ll have a lot of news in tomorrow’s regular edition of our weekly newsletter.  As often happens after a book, a number of new ND openings.

**** ***** ****

Greetings:

I hope your holiday was pleasant.

We have ONE new opening to tell you about this week, TWO new news directors, and (in a category we don’t see often) ONE new/old news director in this week’s report. That brings our total of open ND positions to 27.

We have a paid help wanted ad for one of those openings, and another help wanted ad for a unique position with a major broadcast group.

And time is running out to take advantage of a free offer from one of our other advertisers.

We’ve also updated our list of Other Names Management Openings. In Names in the News, good news for two former RTNDA (now RTDNA) chairs.

All that and more after this week’s changes.

New News Director Openings:

KSAX-TV, Alexandria, MN…JOEL LUNDSTAD is leaving after just two months as ND to return to his old job as ND for KULR-TV in Billings, MT (more on that below).

Newly Named News Directors:

Langley

KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, Co…MICHAEL LANGLEY has been named ND for this Cordillera Communications owned NBC affiliate. Michael’s worked in Sacramento (KXTV and KOVR-TV) and Washington, DC (WTTG-TV). For the past few years he’s operated a hyper-local website in the Sacramento area. Michael replaces CINDY AUBREY who left the station in July after eight years as ND to take a job with the city of Colorado Springs.

Macias-Cervantes

KTSM/KDBC-TV, El Paso, TX…LAUREN MACIAS-CERVANTES returns to a newsroom as the new ND for this ComCorp owned NBC/CBS duopoly. For the last five years she’s been working for a non-profit organization in El Paso. She began her career as an intern at KTSM, worked at KDBC while in college, and after graduation moved to KFOX-TV in El Paso for nine years. Lauren started there as a producer and rose to EP. She replaces HOLLIS GRIZZARD who will help Lauren with the transition before leaving the stations. Hollis was ND there for two years and will announce his next job soon.

New/Old News Director:

KULR-TV, Billings, MT…JOEL LUNDSTAD returns as ND here after a two month run as ND for KSAX-TV in Alexandria, MN. Joel had been ND here from August, 2007 until last August when he left for Alexandria.

Help Wanted Ads:  

Senior Director of News, Central Florida News 13, Orlando, FL:

Central Florida News 13 is seeking a unique, forward thinking and experienced leader for the position of Sr. Director of News. This candidate will be overseeing an award-winning team of journalists providing around-the-clock local television news coverage for viewers in the Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melbourne, FL, market. This position requires a hands-on leader who can coach and develop talent, inspire a passion for excellence, and who thrives on new technology and innovation. Previous News Director experience a must, along with a track record of aggressive and strategic news and weather coverage.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:
Developing news coverage strategy for 24-hour local news channel, web site, and on-demand products;
Daily newscast analysis for quality control and program growth;
Collaborating editorially with other stations within Bright House Network’s Local Programming Group;
Leading and inspiring a talented and accomplished team committed to providing outstanding local coverage.

This is an exceptional opportunity to take your career to the next level at a station utilizing the very latest state-of-the-art technology. We have the finest tools available and an exceptional team using them. In the past year alone News 13 has won, among others, a national SPJ breaking news award, regional Edward R. Murrow award for its website, and a national Walter Cronkite Award for Political Reporting. The best candidate for this job will be a leader who appreciates the tradition of television news and who is also constantly looking for ways to establish new and creative coverage traditions for News 13 and its viewers.

Apply online at www.mybrighthouse.com

Central Florida News 13 is an Equal Opportunity Employer – EOE – all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply.

**** ***** ****

Content Recruiter, E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH:

Do you have a passion for news and recruiting? The E. W. Scripps Company has an opportunity for you to make a significant impact by recruiting top talent who will continue to produce quality journalism and serve our local communities. The Content Recruiter will establish a local and national recruiting plan with a focus on identifying and attracting leaders for newsroom roles for the Scripps TV Station Group. The content recruiter will partner closely with the broadcast executive team and with General Managers, HR leaders and News Directors at our stations.
The Content Recruiter will serve as a member of the corporate recruiting team with involvement in recruiting-related activities that serve the company as a whole. We are seeking a dynamic and engaging recruiter who will:

Demonstrate an understanding of market/industry trends and their related effect on talent acquisition.
Establish and coordinate the recruiting process to attract a well-qualified and diverse workforce.
Conduct regular meetings with hiring managers and human resources to determine the effectiveness of the recruiting plans and their implementation.
Deliver metrics related to key performance indicators and interpret the story they tell.
Develop a pool of qualified candidates in advance of need by utilizing aggressive sourcing strategies.
Work effectively with talent agents and external recruiters in both sourcing and hiring qualified candidates.
Post openings with professional organizations and via social media avenues; use social and professional networking sites to identify, source and create connections with both active and passive candidates
Please visit www.scripps.com/careers for more information on this position, Requistiion #3810. You may also contact Laura Tomlin, Senior Manager Recruiting via email at laura.tomlin@scripps.com

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WFLD-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 9/10/11)
WOIO/WUAB-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 10/14/11)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (relisted 9/17/11)
WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 10/28/11)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 10/28/11)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 10/7/11)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted this week)
WTEN-TV, Albany, NY (new listing this week)
KTUL-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 10/14/11)
WRDW-TV, Augusta, GA (new listing this week)
KTVM-TV, Bozeman, MT (listed 9/17/11)

EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:

KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (AM EP, listed 11/11/11)
The Weather Channel, Atlanta, GA (listed 9/23/11)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM EP, listed 10/7/11)
KUNS-TV, Seattle, WA (new listing this week) **
KTVI/KPLR-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 9/10/11)
KPTV, Portland, OR (AM EP, listed 9/10/11)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (listed 9/17/11)
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (Dayside EP, relisted this week)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted 11/11/11)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (AM EP, listed 10/28/11)
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (AM EP, listed 11/18/11)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (PM EP, listing revised 8/12/11)
WPEC-TV, W. Palm Beach, FL (listed 10/7/11)
WPMT-TV, Harrisburg, PA (AM EP, listing revised 10/14/11)
WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 9/23/11)
WINK-TV, Fort Myers, FL (Dayside EP, listed 10/28/11)

Names in the News:

Congratulations to two former RTDNA (now RTDNA) chairpersons who are in the news this week.

Bier

TOM BIER has been promoted to General Manager for WISC-TV in Madison, WI.  Tom’s worked for this Morgan Murphy station for 37 years, including 23 years as news director.  Most recently he’s been Vice President and Station Manager for WISC.

Burdick

MARCI BURDICK will be one of four people honored with RTDNF First Amendment awards.  Marci is currently Senior VP of Broadcasting for Schurz Communications.  She’s a former ND and anchor in Springfield, MO, and Rapid City, SD, and a GM in Augusta, GA.  Also honored are NBC News President STEVE CAPUS, ABC News Correspondent MARTHA RADDATZ, and radio newsman JIM BOHANNON.

The Full List:

To the best of my knowledge, here is the list of stations with open news director jobs, as of Friday, November 25, 2011.

If you know of any additions/deletions/changes/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com

NY 1 News                                             75 Ninth Ave. New York NY 10011
WPVI-TV                                              4100 City Line Ave. Philadelphia PA 19131-1691
KDFW-TV                                             400 N. Griffin St. Dallas TX 75202
New England Cable News                160 Wells Ave. Newton MA 02459
WFDC-TV                                            101 Constitution Ave. NW Washington DC 20001  **
Central Florida News 13                  20 N. Orange #13, Orlando, FL 32801
KGW-TV                                                1501 SW Jefferson St. Portland OR 97201
WACH-TV                                            1400 Pickens St. Columbia SC 29201
WSYR-TV                                             5904 Bridge St. Syracuse NY 13057
WICS/WICD-TV                                2680 E. Cook St. Springfield IL 62703
KHGI-TV                                              13 S. Highway 44 Kearney NE 66848
KCOY/KKFX-TV                              1211 W. McCoy Santa Maria CA 93455
KVII-TV                                                One Broadcast Center Amarillo TX 79101
WJFW-TV                                           3217 County Road G Rhinelander WI 54501
KRCG-TV                                            Highway 54 North Holts Summit MO 65043
KAUZ-TV                                             PO Box 25 Wichita Falls TX 76309
WFXL-TV                                             1211 N. Slappey Blvd. Albany GA 31707
KTUU-TV                                             701 E. Tudor Rd. #220 Anchorage AK 99503
WTOV-TV                                           9 Red Donley Plaza Steubenville OH 43952
KSWT-TV                                             1301 Third Ave. Yuma AZ 85364
KGNS-TV                                             120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KKCO-TV                                             2325 Interstate Ave. Grand Junction CO 81505
WTAP-TV                                            One TV Plaza Parkersburg WV 26101
KGWN-TV                                           2923 E. Lincolnway Cheyenne WY 82001
KSAX-TV                                          PO Box 189 Alexandria, MN 56308

** Spanish language station