Newsletter | Rick Gevers & Associates

October 24, 2010

October 27, 2010 UPDATE:

We have an ND change in a top 30 market today. CAROLYN WILLIAMS, who’s been ND at WTHR-TV here in Indianapolis for 2 1/2 years, is returning (at her request) to her old job as Assistant News Director. Carolyn’s been at this Dispatch-owned NBC affiliate for ten years, and is a former ND at KOTV in Tulsa. She’s also worked in Dallas and Tucson.

We’ll have more on this change, and all the week’s news about news managers, in our next full report.

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Greetings:

There was lots of reaction to our mid-week update about an ND change in a top ten market…and that’s the ONLY new ND opening we have in this week’s report. And there’s just ONE new ND to report, so our count of open ND positions remains at 23.

Also in this week’s newsletter, we have a new ad for an EP position at a suburban New York City station, and we have a revised ad for a North Carolina station which is now looking for an Assistant ND. And we’re repeating an ad for a producer opening in Columbus, OH.

There are a number of other new News Management Openings, a couple of Names in the News, and one obituary for a former Minneapolis News Director and anchor.

All that…and more…after this week’s changes.

New News Director Openings:

Connors

KHOU-TV, Houston, TX…we told you in an UPDATE on Thursday that KEITH CONNORS will leave the Belo-owned CBS station at the end of November. Keith’s been ND here for more than five years, spent eight years as ND for Belo’s WCNC-TV in Charlotte, also worked as an ND for Belo’s WVEC-TV in Norfolk, and for WOKR-TV in Rochester, NY. He’s also worked in Nashville and Toledo, where (full disclosure) I hired him as a producer when I was the ND for WTOL-TV. Earlier this month, KHOU received the National Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence and the Lonestar Emmy award for Overall Station Excellence, and earlier this year the station won an Alfred I. duPont Award.

Newly Named News Directors:

KTVL-TV, Medford, OR…RICK HOWARD is the new ND for this Freedom Broadcasting owned CBS affiliate. Rick had earlier served as ND for another Medford station, KDRV-TV, and has also been an ND for KOIN-TV in Portland, OR, and WTVR-TV in Richmond, VA. He replaces MANNY SANTIS who left the station in July to become the Nightside Assignment Editor for WUSA-TV in Washington, DC.

Also, apologies to two Charleston (SC) news directors. Last week we mentioned that SCOTT FLANNIGAN was working as ND in that market, but told you the wrong station. He’s at WCBD-TV. JAMES WARNER was then/is now/and remains the ND for WCSC. Apologies to both.

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Executive Producer, RNN News, Rye Brook, NY

RNN News in Rye Brook, NY is expanding again!

Currently seeking individuals with significant broadcast news producing and management experience to join our dynamic team as Executive Producer (EP)

The winning candidates will have news producing experience and possess a passion for news and will thrive in a fast-paced, highly competitive, deadline-driven environment. S/he will possess excellent writing skills and will have news producing (line) experience. The EP must be proficient in all aspects of news, supervising a team and capable of effectively communicating with upper management and department heads.

Responsibilities:

Supervise writing, plan story selection, graphics selection, editing, production and execution of daily newscasts and special programming. Coach and develop producers and other direct reports. Manage line producers and facilitate producer schedules. Take full responsibility for execution of assigned newscasts as well as other special assignments. Monitor competition and industry trends with particular emphasis on new media such as social networking and innovative newsgathering techniques and equipment.

Requirements:

• 2+ years executive producer news or senior producer experience
• College degree in journalism or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• Excellent management skills and experience supervising and managing a team
• Strong communication and conflict management skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and meet deadlines
• Excellent editorial judgment and experience line producing
• Availability to work early morning shift and occasional weekends

Please note-due to the quantity of applicants, we can only respond to individuals selected for interviews.

In order to be considered, applicants should forward resume and cover letter with salary requirement to: resume@fios1news.com or resume@rnntv.com

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ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR, WCTI-TV, NEW BERN, NC

Newschannel 12 & FOX Eastern Carolina is looking for an Assistant News Director to help lead a dynamic newsroom.

Here is a great opportunity to earn those senior manager stripes. You will work closely with the news director in all aspects of running this ABC and FOX High Definition News Department.

Duties include: Supervising newscast producers, reporters and photographers. You’ll be instrumental in building and executing a successful strategic plan. The qualified candidate will be a fantastic coach of energetic producers, reporters and photographers. Three Years producing experience required along with a college degree.

Send resume and newscast DVD to:

Shane Moreland
News Director
WCTI-TV
225 Glenburnie Dr.
New Bern NC 28560

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Senior News Producer, WSYX/WTTE, Columbus, OH

WSYX/WTTE is looking for a strong, high energy Senior News Producer.

Qualified candidate must have excellent news judgment, writing and communication skills. We want a producer who thrives on breaking news and is confident in the control room with live shots. The successful candidate is a team player who works well anchors, reporters, photographers, and editors. Show stackers and timid producers need not apply. Columbus is a great city that offers an amazing lifestyle.

Please apply at www.abc6onyourside.com, www.myfox28columbus.com, or www.sbgi.net under employment, and also send a resume and non-returnable DVD of a current newscast to:

WSYX/WTTE
Attn: Jamie Innis
1261 Dublin Rd.
Columbus OH 43215

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Other News Management Openings:

Assistant News Director:

WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 7/16/10)
KATU-TV, Portland, OR (relisted 10/15/10)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 9/24/10)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (listed 10/3/10)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (new listing this week)
WBMA-TV, Birmingham, AL (new listing this week)
WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 7/2/10)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 8/20/10)
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC (listing revised this week, see ad above!)

Executive News Producer:

WRNN-TV, Rye Brook, NY (new listing this weekend)
KTVU-TV, Oakland/San Francisco, CA (AM EP, listed 7/16/10)
KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (AM EP, new listing this week)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 9/6/10)
KMSP-TV, Minneapolis, MN (AM EP, listed 9/17/10)
WOIO/WUAB-TV, Cleveland, OH (PM EP, listed 8/1/10)
WKMG-TV, Orlando, FL (relisted 8/13/10)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 8/13/20)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (Morning EP, relisted 8/20/10)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (Nightside EP, listed 10/15/10)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Special Projects EP, listed 9/6/10)
WKRC-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 8/13/10)
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (AM EP, relisted 7/23/10)
KENS-TV, San Antonio, TX (listed 8/20/10)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 9/24/10)
KOKI-TV, Tulsa, OK (AM EP, listed 9/10/10)
WHAM-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 7/9/10)
KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (Morning EP, relisted 9/17/10)
KHQ-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 9/6/10)

Special Projects Producer:

KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 10/10/10)

Managing Editor:

WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 9/24/10)

Digital Media Manager:

KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 10/3/10)

Senior Manager News Operations:

Source Media Group, Cedar Rapids, IA (listed 9/10/10)

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Names in the News:

Veteran Chicago newsman DON DuPREE is leaving WBBM-TV to become director of “Roger Ebert Presents at the Movies” which will debut next January. DuPree and Ebert worked together for more than 15 years on earlier versions of the movie review program. Don had been the Assistant ND for WBBM.

SCOTT LEVY has joined News 12 The Bronx as the morning EP. He’d been doing the same job for KOKI-TV in Tulsa. Scott’s also worked for Fox stations in Dallas and Memphis.

Another week, another Texas broadcaster heading to print. Last week we told you of JANET GREGG’s move, this week it’s MARY NELL SANCHEZ. She’s now the city editor for the Laredo Morning Times. She worked for KGNS-TV in Laredo as an EP, ND, and eventually General Manager. Mary Nell’s also worked in San Antonio and Austin, TX.

Amundson

I’m sorry to tell you that one time Minneapolis ND GIL AMUNDSON died last week of heart failure at the age of 82. He worked at WTCN-TV (now KARE-TV) for 30 years until his retirement in 1990, serving in a variety of roles including anchor and news director. Both the Star-Tribune and the Pioneer Press paid tribute to him….just click on the links to read the stories.

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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 Saturday, October 23, 2010.

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

KHOU-TV 1945 Allen Parkway Houston TX 77019
WCCO-TV 90 S. 11th St. Minneapolis MN 55403
WNCN-TV 1205 Front St. Raleigh NC 27609
WKRC-TV 1906 Highland Road Cincinnati, OH 45219
WTEN-TV 341 Northern Blvd. Albany, NY 12204
KMSB-TV 1855 N. 6th Ave. Tuscon, AZ 85705
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
KVEO-TV 349 N. Expressway Brownsville TX 78521
WSBT-TV 1301 E. Douglas Rd. Mishawaka IN 46545
WBND/WCWW 3665 Park Place West Mishawaka IN 46545
KSFY-TV 300 N. Dakota Ave. #100 Sioux Falls SD 57104
KVAL-TV 4575 Blanton Road Eugene OR 97405
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
WTVM-TV 1900 Wynnton Rd. Columbus GA 31906
WEAU-TV 1907 S. Hastings Way Eau Claire WI 54701
KTKA-TV 2121 SW Chelsea Dr. Topeka KS 66614
WJHG-TV 8195 Front Beach Rd. Panama City Beach FL 32407
KTEN-TV 10 High Point Circle Denison TX 75020
KXII-TV 4201 Texoma Parkway Sherman TX 75090
KLDO-TV 226 Bob Bullock Loop Laredo, TX 78040
KGNS-TV 120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KFBB-TV 3012 Highwoods Blvd. Great Falls MT 59403
KAVU-TV 3808 N. Navarro Victoria TX 77901

October 15, 2010

October 21, 2010 UPDATE:

Connors

KEITH CONNORS, the ND for Belo’s KHOU-TV (CBS) in Houston, will leave the station in late November after five years as ND. Keith’s also been an ND for two other Belo stations (WCNC-TV in Charlotte and WVEC-TV in Norfolk) and was also an ND in Rochester, NY. He also worked in Nashville and Toledo, where (full disclosure) I hired him as a producer when I was the ND for WTOL-TV.

Keith’s departure comes shortly after the station won two National Edward R. Murrow awards (including overall excellence) and the Lonestar Emmy award for Station Excellence.

More on this move…and all this week’s changes…in our next full edition of the newsletter later this week.

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Greetings:

We have THREE new NDs to tell you about in this week’s report, including two at large market FOX owned stations.

And the ONE new ND opening is at a CBS o-and-o…we shared that with you in a mid-week UPDATE.

These changes bring out list of open ND positions to 23.

Also this week…we have TWO new paid ads, one for a producer in Columbus, OH, and the other for an EP in North Carolina. There’s also an ad you first saw last week for a startup ND job in Indiana.

We have some new jobs in our Other News Management openings categories, and details about three former ND’s who have new jobs.

All that’s below, after this week’s changes:

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New News Directors Named:

McClain

WAGA-TV, Atlanta, GA…MIKE McCLAIN moves from one FOX o-and-o to another, as he takes over the ND chair here. Mike’s been the ND at Fox’s WTVT-TV in Tampa for the last 3+ years, and earlier spent five years as ND (and 27 years at the station) at another FOX o-and-o, WBRC-TV in Birmingham, where he began as a photographer. The move reunites him with GM BILL SCHNEIDER. They worked together in Tampa. Mike replaces BUDD McENTEE who resigned earlier this month after 19 years as ND at WAGA.

WTVT-TV, Tampa, FL…FOX wasted no time replacing MIKE McCLAIN (see above) here. promoting long time station employee JOHN HOFFMAN. John’s been the Assistant ND here for the last eleven years, and has worked at the station for 23.

Haldeman

KPLC-TV, Lake Charles, LA…CHARLIE HALDEMAN has been named ND for this Raycom-owned NBC affiliate. Charlie most recently was ND/anchor for KXII-TV in Sherman, TX, leaving there in September after almost four years as ND and evening anchor. He earlier worked in Bryan, TX. At KPLC, he replaces SCOTT FLANNAGAN who left the station last month to become ND at WCBD-TV in Charleston, SC. Scott spent almost four years as ND at KPLC.

New News Director Openings:

Libin

WCCO-TV, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN…we told you earlier this week that veteran ND SCOTT LIBIN is out as ND for this CBS o-and-o. Scott’s been ND there for almost three years. His departure comes a few months after BRIEN KENNEDY took over as GM. Scott had earlier been an ND at KSTP-TV in St. Paul and WGHP-TV in High Point, NC, where he also worked on air. Many of you know him from his work at the Poynter Institute.

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HELP WANTED ADS:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR, WCTI-TV, NEW BERN, NC

Newschannel 12 & FOX Eastern Carolina is looking for an Assistant News Director to help lead a dynamic newsroom.

Here is a great opportunity to earn those senior manager stripes. You will work closely with the news director in all aspects of running this ABC and FOX High Definition News Department.

Send resume and newscast DVD to:

Shane Moreland
News Director
WCTI-TV
225 Glenburnie Dr.
New Bern NC 28560

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Senior News Producer, WSYX/WTTE, Columbus, OH

WSYX/WTTE is looking for a strong, high energy Senior News Producer.

Please apply at www.abc6onyourside.com, www.myfox28columbus.com, or www.sbgi.net under employment, and also send a resume and non-returnable DVD of a current newscast to:

WSYX/WTTE
Attn: Jamie Innis
1261 Dublin Rd.
Columbus OH 43215

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News Director, WBND/WCWW, Mishawaka, IN

Do you want to BUILD a new local news team from the ground up?

WBND and WCWW, Weigel Broadcasting Co.‘s ABC and CW affiliates in South Bend, are starting live local news from scratch. We are looking for an extraordinary News Director.

Successful candidates must be self-sufficient, proactive, creative, embrace technology and have at least 5 years of previous newsroom management experience.

If you are the kind who sees this challenge as a once in a lifetime opportunity, please apply. We are hiring NOW.

Send your resume and cover letter to:

WBND and WCWW
ATTN: Human Resources
3665 Park Place West
Mishawaka IN 46545

Or via email to: humanresources@abc57.com

No phone calls please. WBND, WCWW and Weigel Broadcasting Co. are equal opportunity employers.

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