Newsletter | Rick Gevers & Associates

May 12, 2019

Wednesday, May 15, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Tonight a long time Wisconsin news director is on the move.

LaPorte

JOHN LaPORTE, who’s been VP/News for Tribune’s WITI-TV in Milwaukee since September, 2010, is leaving that FOX affiliate. That’s according to this note from General Manager CHUCK STEINMETZ.

As alert readers may have noticed, the memo doesn’t say WHERE John is headed. We expect that to be announced soon.

John’s also been an ND for WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee as well as stations in Eau Claire, WI, and Palm Springs, CA. His entire career history is outlined on his very detailed Linkedin page.

When his new job is announced, we will of course bring it to you.

We’ll see you soon with either that news or our full weekly newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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Greetings:

A belated Happy Mother’s Day to all.

Happy, indeed, for TWO people who are celebrating new news director’s job. And there are TWO new openings, leaving our count of stations with ND openings at 30.

TWO of those openings are featured in Paid Help Wanted Ads below.

There are TWO obituaries this week, both of men who spent many years as ND of one station. We’ll also tell you about FOUR new general managers and share details about THREE news managers on the move.

Read on for details!

Newly Named News Directors:

Paras

WFFT-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN…ANDY PARAS is joining this Heartland Media owned FOX affiliate as news director. We told you last month that Andy was leaving WGFL-TV in Gainesville, FL, after two years as ND. Andy was the Content Manager for WCIV-TV in Charleston, SC. At WFFT, he replaces STEW HIRSCH who left the station last September. Sadly, Stew died in March.

Wilhelm

WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY…ADAM WILHELM joins this Quincy Media owned CBS affiliate as news director. He most recently worked for WOFL-TV in Orlando, and has also worked at stations in Atlanta, Miami, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and Louisville. At WBNG, he replaces JOHN LAUGHRIN who left earlier this year to return to his native Wisconsin as ND for WGBA-TV in Green Bay.

New News Director Openings:

Hofmann

KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO…we told you earlier this week that CARRIE HOFMANN was stepping down as ND for this Scripps’ owned NBC affiliate. New today; the email from GM STEPHEN WATT to the staff. We shared Carrie’s note explaining her decision in our UPDATE Thursday. She’s also worked in Denver, Phoenix, Charlotte and Milwaukee.

Rausch

KRDO-TV, Colorado Springs, CO…veteran ND MIKE RAUSCH is leaving this News Press and Gazette owned ABC affiliate, but tells me he is NOT retiring. His note to the staff explains his next career move. Mike’s been ND here for 3+ years, and has also been an ND in Orlando, Portland, OR (two stations), Louisville, Mobile, and Rochester, NY, and as an Assistant ND in Buffalo. In all, he’s worked at eleven stations, beginning as a reporter. You can learn more about this opportunity in the paid help wanted ad just below.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

News Director, KRDO-TV, Colorado Springs, CO:

KRDO, NewsChannel 13, in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado, is looking for a News Director.

Responsibilities include overall supervision and development of the news department staff, providing direction in story selection, story-telling and coverage. Candidate must possess proven ability to manage, coach, critique and motivate the news team to make our news programs the best and first choice for local news, information, weather and sports in our market.

Experience with brand building, applying news research and managing the station’s news website is also required.

The successful candidate will lead, manage, hire, train, supervise and motivate news department personnel; must be experienced in preparing operating budgets and be prepared to be involved in news department capital planning.

Candidate must have excellent news judgment, be thoroughly versed in digital and social media have a passion for breaking news and weather with strong organizational and leadership skills.

Listening and relating to the staff is an important component we are looking for. We have a wide variety of experience levels here so teaching, training and nurturing are required.

Applicants require a 4 year degree in journalism, broadcasting or related field, previous experience as a newsroom supervisor, excellent time management skills, effective communication skills, an ability to work in a high stress, fast paced environment with multiple daily deadlines, good organizational skills, and excellent news judgment.

Please apply by clicking here.

News Director, KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN:

Here’s your chance to lead a truly special newsroom-in a place you would be proud to call home. NBC affiliate KTTC in Rochester, MN has a newsroom loaded with talent! We are committed to strong journalism and community service and we are #1 in southeastern Minnesota.

KTTC’s next News Director will be ready to lead our award-winning newsroom with established leadership skills and at least five years of experience. You must be a catalyst and a leader in our digital and social efforts and set the tone every day in the newsroom. Excellent coaching and communication skills are required.

This could be one of the best jobs you will ever have. SE MN is a beautiful part of the country recognized again and again for its incredible quality of life. Rochester itself is known for its incredible quality of life, with Mayo Clinic and IBM among our strong corporate citizens.

KTTC-TV is proud to be a Quincy Media station. Join our team and see why Quincy has been named one of the top companies to work for in the business. Visit www.quincymediacareers.com for links to all stations and opportunities.

If you think you’re qualified, want to work with a great group of people and live in one of America’s best cities, send your link, cover letter, resume and references to:

Jim McKernan
Regional Vice President
Quincy Media Inc.

jmckernan@quincymedia.com

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. EOE

News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (listed 5/5/19)
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (listed 3/17/19)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted this week)
WTLV-TV, Jacksonville, FL (listed 5/5/19)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham, AL (listed 4/21/19)
KARK-TV, Little Rock, AR (listed 4/14/19)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 5/5/19)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 4/21/19)
WBND-TV, South Bend, IN (relisted 3/10/19)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (relisted this week)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (listed 3/24/19)
KIII-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 5/5/19)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (Dayside EP, relisted 3/31/19)
Nexstar Washington Bureau, Washington, DC (relisted 5/5/19)
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (relisted 3/31/19)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (2 openings, listed 5/5/19)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (PM EP, relisted 4/21/19)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Senior EP, relisted this week)
KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, NV (Digital EP, relisted 5/5/19)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (Nightside EP, listed 3/31/19)
WJAX/WFOX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (relisted 5/5/19)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (listed 3/31/19)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, listed 5/5/19)
WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC (AM EP, listed 5/5/19)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (AM EP, 5/5/19)
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (relisted 3/10/19)
WBRE-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (new listing this week)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (Dayside EP, listed 5/5/19)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 3/31/19)
KXRM-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Digital EP, relisted this week)
WCTV, Tallahassee, FL (Digital EP, listing modified 5/5/19)
KEYT-KCOY-KKFX-TV, Santa Barbara, CA (listed 3/31/19)
WQOW-TV, Eau Claire, WI (listed 3/24/19)

MANAGING EDITOR:

KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth (relisted 3/31/19)

Other News Management Openings:

Listed 4/21/19:

WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital Executive Producer)

Listed 3/31/19:

WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (Digital Content Executive Producer)
KFDX-TV, Wichita Falls, TX (Digital Content Manager)

Listed 3/24/19:

WTNH-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (Digital Content Manager)

Obituaries:

Ed W.

Funeral services for longtime WGAL-TV (Lancaster, PA) news director ED WICKENHEISER were held yesterday in Columbia, PA. We told you earlier this week that Ed lost his battle with cancer last Monday at the age of 80. He spent more than 20 years as ND for WGAL, which aired this tribute to him. More about Ed’s life and career can be found in this obituary.

Gonzalez

DAVID GONZALEZ‘ funeral was also held Saturday. And like Ed, he died last Monday and had a long run as ND at one station. David was 63. He spent 15 years as ND and anchor for KBIR-TV in Roswell, NM. He also worked in Albuquerque and Midland, TX, and finished his career as General Manager for Cable One in Roswell. This obituary adds a lot more information about his life and career.

Names in the News (and other items):

Tobin

THOMAS TOBIN returns to WPIX-TV in New York as the Senior Executive Producer for the morning news. He spent a year there as the weekend news manager earlier in his career. Thomas has worked as the Assistant ND for WABC-TV, an EP at WJLA-TV in Washington, DC, as well as for two other DC stations. He began his career at three stations in Virginia, in Richmond, Roanoke, and Harrisonburg.

Kelleher

There’s a new Assistant ND for Gray Television’s WBTV in Charlotte. MOLLY KELLEHER has been promoted to fill the vacancy created when KIM SAXON was promoted to news director. Kim sent this note to the staff. Molly’s been at this CBS affiliate for five years, most recently as the morning executive producer. She’s also worked in Tucson, the Tri-Cities market in Washington state, and in Bangor, ME, where she began her career as a reporter.

JAMES LINDSAY returns to Florida as the executive producer for WCTV in Tallahassee. He’s a Navy vet who spent some of his service at the naval base in Jacksonville, FL. He most recently has been working as a producer for KCEN-TV in Temple, TX.

General Manager News and Notes:

Hannes

WVIT-TV in Hartford/New Haven, CT, is getting a new GM. DIANE HANNES will replace SUSAN TULLY at this NBC owned station. As you’ll learn in this news release, Diane has spent the last 15 years working for the NBC/Telemundo stations in Chicago. We told you last month than Susan was leaving to return to Texas for family reasons.

Heinrich

CHARLIE HENRICH will join Meredith’s WHNS-TV (FOX) in Greenville, SC, on June 3, as the next GM there. He’s currently running KMEG/KPTH-TV in Sioux City, IA. Charlie’s also been a GM for WFTX-TV in Ft. Myers and was the VP/Operations for some Newport Television stations. He replaces another former WFTX GM, LES VANN, who stepped down to concentrate on his fight against Parkinson’s.

Two GM moves at Lockwood Broadcasting stations:

KATHY YEVAK has been promoted to General Manager of the company’s independent station, WSKY-TV in Norfolk. She’s been the sales manager there for the past six years and has 30 years of experience, all in the Norfolk market.

And NEAL DAVIS returns to Knoxville as GM for WTNZ/WKNX (FOX/independent). He’s currently running Lockwood’s KAKE-TV in Wichita.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, May 12, 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

Verizon Fios 1 News 800 Westchester Avenue, Rye Brook, NY 10573
KNBC-TV 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KING-TV 1501 1st Ave. South, Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98134
KIRO-TV 2807 Third Ave., Seattle WA 98121
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
KXTV 400 Broadway Sacramento, CA 95818
KSDK-TV 1000 Market St. St. Louis MO 63101
KGW-TV 1501 SW Jefferson St, Portland, OR 97201
KFMB-TV 7677 Engineer Road San Diego, CA 92111
KULX-TV 314 S Redwood Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84104 **
KSHB-TV 4720 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64112
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Dr, Columbus, OH 43215
WSPA-TV 250 International Dr. Spartanburg, SC 29303
WPEC-TV 1100 Fairfield Dr. West Palm Beach, FL 33407
KTNV-TV 3355 S. Valley View Blvd. Las Vegas, NV 89102
WBRE/WYOU-TV 62 S. Franklin Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
WLEX-TV P.O. Box 1457 Lexington, KY 40588-1457
WROC-TV 201 Humboldt St. Rochester, NY 14610
WGME-TV 81 Northport Drive. Portland, ME 04103
KRDO-TV 399 S. 8th Street Colorado Springs, CO 80905 (see ad above!)
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78411
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
WICU/WSEE-TV 3514 State St. Erie, PA 16508
KTTC-TV 6301 Bandel Rd. NW Rochester, MN 55901 (see ad above!)
WGFL-TV 1703 NW 80th Blvd Gainesville, FL 32606
WOAY-TV P.O. BOX 3001 Oak Hill, WV 25901
WJMN-TV 3165 Wright Street, Suite 101 Marquette, MI 49855

**: Spanish language station

May 5, 2019

Thursday May 9, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Wouldn’t it be nice to take the summer off and enjoy it with your family?

Hofmann

That’s exactly what KSHB-TV/Kansas City News Director CARRIE HOFFMAN is going to do before looking for her next new adventure.

Carrie told her staff she’s leaving a few minutes ago: here’s the note she sent explaining her reasons.

She’s been ND for this Scripps owned NBC affiliate for more than six years, and has worked in a number of other markets, including Denver, Phoenix, Charlotte and Milwaukee.

Her last day is June 2nd.

We’ll have more on her move and all the week’s news in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Wednesday, May 8, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

A veteran news director who spent more than 20 years as news director for one station lost his battle with cancer this week.

Ed W.

ED WICKENHEISER was 80 years old when he died Monday in his hometown of Columbia, PA.

More details about Ed’s life, survivors, funeral arrangements, and memorial contributions can be found in this obituary.

What’s not mentioned in the obit…but is detailed in this 2007 profile, among other interesting items…was the fact that Ed was the first reporter at Three Mile Island in 1979 (look it up if you have to). At the time he was working as a radio reporter: six months later he moved to WGAL-TV (NBC) in Lancaster as news director, a job he held until he retired in 2000.

I’ve heard from two friends who worked for Ed who had high praise for him, both as a journalist and a leader. Our sympathy to Ed’s family and friends.

We’ll see you with our full newsletter later this weekend.

Rick Gevers

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Greetings:

It’s been a relatively busy week for the first week of a rating period. We have THREE new NDs to tell you about (TWO were promoted either by their current company or current station) and TWO new ND openings (ONE created by the retirement of a veteran ND.)

My always unofficial count of openings shows 30 vacancies.

TWO of those 30 openings are featured in Paid Help Wanted ads below.

Lots of items in Names in the News, including new Assistant ND’s in Dallas, Indianapolis, and Columbus, OH. A longtime morning anchor moves back home and becomes an EP at a CBS o-and-o and the Help Wanted sign is out at SPJ Headquarters.

All that and more below!

Newly Named News Directors:

Henning

WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN…ADAM HENNING will be the next ND for this Cox Media owned FOX affiliate. Details in this news release. We told you last month that Adam was leaving Sinclair’s WPEC-TV (CBS) in West Palm Beach after about three years as ND. He’s been an news director in Huntsville, AL, Gainesville, FL, Greenville and Wilmington, NC, and also worked in Mobile and Raleigh. Adam replaces PATTI McGETTIGAN who stepped down on a medical retirement last December. Sadly, Patti died in February.

Jackson

WOWK-TV, Huntington/Charleston, WV…a transfer within Nexstar sends ROD JACKSON to this CBS affiliate from ND from the company’s WBRE-WYOU-TV in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Rod tells me while it may look like a lateral move, it gets him within 45 minutes of family. He’s a former ND in Cedar Rapids, worked as an Assistant ND in Topeka, spent 13 years with ABC’s NewsOne in Los Angeles, a managing editor in Salt Lake City, and worked as a reporter for 19 years. He replaces GRENDEL LEVY who left in March after a year as ND.

Myers

WECT-TV, Wilmington, NC…BRAD MYERS has been promoted to news director for this Gray Television owned NBC affiliate. Here’s the news release from GM MARK MENDENHALL. Brad’s been at WECT for three years, first as AM EP, then dayside EP. He replaces SCOTT SAXTON who announced in March he would be leaving in May. Scott has purchased the local franchise for Soccer Shots, a soccer education program for children.

New News Director Openings:

WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA…we told you above that Nexstar is transferring ROD JACKSON to WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV. Rod was ND here for more than three years. More on his new opportunity above.

Noel S.

KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN…longtime ND NOEL SEDERSTROM is retiring after more than 11 years as ND for this Quincy Media owned NBC affiliate. He also served as ND for WWMT-TV in Kalamazoo/Grand Rapids, MI, for seven years before returning to his native Minnesota. Learn more about Noel in his station bio. And you can learn more about this job opportunity in the Paid Help Wanted ad just below.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

News Director, KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN:

If you think you’re qualified, want to work with a great group of people and live in one of America’s best cities, send your link, cover letter, resume and references to:

Jim McKernan
Regional Vice President
Quincy Media Inc.

jmckernan@quincymedia.com

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. EOE

WseeLogo

News Director, WSEE/WICU-TV, Erie, PA:

Lilly Broadcasting is conducting a search for a news director to lead Erie News Now in Erie, Pennsylvania.

The successful candidate must be an outstanding journalist with at least three years of news management experience who leads, coaches and inspires team members to achieve continuous improvement.

Erie News Now produces news on NBC and CBS affiliates in Erie, multiple digital and OTT platforms and for One Caribbean Television and Lilly’s ABC and CBS affiliates in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

This is an exciting opportunity to live in beautiful Northwest Pennsylvania and work for a family-owned company with a “viewers first” philosophy.

Interested candidates should reply to Brian Trauring, VP of News, Marketing & Content Development, Lilly Broadcasting at: btrauring@lillybroadcasting.com