February 10, 2019
February 16, 2019 UDPATE:
Greetings:

Patti M.
I’m sorry to share with you that veteran news director PATTI McGETTIGAN died this afternoon in Memphis, just two months after she took a medical retirement from WHBQ-TV, the Cox owned FOX affiliate there.
She was 53.
Patti was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005. She also survived a heart attack last fall.
She spent four years as ND in Memphis, and also worked as an ND at WISH-TV in Indianapolis and WOOD-TV in Grand Rapids, MI. Patti also worked in Columbus, OH, and Pittsburgh. Her Linkedin bio has more.
Service are pending, likely to be held in her home state of Michigan.
She is survived by a daughter, Mollie, who is 20, and a son, William, who is 18.
We’ll end with pictures from happier times…Patti and her daughter at a 2012 behind the scenes tour of the Indianapolis Zoo.
More in our full newsletter later this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
February 12, 2019 UPDATE:

Hennes
Sorry to report tonight the passing of former KCEN-TV (Temple, TX) News Director and Anchor TONY HENNES.
If the name sounds familiar, it’s because we just told you two weeks ago that he was running for Temple City Council.
But he died yesterday at the age of 72 of an apparent heart attack. More details in this story from The Temple Daily Telegram.
Tony went to work for the city of Temple in 1988 to manage its downtown development efforts.
Services are pending.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
A realtively show week with THREE news director moves…ONE newly named ND, and TWO who are leaving their posts, one for a promotion with the parent company, and one for a job out of TV.
So our list of stations looks for a news director moves to 30.
There are FOUR paid help wanted ads this week, ONE for a job at a CBS o-and-o, TWO for jobs in Cincinnati, and a job for anyone looking to produce more serous content.
In Names in the News, a new senior management structure for CBS News, a new job for a news director turned corporate recruiter, a new Assistant ND in Tampa, and a longtime Florida newswoman goes public with her ALS diagnosis.
And we have THREE items in GM News and Notes.
Newly Named News Directors:

Carson
WJLA-TV, Washington, DC…our Monday update exposed the worst kept secret in local television news…that CHERYL CARSON would be the next news director for this Sinclair Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate. Cheryl most recently was the ND for KING/KONG-TV (Tegna) in Seattle. She’s been a news director in North Carolina, spent eleven years at in Los Angeles as an EP, and has also worked in Las Vegas and Greenville, NC. At WJLA, Cheryl replaces MITCH JACOB who left in November after four years as ND.
New News Director Openings:

McCollum
KSEE/KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA…CHAD McCOLLUM is leaving this Nexstar Media Group owned NBC/CBS duopoly after six years as ND (and 12 at the stations) to take a job in Clovis, CA, where he lives with his family. He’ll start in March as the Public Affairs and Information Supervisor for the city. A native of San Diego, Chad’s career has been entirely in The Golden State, as he’s worked in San Luis Obispo, San Diego, and Los Angeles.

Kellerman
KARK-TV, Little Rock, AR…another Nexstar station is losing its news director, but he’s staying within the company as AUSTIN KELLERMAN has been promoted to Director of Digital Content for Nexstar. He’s been ND here for seven years, was an ND in Abilene, TX before that, and has worked in Dallas and Shreveport.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
Assistant News Director, KTVT-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX:
Everything is bigger in Texas! CBS O/O in Dallas is looking for an Assistant News Director with a big personality to help lead a vibrant and seasoned team of journalists.
Must be collaborative, creative and an effective communicator. Must hate the phrase “we’ve always done it this way”. We are not ambulance chasers. We focus on hyper local, enterprise story-telling with an emphasis on long form investigative content. Weather is a priority.
Ideal candidate must be able to identify engaging content and guide the daily editorial conversation with respect and consideration. You must play nice in the sandbox. If this is YOU, we want you to join our winning team!
Responsibilities & Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism, management or related field OR comparable television management work experience preferred. The candidate must have a proven ability to lead, coach, motivate and solve problems. Applicants should have a minimum 8 years of experience in a medium/large television market or network, with at least three years in management. A flexible schedule is required.
Senior Manager of Editorial Operations, WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH:
Hey Gevers friends,
I’m looking for a rare breed of journalist/leader; someone who has the skills and experience to run the middle of our newsroom in the middle of the day, and at the same time the digital chops to manage the people, platforms and processes that give life to our perennially-award-winning digital content.
We’re WCPO in Cincinnati, Scripps’ hometown station, and we’re the most decorated shop in the market for journalistic quality and innovation on every platform. In addition to 7 hours of weekday newscasts, we produce digital-only enterprise stories, podcasts, comics, documentaries and tireless investigations. We have the market’s only news helicopter, a significant advantage in breaking news. We have all the resources we need to win. What we need now is an experienced newsroom leader who works collaboratively with others to put it all in motion every day. We need someone with fire in the belly to move the newsroom quickly and accurately when news breaks.
This position is one of four co-equal senior managers who, with me, share overall responsibility for the entire newsroom. This position is perfect for someone who has significant experience in both television and digital, with breaking news and enterprise content. This position is perfect for someone with senior leadership experience and the ambition to be a news director in the near future.
You can read our more formal job posting here. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly.
Chip Mahaney
News Director
WCPO / Scripps / Cincinnati
chip@wcpo.com
513-852-4040
Executive Producer, WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH:
A great station in a great town!
Cincinnati’s #1 news station has an immediate opening for a dynamic, creative, and bold Executive Producer. WXIX is seeking someone who is not afraid to take the reins, with the ability to use showcasing skills and production tools to make the newscast sizzle.
5+ years of line producing experience is required. Executive Producer experience is preferred. Must be a news geek and have the ability to find and dig for stories.
Qualified candidates will have experience working closely with digital team to create content on all platforms. Must be strong at multi-tasking and must possess solid people/management skills.
Qualified applicants, please apply online by clicking here and attach your resume and link to your most recent work.
No phone calls please. EOE-M/F/D/V
Producer, Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick, Indianapolis, IN:
Tired of covering shootings, fires and accidents? Ready to produce meaningful content? Then read on.
Indianapolis-based Grow Media Ventures, LLC has an immediate opening for an experienced and talented producer to join the team at the Emmy Award-winning Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick television program.
This position works closely with the host, another producer and reporters. Qualified candidates must possess a minimum 5 years of TV producing experience and have strong writing, people, organization, planning and problem solving skills. The ideal candidate will produce and oversee the weekly broadcast, which airs on 15 network and public affiliate stations statewide, as well as quarterly special “on the road” shows in various Hoosier communities that are recorded before a studio audience.
Requirements:
-Minimum 5 years of TV producing experience
-Possess strong factual and creative news writing skills
-Manage show research, graphical information, video footage, images, logos (all visuals for the TV show)
-Develop and maintain relationships with companies, organizations, public relations agencies, universities, entrepreneurs, partner stations, etc .
-Possess strong news judgement and understand business news issues
-Work well under deadlines
-Organized, motivated, planner, creative, multitasker, problem solver
-Supervise some IIB staff (reporters), partner stations at WTHR (NBC) and WFYI (PBS)
-Some travel in Indiana
-Some late nights, overnights and weekends
-Knowledge of business news a plus, not a requirement
-Edit weekly BigWigs e-newsletter
Click here for additional information:
Send your resume to: HR@growindiana.net
News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KTVT-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (new listing this week, see ad above!)
KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (relisted 2/3/10)
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (listed 2/3/10)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 12/30/18)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 12/23/18)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 2/3/10)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (listed 1/13/19)
WSLS-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 1/20/19)
WBND-TV, South Bend, IN (relisted 12/30/18)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (listed 12/23/18)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (listed 1/6/19)
KDLT-TV, Sioux Falls, SD (listed 1/13/19)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA (AM EP, relisted 12/16/18)
WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX (relisted 1/20/17)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Special Projects EP, relisted 1/6/19)
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (Dayside EP, relisted 1/13/19)
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (relisted 1/20/19)
WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN (AM EP, listed 12/23/18)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 12/23/18)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (PM EP, relisted this week)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, relisted 12/2/18)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Senior EP, listed 1/6/19)
WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH (new listing this week, see ad above!)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 12/30/18)
WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (TWO EP openings, relisted 1/27/19)
WATE-TV, Knoxville, TN (TWO openings, listed 12/30/18)
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK (PM EP, listed 1/27/19)
WIS-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 12/9/18)
WCTV, Tallahassee, FL (relisted 12/30/18)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth (relisted 1/27/19)
OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:
Relisted this week:
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Senior Manager of Editorial Content) See ad above!
E.W. Scripps, Denver, CO (National Executive Producer)
WTOC-TV, Savannah, GA (Digital Content Manager)
Names in the News (and other items):
Incoming CBS News President SUSAN ZIRINKSY has established a new senior management structure for the news division. Among the people with new roles in KIM GODWIN, a former news director in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Cleveland.

Wolfe
WFTS-TV, the Scripps owned ABC affiliate in Tampa, has hired NICOLE WOLFE as its new Assistant News Director. She’s been the assistant news director at Nexstar’s WCMH-TV in Columbus, OH, for the last 2 1/2 years. Nicole also worked in Philadelphia (twice), Dallas, Denver, Orlando, and Baltimore.

Phillips
TAMMY PHILLIPS joins Nexstar Media Group as Senior Corporate Recruiter for News and Marketing. She most recently had held a similar role for Raycom Media before that company was combined with Gray Television. Tammy spent 17 years at WMC-TV in Memphis, the last six as ND. She’s also worked in Little Rock, Biloxi, MS and Jonesboro, AR.
APRYL PILOLLI joins Social News Desk as Head of Innovation. Apryl most recently
was Senior Product and Solution Manager at Cox Media Group.

Cohen
Finally, old friend SHARON SIEGEL-COHEN wrote from Jacksonville to share that she’s been diagnosed with a form of ALS, but continues to work as the executive producer at WJXT-TV in Jacksonville. (She was a producer there when I was the Assistant ND in the early 80’s.) Sharon’s also leading a team in an ALS walk in Jacksonville next month. If you’d like to contribute, please click here.
General Manager News and Notes:

McNeely
KARA McNEELY returns to Scripps as GM of the company’s Tucson station, KGUN-TV. She most recently has been VP of brand strategy, audience development and programming for KABC-TV in Los Angeles. But earlier in her career she was the marketing director for Scripps’ WCPO-TV in Cincinnati. She’s also worked for another Cincinnati station, and in Miami and Indianapolis.
Media Moves reports that KXTX-TV (Telemundo/Dallas) General Manager JOHN TREVINO has left the company after his position was eliminated. TOM EHLMANN, GM of sister NBC owned station KXAS-TV will oversee both properties.

Wayland
News from another NBC owned property: CHRIS WAYLAND has been named Vice President/Station Manager of Boston’s NBC operations, WNEU-TV (NBC), WNEU-TV (Telemundo) and NECN, the 24 hour cable news channel. Chris most recently has been GM of Tribune’s WPIX-TV in New York. He’s also worked in Miami and for another Boston station.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 10, 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
News 12 New Jersey 450 Raritan Center Parkway Edison, NJ 08837
News 12 The Bronx 930 Soundview Avenue Bronx, NY 10473
Verizon Fios 1 News 800 Westchester Avenue, Rye Brook, NY 10573
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
KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave W Saint Paul, MN 55114
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
WTHR-TV 1000 N. Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46204
WHBQ-TV 485 S. Highland. Memphis, TN 38111
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E McKinley Ave, Fresno, CA 93727
KARK-TV 1401 West Capitol Avenue, # 104 Little Rock, AR 72201
WLEX-TV P.O. Box 1457 Lexington, KY 40588-1457
WGBA-TV 1391 North Rd, Green Bay, WI 54313
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
KGBT-TV 9201 West Expressway 83. Harlingen, TX 78552
WHNT-TV 200 Holmes Avenue, Huntsville, AL 35801
WHEC-TV 191 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604
WGME-TV 81 Northport Drive. Portland, ME 04103
WAPT-TV 7616 Channel 16 Way Jackson, MS 39209
WFFT-TV 3707 Hillegas RD Ft. Wayne IN 46807
WCTI-TV 225 Glenburnie Dr. New Bern, NC 28560
KRNV-TV 1790 Vassar St. Reno, NV 89502
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78411
WTVA-TV P.O. Box 320 Tupelo, MS 38802
KMBT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KAAL-TV 1320 Salem Rd SW, Rochester, MN 55902
WOAY-TV P.O. BOX 3001 Oak Hill, WV 25901
KREX-TV 345 Hillcrest Drive Grand Junction, CO 81501
**: Spanish language station