Newsletter | Rick Gevers & Associates

December 9, 2018

Thursday, December 13, 2018 UPDATE #2

Greetings:

A second update this afternoon bring news of the resignation of a top 20 market news director.

Anne W.

At a staff meeting today, ANNE WITTENBORG announced she was leaving her job as news director for KSTP-TV. That’s the Hubbard Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Anne’s been the ND there since May, 2015, and has worked as the station for ten years in her second stint there. Anne’s LinkedIn page has her entire career story.

We hope to have more on this story and all the week’s news in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

Thursday, December 13, 2018 UPDATE:

Greetings:

A new news director for a Tribune-owned (at least for now) duopoly here in Indianapolis.

Waggoner

MATT WAGGONER, currently the Assistant News Director for Tribune’s KCPQ-TV (FOX) in Seattle, has just been named news director for the company’s WTTV/WXIN-TV (CBS/FOX) in Indianapolis. Here’s the note GM JAMIE AITKEN sent the staff.

Matt’s been the AND in Seattle for two years and first joined the station in 2012 as a producer. He was later promoted to Executive Producer and later Senior Executive Producer. He’s also worked in Portland, OR and Phoenix.

At WTTV/WXIN, he replaces KERRI CAVANAUGH who stepped down in early October to join Magid as a consultant, a move which allowed her to move to Florida to be close to family.

There’s still one open ND job in Indianapolis as WTHR-TV (NBC) continues its search for someone to replace KATHY HOSTETTER, who moved to Pittsburgh as ND for KDKA-TV.

More in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

gevers

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

Greetings:

Lots to tell you about this week…partly because I did some long over due follow up work on some stations that have had ND openings for a while. (And thanks to those corporate execs who answered my emails on a Sunday.)

We have FOUR newly named news directors (THREE were promoted, ONE who’s going across the street). And there’s ONE new opening created by the move across the street.

Those changes means our list of stations with news director openings increases to 31.

In Names in the News, TWO multi-time news directors are highlighted…ONE taking a new job out of the business, and the other perhaps losing a power struggle that cost her her job. Just ONE news manager on the move, and NO general manager changes to my knowledge.

We do have a paid ad just below for the highly regarded Kneeland Project. If you’re not familiar with it, it would be worth a few moments of your time.

All that…and more…as you read on.

Kneeland Logo

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Newly Named News Directors:

Coe

WATE-TV, Knoxville, TN…ALISON COE removes the ‘interim’ tag and is now the news director for this Nexstar owned ABC affiliate. She’s been running the shop since JAMIE FOSTER left in September after 12 years as news director. Alison spent 16 years at sister Nexstar station WKRN-TV in Nashville, most recently as the assistant news director.

Golden

WHIO-TV, Dayton, OH…CARYN GOLDEN has been promoted to news director at this Cox Media owned (for now) CBS affiliate. She’ll replace DAVE BENNALACK when he retires at the end of the year, after 11 years as ND and 30 years with Cox. Caryn is currently the Senior Content Director at CMGO (the combined TV, radio and newspaper newsroom). She began at WHIO as a reporter/anchor, left for a year for a PR job in California, and returned in 2004. Her not-yet-updated-station bio has more. Caryn’s also worked in Odessa, TX.

Gene K.

WRBL-TV, Columbus, GA…veteran newsman GENE KIRKCONNELL is the new ND for this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate. He need not move, as he’s been the ND for cross town NBC affiliate WLTZ-TV for the past 2 1/2 years. This detailed memo from GM DAVID HART details Gene’s background, including his past four ND jobs, a stint as a GM in Birmingham, and their past history together. At WRBL, he replaces KAY NORRED who was promoted to ND for Nexstar’s WFXR-TV in Roanoke last June.

Davenport

KPVI-TV, Pocatello, ID…15 year station employee MATT DAVENPORT adds additional responsibilities as news director for this Northwest Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate. Matt anchors the 5:00 and 10:00 news and began his career in radio. We’re a little late in reporting this…according to the station’s website he was promoted in July and replaces GREG SCHIEFERSTEIN who left in March after almost two years as ND.

New News Director Openings:

WLTZ-TV, Columbus, GA…as noted above GENE KIRKCONNELL has left this SagamoreHill Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate to move ‘across the street’ to WRBL-TV in Columbus as ND.

News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WSNS-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 10/21/18)
KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (listed 11/18/18)
WBTS-TV, Boston, MA (listed 10/28/18)
New England Cable News, Boston, MA (listed 10/28/18)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (listed 10/14/18)
Spectrum News Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (listed 10/7/18)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (relisted 11/11/18)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 10/21/18)
WBND-TV, South Bend, IN (listed 10/28/18)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA (AM EP, relisted 10/14/18)
WFAA-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX (listed 10/14/18)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (Dayside EP, relisted 11/25/18)
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Special Projects EP, listed 11/4/18)
KGO-TV, San Francisco, CA (Dayside EP, listed 11/11/18)
KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA (PM EP, relisted 11/18/18)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (listed 10/14/18)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (PM EP, new listing this week)
WSMV-TV, Nashville, TN (PM EP, relisted this week)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, relisted 12/2/18)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (AM EP, listing revised 12/2/18)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (AM EP, listing modified 10/21/18)
WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (TWO EP openings, relisted 11/25/18)
WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (listed 10/14/18)
WIS-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted this week)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (relisted 10/14/18)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (AM EP, listed 10/28/18)
WCTV, Tallahassee, FL (relisted 10/14/18)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WMAQ-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 10/21/18)
KXAS-TV, Dallas/Ft. Worth (listed 11/18/18)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (listed 10/21/18)

OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:

Listed this week:

WTOC-TV, Savannah, GA (Digital Content Manager)

Re-listed 11/11/18:

WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Senior Manager of Editorial Content)

Listed 10/21/18:

WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (AM Content Manager)

Listed 10/14/18:

KXTV, Sacramento, CA (Content Manager)

Listed 10/7/18:

Spectrum News Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI (Assignment/Planning Manager)

Obituaries:

STU WITT, a former business executive for CBS News who went on to a long career as an agent for NS Bienstock, died Thursday of Parkinson’s disease. He was 84. More in this obituary from the NY Times.

Walker

And we have more details this week on arrangements for FRED WALKER, whose passing we reported last week in limited detail. Fred, a longtime GM in many major markets who later moved into station ownership, died December 1. Learn more about his life and career in this detailed obituary.

Names in the News (and other items):

Fowler

Three time Chicago News Director CAROL FOWLER has left The Chicago Sun-Times after 14 months as senior vice president, digital news products. Longtime Chicago media observer ROBERT FEDER suggests she lost a power struggle. She’s a former ND at WGN-TV, WBBM-TV, and WFLD-TV. Since moving out of TV newsrooms, she has concentrated on social media strategies.

Houston

CARLTON HOUSTON, who’s run the day-to-day operation at WUSA-TV in Washington for the past 2 1/2 years, is joining Blue Cross Blue Shield in Chicago as Director of Storytelling. He explains:

I’ll be working closely with the Executive communications team and its 36 BCBS companies across the United States. After 25 years in television, my wife and I are thrilled to be starting a new chapter.

Carlton’s a former ND in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, worked in management in Tampa and Jackson MS, and as a reporter/anchor in Kansas City, Norfolk, and Columbia, MO.

PETE GOMEZ moves within Scripps to become an EP for WPTV in West Palm Beach as the Nightside EP. He’s been an EP for another Scripps station, WEWS-TV in Cleveland. He’s also worked in Atlanta, Phoenix, Cincinnati, Columbus, OH, and Pocatello, ID.

General Manager News and Notes:

No changes this week to my knowledge.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, December 9, 2018:

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
WJLA-TV 1100 Wilson Blvd. , 6th Fl. Arlington, VA 22209
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KIRO-TV 2807 Third Ave., Seattle WA 98121
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
WTHR-TV 1000 N. Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46204
WTTV/WXIN-TV 6910 Network Pl, Indianapolis, IN 46278
WPBF-TV 3970 RCA Boulevard, # 7007, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410
WTLV/WJXX-TV 1070 E Adams St, Jacksonville, FL 32202
WFRV-TV 1181 E Mason Street. Green Bay, WI 54301
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Dr, Omaha, NE 68127
KOLR-TV 2650 E Division St, Springfield, MO 65803
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
WHEC-TV 191 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14604
WCSH/WLBZ-TV One Congress Square Portland, ME 04101
KKTV 520 E. Colorado Colorado Springs, CO 80903
WAPT-TV 7616 Channel 16 Way Jackson, MS 39209
WVLA/WGMB-TV 10000 Perkins Road Baton Rouge, LA 70810
WJTV 1820 TV Road Jackson MS 39204
KYTX-TV 2211 ESE Loop 323 Tyler, TX 75701
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
KHSL/KNVN-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WTVA-TV P.O. Box 320 Tupelo, MS 38802
KRCG-TV, 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
WTWO-TV PO Box 9268 Terre Haute, IN 47808
WOAY-TV P.O. BOX 3001 Oak Hill, WV 25901
KMVT-TV 1100 Blue Lakes Blvd N. Twin Falls, ID 83301

**: Spanish language station

December 2, 2018

Greetings:

We start this week with breaking news…The Chicago Tribune is one of several outlets reporting tonight that Nexstar will buy Tribune for 4.1 billion dollars. I’m sure you’ll see many stories in the days ahead explaining the challenges that stand in the way of that deal.

Turning to our normal subject, TWO new news directors this week and TWO newly opened positions. And one of those changes comes as a veteran ND gets her first GM job.

Our list of stations with news director openings increases at 34. ONE of those opportunities is featured in one of our TWO paid help wanted ads.

There’s lot to share in our Names in the News…and other stuff…section below. A longtime media critic laments what he sees as the decline of network television. A former ND turned network executive gets a promotion, and we have THREE stories about new management jobs for news people. And we have TWO stories about a former ND…and someone who’s just weeks away from being a former ND.

We have THREE obituaries again. ONE of a former (two-time) Ohio news director, and TWO of veteran station managers who had a lot of large market experience.

All that’s below.

Newly Named News Directors:

Schnell

KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA…DEREK SCHNELL has been named news director for this Hearst owned NBC affiliate. He’s first joined the station in 2014 as an executive producer and most recently has been the co-Assistant news director there. He’s a Hearst veteran having worked for the company’s stations in Kansas City and Oklahoma City, as well as in Columbia, MO.

Waldon

Derek replaces LORI WALDON who is being promoted to VP/GM of another Hearst station, KOAT-TV in Albuquerque. Lori’s spent six years as ND at KCRA, adding corporate responsibilities two years ago. She first joined the company in 2006 as ND for WISN-TV in Milwaukee. Lori’s also worked in Sacramento and San Francisco. In Albuquerque, she replaces another former ND, MARY LYNN ROPER, who is retiring after 25 years as GM and 41 years at the station, where she began as a reporter/photographer.

Venegas

KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX…VICTOR VENEGAS has been promoted to news director for this Nexstar owned NBC affiliate. He’s been the Nightside EP there. His GM, DAVID CANDELARIA had this to say:

Victor is a true team player, mentor and leader in the News Room. He’s the guy that mentored our new reporters and mmjs and stepped up and made things happen for us during our transition to our new building. I can’t thank him enough.

Victor replaces ELIZABETH O’HARA who left last month after two years as ND.

New News Director Openings:

Wordlaw

WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA…GARY WORDLAW is leaving this Nexstar operated NBC/FOX duopoly for a new job that I hope to be able to share with you later this week. Gary’s been the ND here for 3 1/2 years, earlier had been an ND in Washington and Baltimore, and a general manager in Seattle, New Orleans, Syracuse, and Tallahassee. He’s also worked in Chattanooga.

WOAY-TV, Bluefield, WV…this locally owned ABC affiliate is advertising for a new news director. DENNIS LORTZ had been the ND there, having joined the station earlier this summer.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

News Director, KRNV/KRXI-TV, Reno, NV:

Why Reno?

“The Biggest Little City” is more than a name. It’s a culture and a way of life in a news town that never stops. You’ll love the food, the fun, the outdoors and even the indoors here!

We are looking for a dynamic content center leader to oversee our social, digital and broadcast news operations. You need to fully understand how current and emerging platforms work to support each other. You’ll need to build a culture of creativity, innovation, teamwork and accountability. We don’t need someone who believes a news director sits in the office all day. We want someone who is fully engaged and involved from the moment she/he steps into the building..

Get the full job description here and apply today!

MdLogo

Broadcast Lecturer, University of Maryland, College Park, MD:

The University of Maryland’s Philip Merrill College of Journalism seeks an experienced, energetic television news journalist for a nine-month, non-tenure track, renewable lecturer position beginning in spring 2019. Primary responsibility will be to serve as the “bureau chief” for the Capital News Service Broadcast Bureau located on the university’s College Park campus. This full-time lecturer will:

teach undergraduate and graduate courses in broadcast and multiplatform news production
serve as executive producer overseeing student newscasts.
instruct and supervise story development, news judgment, ethics, and script-writing
supervise shooting and editing video

Minimum Qualifications:

bachelor’s degree
substantial professional broadcast field experience producing television news
a record of innovation and quality in video production
web and social media fluency
experience teaching/mentoring students or beginning broadcast journalists.

Preferences:

A master’s degree;
award-winning track record in television news;
experience in both field and show/studio producing

The University of Maryland, College Park, actively subscribes to a policy of equal employment opportunity, and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry or national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression. Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.

In addition to a resume/C.V., cover letter, and list of three references, please submit a supplemental document with:

links to stories reported, shot, edited and produced by applicant (preferably both breaking news and feature/enterprise stories)
social media handles for professional accounts the applicant manages.
links to any student work supervised by applicant

Please apply here!: