Rick’s Weekly Newsletter | Rick Gevers & Associates

February 19, 2011

Greetings:

It’s been a busy week and a busy day on the News Director front. TWO new news directors were named today, both in top ten markets. And there are FIVE new ND openings, two coming under very unfortunate circumstances.

That brings my count of open ND jobs to 27.

We have one new paid ad this week for an Associate Managing Editor for a New York City news operation. And we’re repeating ads from last week: one for a Morning EP in Phoenix, and the other for a Seattle producer position.

Also this week, our sponsor Devlin Design Group launched a brand new (and pretty spiffy!) website. You can see full thumbnail comps of DDG’s latest work in a variety of markets, and even get a glimpse into the creative birth of a set design with concept sketches and initial renderings. Click here (or on the ad below) to check it out…and thank DAN DEVLIN for his support of this newsletter.

We have lots of updated listings in our Other News Management section. There’s just one item in Names in the News, but two obituaries: one for a pioneering news director who went on to a network on-air job, the other for a longtime Indianapolis newsman.

That’s all below, after this week’s changes:

Newly Named News Directors:

Ludgood

WGCL-TV, Atlanta, Ga…ERIC LUDGOOD returns after a three month sojourn to North Carolina to become the next ND for this CBS affiliate. Eric had been the Assistant ND for WGCL before leaving to become ND for Media General’s WNCN-TV (NBC) in Raleigh. He’s also worked at CNN, for WXIA-TV in Atlanta and in Columbus, GA. He’ll report to STEVE SCHWAID who has been the ND here since June 2008. Steve’s been promoted to VP of Digital Content for station owner Meredith Broadcasting, and also has the title of Director of News and Digital Content for WGCL.

Bruce

KHOU-TV, Houston, TX…we reported earlier today that PHILIP BRUCE will return as ND here. Philip was a reporter and Washington Bureau Chief for KHOU from 1985-1995. He is currently Managing Director for NPR West, overseeing news coverage of the Western United States for NPR. Philip spent five years as Director of News & Public Affairs for KCET-TV, the PBS affiliate in Los Angeles. He’s also been a reporter for KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, and has worked for KDFW-TV in Dallas (as the station’s Washington Bureau Chief),and in Little Rock, and Ft. Smith, AR. At KHOU, he replaces KEITH CONNORS who left the station in November after more than five years as ND. Keith is now ND for WTHR-TV here in Indianapolis.

New News Director Openings:

Whitmeyer

WSOC-TV, Charlotte, NC…we reported in an UPDATE earlier this week that ROBIN WHITMEYER was leaving this Cox-owned ABC station. She’s been the ND there for more than eight years, and was worked at the station for more than 30 years, beginning as an intern and working on the floor crew before moving into news and eventually becoming news director in 2002.

WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC…we told you above that ERIC LUDGOOD is returning to Atlanta as ND for WGCL-TV after just three months as ND for this Media General-owned NBC affiliate. He replaced NANETTE WILSON last November when she left the station after a seven year run.

KABB-TV, San Antonio, TX…this Sinclair owned station is looking for a news director in tough circumstances. KABB, a FOX affiliate, has begun looking for a replacement for GREG KOELFGEN who died suddenly January 25th. Greg had been ND there for about ten years.

WKEF/WRGT-TV, Dayton, OH…another Sinclair owned station is undergoing an ND search, also for unfortunate reasons. This ABC/Fox duopoly is looking someone to replace PATRICK CASEY, who’s held that job since February, 2006. Pat has gone on medical leave and will not return. We told you one year ago this week that Pat had undergone surgery for a malignant brain tumor, though he did return to work after his surgery. Pat also served as an ND in Cincinnati at WXIX-TV, and also worked, I believe, in Los Angeles.

WPBN/WTOM-TV, Traverse City, MI…GREG BALDWIN has been named Executive Producer for WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, VA. It’s a return to Schurz Broadcasting for Greg, who’d previously been ND for the company’s station in Augusta, GA, WAGT-TV. Greg’s been ND at WPBN, an NBC affiliate, for about two years.

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HELP WANTED ADS:

Associate Managing Editor, News 12 Brooklyn (NY)

News 12 Networks is the country’s first, largest, and most watched 24-hour local television news network. The Network is made up of 7 individual local news channels serving the areas of Long Island, New Jersey, Southwestern Connecticut, Westchester County, Hudson Valley, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. News 12 Networks, owned and operated by Cablevision Systems Corporation, is a cable exclusive service, reaching approximately 3.8 million households in the New York market.

This unique candidate will lead News 12 Brooklyn in major aspects of news coverage, planning and logistics working with a multitude of staffers including but not limited to reporters, photographers and producers.

Our ideal candidate has a successful track record of at least four years experience in television news gathering and at least two years supervisory news experience. This team leader should understand and coordinate the conceptualization, production and execution of daily stories in a multiple platform and respond to situations in deadline driven arena. Coaching and training employees that include script approval and bi-annual performance review administration experience is recommended.

If you have exceptional news judgment, accuracy and a commitment to viewer-centric content this might be the right position for you.

Candidates should have a valid driver’s license with a good driving record and flexibility to work any assigned shift.

To submit resume, please click here. Cablevision is an equal opportunity employer and drug-free workplace.

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Morning Executive Producer, KPHO-TV, Phoenix, AZ:

KPHO-TV, the Meredith owned CBS affiliate television station located in sunny Phoenix, Arizona, is seeking an experienced Executive Producer for our Morning Newscast.

The perfect candidate for this job is a voracious news-seeker, who is always on top of the latest developments and social trends. This person is a great team-builder, who inspires through action, clear coaching and communication. This person has a strong internal compass, and is unafraid to make decisions under deadline pressure. Above all, the ideal candidate for this job is an inventive leader, someone with great critical thinking skills who is always reviewing and improving their strategic plans and processes.

If this sounds like you we want to hear from you! Please send us your resume and application today.

All resumes and applications are accepted on line only via our corporate career center at www.meredith.apply2jobs.com.

Meredith Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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11:00 PM Producer, KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA:

We need a VERY experienced producer to take over one of our most important newscasts, the 11PM Monday through Friday! We’re looking for someone with outstanding writing skills who can produce compelling and creative newscasts with high production value. Candidate must also be able to write prime time teases. Candidate must be aggressive with breaking news and willing to throw the rundown out the window. Candidate must be able to work well under pressure. We’re looking for someone who is imaginative and knows how to weave a newscast with a variety of stories. It’s crucial that candidate has strong skills in social media as it applies to broadcast.

SPECIFIC DUTIES:
• Produce 11PM Newscast Monday-Friday.
• Write scripts and primetime teases.
• Contribute story ideas.
• Coordinate with assignment editors, reporters and photographers.
• Copy edit all reporter scripts.
• Perform other duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS:
• B.A. in Broadcast Journalism or related field preferred.
• MINIMUM 4 years experience as broadcast producer in medium or large market.
• Well-rounded knowledge of current events and world happenings.
• Excellent news writing and production skills.
• Must be inquisitive, innovative, energetic, flexible and open to new ideas and new ways of doing things.

TO APPLY:
Please e-mail resume, cover letter, and web link to your work to: jobs@fsci.com

PLEASE REFERENCE “Producer – JOB #1105” IN THE SUBJECT LINE

NO PHYSICAL RESUMES ACCEPTED and NO CALLS PLEASE

KOMO Television is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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Other News Management Openings:

Assistant News Director:

WCCO-TV, Minneapolis, MN (listed 2/12/11)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 12/10/10)
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted this week)
WVIT-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (relisted 1/30/11)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted this week)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (new listing this week)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (relisted 1/1/11)
KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA (listed 1/30/11)

Executive News Producer:

KIRO-TV, Seattle, WA (PM EP, relisted this week)
KPHO-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 2/12/11, see ad above!)
WTVD-TV, Raleigh/Durham, NC (listed 1/9/11)
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (PM EP, relisted this week)
WVIT-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (new listing this week)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Morning EP, relisted this week)
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Special Projects EP, listing revised 1/14/11)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted 2/6/11)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (Morning EP, listed 1/28/11)
KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (Morning EP, relisted 1/14/11)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 2/6/11)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (relisted 1/14/11)

Special Projects Producer:

WSVN-TV, Miami, FL (listed 2/12/11)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/30/11)

Content Manager:

WSJV-TV, South Bend/Elkhart, IN (listed 1/30/11)

Managing Editor:

KTVU-TV, Oakland/San Francisco, CA (relisted 1/14/11)
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (relisted 1/14/11)

Assignment Manager:

WTVD-TV, Raleigh/Durham, NC (listed 1/9/11)

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Obituaries:

Monroe

The very first News Director for New Orleans’ WDSU-TV died Thursday, February 17. BILL MONROE was 90 and died of complications from hypertension. He had been working at a newspaper when hired to be the first ND for WDSU-TV in 1954. Of course, he is probably better known to you as the moderator of Meet The Press, a job he held from 1975-1984. He also worked as NBC’s Washington Bureau Chief. The Washington Post carried this obituary.

Bredemann

Longtime Indianapolis newsman RAY BREDEMANN died February 14th, just four days short of his 61st birthday. He had worked for WRTV in Indianapolis for 30 years in a variety of roles, including producer and, for the last eleven years of his tenure at that ABC station, on the assignment desk. Ray fought a long battle with cancer after doctors found a brain tumor following a seizure he suffered at the station. Ray is survived by his wife, two children, and his mother. Funeral services will be held Sunday, February 20th in Indianapolis.

Name in the News:

JASON GOODWIN joins KOKI-TV in Tulsa as Executive Producer. He’s been the 10:00 producer for WPIX-TV in New York City. It’s a return to Oklahoma for Jason, who previously worked in Oklahoma City. He’s also worked in Tampa.

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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 Friday, February 18, 2011.

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

KMEX-TV 5999 Center Dr. Los Angeles CA 90045 **
KPRC-TV 8181 SW Freeway Houston TX 77074
KOIN-TV 222 SW Columbia St. Portland OR 97201
WSOC-TV 1901 North Tryon St. Charlotte NC 28206
WNCN-TV 1205 Front St. Raleigh NC 27609
WRTV 1330 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis IN 46202
WTNH/WCTX-TV 8 Elm St. New Haven CT 06510
KABB-TV 4335 NW Loop 410 San Antonio TX 78229
News 8 Austin 1708 Colorado St. Austin TX 78701
KATV 401 Main St. Little Rock AR 72201
WTEN-TV 341 Northern Blvd. Albany NY 12204
WVLT-TV 6516 Papermill Dr. Knoxville TN 37919
WKEF/WRGT-TV 45 Broadcast Plaza Dayton OH 45408
KMSB-TV 1855 N. 6th Ave. Tucson AZ 85705
KVOA-TV 209 W. Elm St. Tucson AZ 85705
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
KVEO-TV 349 N. Expressway Brownsville TX 78521
WJAC-TV 49 Old Hickory Lane Johnstown PA 15905
WSHM-TV One Monarch Place #300 Springfield MA 01144
WPBN/WTOM-TV 8518 M 72 West Traverse City MI 49684
KVAL-TV 4575 Blanton Road Eugene OR 97405
KTKA-TV 2121 SW Chelsea Dr. Topeka KS 66614
KIMT-TV 112 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Mason City IA 50401
WCJB-TV 6220 NW 43rd St. Gainesville FL 32653
KSWT-TV 1301 Third Ave. Yuma AZ 85364
KGNS-TV 120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KFBB-TV 3012 Highwoods Blvd. Great Falls MT 59403

February 13, 2011

Friday, February 18, 2011:

There’s a new news director in a top ten market today.

Bruce

PHILIP BRUCE has been named ND for KHOU-TV in Houston. It’s a return to this Belo-owned CBS affiliate for Philip, who worked as a reporter and then Washington Bureau Chief there from 1985-95.

He is currently Managing Director for NPR West, overseeing news coverage of the Western United States for NPR. Philip spent five years as Director of News & Public Affairs for KCET-TV, the PBS affiliate in Los Angeles. He’s also been a reporter for KTLA-TV in Los Angeles, and has worked in Dallas, Little Rock, and Ft. Smith, AR.

At KHOU, he replaces KEITH CONNORS who left the station in November after more than five years as ND. Keith is now ND for WTHR-TV here in Indianapolis.

More on this story and all the week’s developments in our full report, hopefully later this afternoon.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011:

Greetings:

Whitmeyer

There was a surprise announcement today at WSOC-TV in Charlotte, where management announced that longtime ND ROBIN WHITMEYER will be leaving the station.

Robin’s worked for this Cox-owned ABC affiliate for 30 years, starting on the floor crew and working her way up. She moved into news management and was promoted to ND in September, 2002.

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

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Greetings:

J. Petrovich

We start this week with details about a memorial service for veteran broadcaster JON PETROVICH who died Thursday night in New York.

Jon was 63 (he would have been 64 at the end of the month) and died after a private battle with pancreatic cancer and diabetes. Jon started as a reporter, worked on the assignment desk and as an assistant news director, was an ND in Baltimore, a GM in St. Louis, spent 15 years at CNN, and later worked for Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Associated Press, and also taught at Northwestern. His LinkedIn page tells the whole story.

Jon was always gracious and fun to be with. I’m sorry it’s been a few years since I enjoyed his company.

Jon is survived by his wife Karen, a son, Jon, and a daughter, Kristin.

The family has scheduled one memorial service next weekend in New York City, and will hold other memorials in Atlanta, Indiana, and Los Angeles, dates/times/places to be determined later. Keep checking here for updates.

The New York Memorial Service will be held next Saturday, February 19th, from 2:00-5:00 at the Greenwich Village Funeral Home in New York City, followed by a reception from 5:00-8:00 at Da Silvano Restaurant. If you plan on attending, please RSVP to his son Jonathan: jonathan.petrovich@gmail.com

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests a donation to The Concern Foundation which supports cancer research.

Jon’s nephew Ron, who followed him into the business, eventually serving as a news director in Saginaw, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee, offers his memories of his uncle here. And his colleagues at CNN posted this story on cnn.com, fitting as Jon okayed the funding for it in 1994.

On, now, to our normal business.

There are TWO new news director openings this week, with ONE newly named news director to share with you. That brings my count of open ND positions to 24.

We have a paid help wanted ad for one of the open ND jobs, and new ads this week for a Morning EP in Phoenix and a producer job in Seattle. And we have some updates to our list of Other News Management openings.

In Names in the News, a handful of management moves, details about quadruple bypass surgery for a veteran ND, and news about the deaths of parents of two news managers.

All that and more after this week’s changes.

New News Director Openings:

Ripson

WRTV, Indianapolis, IN…SHELDON RIPSON has left this ABC affiliate after just over two years as ND. Sheldon previously spent ten years as an ND for KPLR-TV in St. Louis and also worked as an ND in Madison, WI and Peoria, IL. He’s also worked in Waterloo and Davenport, IA, and Columbus, OH. His replacement will be the fifth news director in 8 1/2 years for this McGraw-Hill owned station.

WCJB-TV, Gainesville, FL…BRETT BUELL is leaving at the end of the rating period. He told his staff he wants to take some time off to travel, including his interest in underwater videography. Brett’s been the ND here for almost five years. He’s also worked in Las Vegas, Tampa, and Tallahassee, FL. WCJB is and ABC affiliate owned by Diversified Communications.

New News Directors:

KTEN-TV, Denison, TX…MARK FARRELL has been named News Content Manager here. Mark is currently an EP for KATV in Little Rock, and has previously worked in Houston, Dallas, Orlando, San Antonio, and Lake Charles, LA. General Manager CRAIG MARRS has been doing double duty here since STEVE KORIOTH left in May, 2009. KTEN is owned by Lockwood Broadcasting.

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HELP WANTED ADS:

Morning Executive Producer, KPHO-TV, Phoenix, AZ:

KPHO-TV, the Meredith owned CBS affiliate television station located in sunny Phoenix, Arizona, is seeking an experienced Executive Producer for our Morning Newscast.

If this sounds like you we want to hear from you! Please send us your resume and application today.

All resumes and applications are accepted on line only via our corporate career center at www.meredith.apply2jobs.com.

Meredith Corporation is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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11:00 PM Producer, KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA:

TO APPLY:
Please e-mail resume, cover letter, and web link to your work to: jobs@fsci.com

PLEASE REFERENCE “Producer – JOB #1105” IN THE SUBJECT LINE

NO PHYSICAL RESUMES ACCEPTED and NO CALLS PLEASE

KOMO Television is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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KATV_logo

News Director, KATV-TV, Little Rock, AR:

KATV-TV, one of the leading ABC stations in America, is seeking an experienced, dynamic, engaging and creative leader to be our next News Director.

The News Director will be responsible for budgets, training, hiring, talent contracts, strategic planning, and the station’s website news content. The model news director will work closely with promotion and sales, and should be engaged in building and developing a highly skilled, passionate and empowered news room staff. The news director should also possess the understanding of social media and its relationship to local news.

The News Director must have and maintain the highest code of ethical conduct, taking ownership for protecting the station and the license. Five years proven news director and or news management experience required. The candidate must have strong communication, writing and presentation skills.

Applicants should forward a copy of their resume and a brief statement of news philosophy with salary requirements preferably via email to: hr@katv.com or via regular mail to:

Human Resources Department
KATV-TV
Box 77
Little Rock AR 72203

KATV-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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