Rick Gevers & Associates

March 20, 2022

Friday, March 25th, 2022 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Sorry to report that there are many stories reporting that the Black News Channel is shutting down, perhaps as soon as 5:00 PM Eastern time today.

That will cost 230 people their jobs.

The Los Angeles Times was apparently the first to report the news. Here’s the story. The Atlanta Journal Constitution quickly posted its own story.

While the channel was based in Tallahassee, FL, it had a significant presence in Atlanta.

The BNC website has no details. On the other hand, the website does not appear to have been updated in more than a month.

I’m sure there will be many other stories. We’ll try to find the most comprehensive for our Sunday newsletter.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

A flurry of news director hires this week, with FIVE jobs filled and just ONE new opening, that created when the incumbent took an Assistant ND job.

So those of you betting the over/under won if you bet the under at 35 1/2, as our total list of openings number 35.

(It’s possible I’ve spent too much time watching basketball this week.)

Pleased to welcome back AccuWeather as an advertiser, whose ad is just below. They’ll be exhibiting at NAB in Vegas in April and you can sign up for an appointment via clicking on the ad.

We have TWO Paid Help Wanted ads, including a ad for a sales job with AP which might allow you to work from where you currently live….and an AND job in Texas.

Sorry to report the death of old friend JIM OGLE. We told you last week that the three time ND and longtime Topeka GM had entered hospice. Much more on this life and career below.

TWO new GMs, including ONE at a CBS o-and-o in San Francisco.

And NO items in Names in the News. Please send me your news!

All that and more as you read on.

Newly Named News Directors:

Combs

WTVQ-TV, Lexington, KY…MIRANDA COMBS completes the Lexington hat trick as she’ll be the next ND for this Morris Multimedia owned ABC affiliate. She joined WDKY-TV (Nexstar/FOX) last fall as its Assistant ND after a year+ working for the Kentucky Secretary of State. She also worked for WKYT-TV (CBS) for 13 years in two stints. Miranda replaces SARA HOWARD who had been ND there since 2017.

Salyers

KMTV, Omaha, NE…KRISTI SALYERS has been promoted to news director at this Scripps owned CBS affiliate. Here’s the note to staff from GM DAVE GERMAN. Kristi’s worked here for more than nine years, first as a producer, then EP, and since January 2019, as Senior EP. She’s also worked in Kearney, NE. Krtisti succeeds GEOFF ROTH who left in January for a job with Northwest Public Broadcasting after 3+ years here.

Cerbo

KIVI-TV. Boise, ID…CHRIS CERBO has been promoted to news director at this Scripps’ owned ABC affiliate. He’s been the Assistant ND here for the past year, coming from Charlottesville, VA. This note from GM MERRI HANSON provides more details. Chris has also worked in Myrtle Beach and is replacing J (cq) BATES who’s joining the Scripps recruiting team after four years as ND.

Vaughan

KOLO-TV, Reno, NV….MATT VAUGHAN has been promoted to news director for this Gray TV owned ABC affiliate. He’s been the EP there since August, 2020. Matt worked as a reporter at KOLO from 2014-2016 before taking a break from TV news, working for two non-profits in Reno. He replaces STANTON TANG who left late last year (after 7 1/2 years) to return to Grand Rapids, MI, as ND for Nexstar’s WOOD-TV (NBC).

Dodd

WMBD/WYZZ-TV, Peoria IL…veteran news director LAWTON DODD returns to the corner office as ND for this duopoly. (Nexstar owns WMBD and operates WYZZ). Lawton sent 22 years as ND for Hearst’s KSBW-TV in Salinas-Monterey and, more recently, seven months as ND as for Sinclair’s KVAL/KMTV in Eugene, OR. Lawton replaces SHAUN NEWELL who was promoted to GM after five years as ND. 

New News Director Opening:

Atwood

KMVT-TV, Twin Falls, ID…KADE ATWOOD is leaving this Gray owned CBS affiliate to head to the bright lights of Sin City (aka Las Vegas) as the new Assistant News Director for Sinclair’s KSNV-TV (NBC). He’s been the news director here for about 3 1/2 years. According to the KMVT news release when he was hired, Kade also coaches and trains multiple world champion American Paint horses.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

National Sales Executive, Associated Press:

AP ENPS is hiring! Come join our great team.

The Associated Press is seeking a National Sales Executive, North America to join the ENPS news production team. The National Sales Executive will build on the success of ENPS news production and Playbook editorial planning software and develop this expanding business throughout the United States and Canada.

Main areas of responsibility:

· Work with Sales and Account Management colleagues to further develop existing customers and identify new business.
· Grow new customer base, increase the proportion of revenue which is from cloud-based SaaS solutions.
· Liaise with product management and support teams, both to channel development requests and to troubleshoot customer questions.
· Market and license SaaS cloud-based editorial systems initially to the news sector, as well as to content producers and other adjacent market segments.
· Develop business opportunities with online publishers, broadcasters, news agencies and other organizations managing news output (sports or finance information networks, social networks, associations, aggregators).

The ideal candidate will have:

· College Degree or equivalent relevant industry experience
· Experience of successful SaaS sales strategies either in a sales role directly or with compelling exposure to a range of sales and marketing activity
· Background in news, online publishing, media
· Network of contacts within the target businesses described above

The successful candidate may work on a hybrid schedule based in the Washington, D.C. office, AP’s New York headquarters or any U.S. city with an AP office and will report to the National Sales Director/AP ENPS & Playbook.

Click here to apply:

Assistant News Director, KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX:

KBTX, the legacy CBS station in Bryan-College Station, Texas, is looking for an inclusive, collaborative leader to serve as the station’s Assistant News Director.

You’ll work in a well-resourced, market-leading newsroom in one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Bryan-College Station is consistently named one of America’s best college towns, recognized for quality of life no matter the last time you set foot in a classroom.

This is a growth-focused position at a station that prioritizes team members meeting their personal and professional goals. Each day, you’ll oversee KBTX’s multiplatform programming with a commitment to the station’s core values, providing editorial direction, leadership, support, and encouragement to a growing team of journalists. You will also help craft and oversee the newsroom’s strategic plan and development strategies.

KBTX has a deep commitment to community and a strong history of fostering the best in our team members through close, personal relationships. We work each day to build an inclusive, diverse workplace where all ideas and perspectives are valued, ensuring our product best reflects the vibrant community we serve.

You’ll succeed in this role thanks to a community-minded spirit and a vision to maintain and expand the station’s legacy of community outreach. Each year, KBTX’s newsroom helps to raise millions of dollars for local organizations and serves as a trusted community partner to dozens more. As assistant news director, you’ll serve as a direct conduit and among the strongest sustaining forces behind this vision.

To learn more or apply now, click here.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Digital AND, relisted 1/16/22)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 2/27/22)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 1/30/22)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 2/27/22)
WXBW-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 3/13/22)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 3/13/22)
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (listed 2/20/22)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 2/27/22)
WDKY-TV, Lexington, KY (listed 3/20/22)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (relisted 1/9/22)
KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX (listed 2/27/22, see ad above!)
KXXV-TV, Waco, TX (listed 3/13/22)
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 3/20/22)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (listed 2/20/22)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 2/13/22)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 2/27/22)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (relisted 3/13/22)
Spectrum News, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/30/22)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 1/30/22)
KMOV-TV. St. Louis, MO (Special Projects EP, listed 2/27/22)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (relisted 3/13/22)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (Streaming EP, relisted 2/27/22)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 2/27/22)
KTVX/KUCW-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 3/20/22)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (Special Projects EP, listed 3/6/22)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/13/22)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham AL (listed 2/20/22)
WHTM-TV, Harriburg, PA (listed 3/6/22)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans (EP Special Projects, revised 2/27/22)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (listed 3/13/22)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 2/27/22)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 3/20/22)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (relisted 3/20/22)
WAFF-TV, Huntsville, AL (relisted 3/20/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, listed 1/16/22)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (listed 1/23/22)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 1/30/22)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach, SC (listed 3/20/22)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (listed 2/27/22)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (Digital EP, relisted 2/13/22)
KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA (relisted 2/27/22)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CO (listed 2/27/22)

SUPERVISING PRODUCER:

KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/27/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 3/13/22:

Listed 3/6/22:

U. of Mississippi, Oxford, MS (Director of Student Media)

Listed 2/13/22:

KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)

Relisted 2/13/22:

E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH: National Director of News Platform Strategies and Special Projects

Relisted 2/6/22:

WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/30/22:

Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Director, Documentary Journalism Center)

Relisted 1/30/22:

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (Assistant Professor)

Relisted 1/23/22:

New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)

Obituaries:

Ogle

JIM OGLE, a former news director and longtime general manager in Topeka, died last Sunday of cancer. He was 64. Obituary here. His former station, WIBW-TV in Topeka, remembered him here. He left WIBW in 2006 but remained immersed in civic life in Topeka. He was an ND in Reno, Greensboro, and Lexington, KY. and also worked in Miami and Columbia, MO.

Names in the News:

No items this week. Please send your news to me at rick@rickgevers.com

General Manager News and Notes:

Warren

SCOTT WARREN, a longtime newsman with a diverse resume, will be the next General Manager for CBS’s KPIX-TV in San Francisco. He’s currently the Senior Director of News and Content at Spectrum News 1 in Los Angeles and previously worked as an executive producer for two Bay Area stations. His complete background is on his Linkedin page.

Butcher

She’s back! REBECCA BUTCHER returns to a GM job in Flint/Saginaw as she’s been named GM for Sinclair owned WSMH-TV (FOX). She’ll also oversee services for WEYI-TV (NBC) and WBSF-TV (CW). Rebecca served as GM for the later two stations from 2008-2015 before leaving to take a job with Adams Outdoor Advertising.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 20, 2022.

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

March 13, 2022

Tuesday, March 15, 2022 UPDATE:

Greetings:

And a happy Ides of March to you, too.

A veteran newsman gets his first GM job…in a top six market.

(And if that line sounds familiar, that’s because it’s almost identical to the open of our most recent UPDATE last Wednesday, reporting the move of KELLY FRANK to GM of CBS’s KYW-TV in Philadelphia.)

Warren

Today it’s SCOTT WARREN, named General Manager for CBS’s KPIX-TV in San Francisco. He’s currently the Senior Director of News and Content at Spectrum News 1 in Los Angeles. He’s been there since 2018, but previously worked as an executive producer for two different stations in San Francisco.

More details in the announcement from CBS.

Scott’s background is wide and varied. Some of it is detailed in the CBS release, and the rest can be found on his Linkedin page.

More in our full newsletter Sunday, the delivery of which may be impacted by the basketball schedule!

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

A slow week of news director changes, so you can read our newsletter quickly and return to filling out your basketball bracket.

Just ONE new ND to introduce, with ONE opening, created by the move of a ND to a GM job in a top five market.

Our list of open ND jobs remains at 39.

ONE of those ND jobs are among our FOUR Paid Help Wanted ads, including a new ad for a sales job with AP which might allow you to work from where you live now.

TWO obituaries this week, one for a former GM in a number of top 25 markets and another for a longtime NBC director.

The aforementioned new GM in Philadelphia is recapped in our GM section, along with details about new responsibilities for SIX Gray GMs.

In Names in the News, TWO assistant news directors named at the same Chicago station. TWO former news directors get new jobs at Scripps stations (though one is an interim hire), and a former ND in several markets (and GM in one) is moved into in-home hospice care.

All that and more below.

Newly Named News Directors:

Bauman

WITN-TV, Washington, NC…CLAYTON BAUMAN is being promoted to news director for this Gray owned NBC affiliate. He’s worked here since 2008, first on air and then in to management. He’s replacing JESSICA BOBULA, who spread the news among her fellow Gray news directors via this email. We told you last month, Jessica is off to be ND for another Gray station, KOLD-TV in Tucson, after two years as ND here.

New News Director Openings:

Frank

WTSP-TV, Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL…congratulations to KELLY FRANK who’s making a big jump to GM for CBS’s KYW-TV in Philadelphia. Kelly’s been the Director of Content for this Tegna owned CBS affiliate since 2018, and had been an ND in Columbus, OH before that. Her background is varied: see her Linkedin page. Of note, earlier in her career she worked with ADRIENNE ROARK, one of the Presidents of the CBS o-and-os, to whom she will report.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

National Sales Executive, Associated Press:

AP ENPS is hiring! Come join our great team.

The Associated Press is seeking a National Sales Executive, North America to join the ENPS news production team. The National Sales Executive will build on the success of ENPS news production and Playbook editorial planning software and develop this expanding business throughout the United States and Canada.

Main areas of responsibility:

· Work with Sales and Account Management colleagues to further develop existing customers and identify new business.
· Grow new customer base, increase the proportion of revenue which is from cloud-based SaaS solutions.
· Liaise with product management and support teams, both to channel development requests and to troubleshoot customer questions.
· Market and license SaaS cloud-based editorial systems initially to the news sector, as well as to content producers and other adjacent market segments.
· Develop business opportunities with online publishers, broadcasters, news agencies and other organizations managing news output (sports or finance information networks, social networks, associations, aggregators).

The ideal candidate will have:

· College Degree or equivalent relevant industry experience
· Experience of successful SaaS sales strategies either in a sales role directly or with compelling exposure to a range of sales and marketing activity
· Background in news, online publishing, media
· Network of contacts within the target businesses described above

The successful candidate may work on a hybrid schedule based in the Washington, D.C. office, AP’s New York headquarters or any U.S. city with an AP office and will report to the National Sales Director/AP ENPS & Playbook.

Click here to apply:

.

Assistant News Director, KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX:

KBTX, the legacy CBS station in Bryan-College Station, Texas, is looking for an inclusive, collaborative leader to serve as the station’s Assistant News Director.

You’ll work in a well-resourced, market-leading newsroom in one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Bryan-College Station is consistently named one of America’s best college towns, recognized for quality of life no matter the last time you set foot in a classroom.

This is a growth-focused position at a station that prioritizes team members meeting their personal and professional goals. Each day, you’ll oversee KBTX’s multiplatform programming with a commitment to the station’s core values, providing editorial direction, leadership, support, and encouragement to a growing team of journalists. You will also help craft and oversee the newsroom’s strategic plan and development strategies.

KBTX has a deep commitment to community and a strong history of fostering the best in our team members through close, personal relationships. We work each day to build an inclusive, diverse workplace where all ideas and perspectives are valued, ensuring our product best reflects the vibrant community we serve.

You’ll succeed in this role thanks to a community-minded spirit and a vision to maintain and expand the station’s legacy of community outreach. Each year, KBTX’s newsroom helps to raise millions of dollars for local organizations and serves as a trusted community partner to dozens more. As assistant news director, you’ll serve as a direct conduit and among the strongest sustaining forces behind this vision.

To learn more or apply now, click here.

News Director, KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA:

NEWS15, the local FOX and NBC affiliate in Lafayette, LA is looking for a News Director to lead our news department. We are looking for someone with outstanding leadership skills who thrives on teaching, coaching and developing a strong and positive newsroom environment. In addition, the News Director leads and supervises all aspects of news, weather, and sports programming production.

The News Director will oversee a department that generates 40.5 hours of on-air content on the Lafayette market’s NBC and FOX stations. Lafayette is a great place to live and work with a culture all its own, and we are looking for a someone to oversee a department that produces professional and engaging content that reflects that culture in a way that appeals to our own families and communities.

Specific Job Duties:

Institutes training systems for new employees.
Makes decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion and termination of employees.
Develops news coverage strategy for the station and its website.
Critiques newscasts daily to correct errors, improve coverage and provide mentoring feedback to news staff.
Prepare the department’s budget and manages expenses to meet established financial goals.

Skills & Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience preferred.
Minimum five years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role.

Must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (subject to any medical or religious accommodations or other applicable law).

To be considered for this exciting opportunity, please click here.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Digital AND, relisted 1/16/22)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 2/27/22)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 1/30/22)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 2/27/22)
WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 3/13/22)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 3/13/22)
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (listed 2/20/22)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 2/27/22)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (relisted 1/9/22)
KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX (listed 2/27/22, see ad above!)
KXXV-TV, Waco, TX (listed 3/13/22)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC (listed 2/13/22)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (listed 2/20/22)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 2/13/22)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 2/27/22)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (relisted 3/13/22)
Spectrum News, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/30/22)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 1/30/22)
KMOV-TV. St. Louis, MO (Special Projects EP, listed 2/27/22)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (relisted 3/13/22)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (Streaming EP, relisted 2/27/22)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 2/27/22)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (Special Projects EP, listed 3/6/22)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/13/22)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham AL (listed 2/20/22)
WHTM-TV, Harriburg, PA (listed 3/6/22)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans (EP Special Projects, revised 2/27/22)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (listed 3/13/22)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 2/27/22)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (relisted 1/9/22)
WAFF-TV, Huntsville, AL (relisted 1/2/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, listed 1/16/22)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (listed 1/23/22)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 1/30/22)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (listed 2/27/22)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (Digital EP, relisted 2/13/22)
KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA (relisted 2/27/22)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CO (listed 2/27/22)

SUPERVISING PRODUCER:

KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/27/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 3/13/22:

Listed 3/6/22:

U. of Mississippi, Oxford, MS (Director of Student Media (see ad above!)

Listed 2/13/22:

KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)

Relisted 2/13/22:

E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH: National Director of News Platform Strategies and Special Projects
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)

Relisted 2/6/22:

WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/30/22:

Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Director, Documentary Journalism Center)

Relisted 1/30/22:

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (Assistant Professor)

Relisted 1/23/22:

New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)

Listed 1/9/22:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI: (Senior Manager of Investigative and Enterprise Content)

Listed 12/26/21:

WIS-TV, Columbia, SC: Digital Content Manager

Obituaries:

Ramsey

BOB RAMSEY, who held general manager or station manager jobs in Chicago, Sacramento, and San Diego, died Tuesday. He was 65 and died of complications while awaiting a liver transplant. He started as a sports anchor in Terre Haute, IN before moving into management. Chicago media reporter ROBERT FEDER has much more on Bob’s life and career in this story.

Schindler

Longtime NBC Director MAX SCHINDLER died this week at the age of 91. He worked for NBC for more than 40 years, and directed both The Today Show and Meet the Press. He was in the booth for coverage of the aftermath of the assassination of President JOHN KENNEDY among other stories. The Today Show remembered him.

Names in the News:

We are tardy in reporting the promotion of TWO people to Assistant News Director jobs at Chicago’s WLS-TV (ABC owned). DOUG WHITMIRE is an 18 year veteran of WLS, most recently as EP for the station’s 10:00 PM newscast. And NNEKA NWOSU FAISON joins the station from WCVB-TV (Hearst/ABC) in Boston where she was an EP. More, including more details on their backgrounds, in this news release.

TWO former news directors have new jobs at Scripps stations, though one is an interim.

Casey

Old friend MARK CASEY is serving as interim ND at Scripps’ WPTV in West Palm Beach. Mark’s last job before ‘retirement‘ was as ND for the company’s KNXV-TV (ABC) in Phoenix. Mark was the longtime ND/Station Manager for KPNX-TV (Tegna-NBC) in Phoenix, and also worked as an ND in several other markets. His entire background is here. In West Palm, he fills in while the station searches for a replacement for NICOLE HOGENSEN who’s off to her native Ohio as ND for Sinclair’s WSYX-WTTE-TV (ABC/FOX) in Columbus.

Foley

And TERRI FOLEY joins Scripps’s KTNV-TV (ABC) in Las Vegas as Managing Editor. She’d been the news director for KLAS-TV (Nexstar/CBS) in Las Vegas, before leaving last September after 35 years, the last six as news director.

Scripps also promoted EVAN HUMMEL to EP at KMTV in Omaha. He had been an in-depth planner for that CBS affiliate.

Ogle

Finally, I’m very sorry to report that longtime ND and GM JIM OGLE has entered in-home hospice care. His son, COLIN OGLE, posted this update on his dad’s Facebook page. Jim was a news director in Reno, Greensboro, and Lexington, worked in Miami and Columbia, MO, and a GM in Topeka until 2018 when he became Executive Director at Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area in Lawrence, KS. Friends can post well wishes on Jim’s Facebook page.

General Manager News and Notes:

You learned about (in our News Director Openings section) about KELLY FRANK‘s appointment as GM for CBS’s KYW-TV in Philadelphia.

Gray Television has made a number of management appointments, promoting a current GM to Senior VP/Local Media, and promoted FIVE GMs into new positions as Regional VP/General Managers. Details in this news release.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 13, 2022.

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

KPIX-TV 855 Battery St. San Francisco, CA 94111
WTSP-TV 11450 Gandy Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
KOVR/KMAX-TV 2713 KOVR Drive, West Sacramento, CA 95605
KTVX-TV 2175 West 1700 South Salt Lake City, UT 84104
WPTV 1100 Banyan Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33401
WZZM-TV 645 3 Mile Rd NW. Grand Rapids, MI 49544
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
WTVQ-TV 6940 Man O War Blvd., Lexington, KY 40511
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Drive Omaha, NE 68127
KOLR-TV 2650 E. Division Springfield, MO 65803
KXXV-TV 1909 S. New Rd. Waco, TX 76711
KWWL-TV 511 E 5th Street Waterloo, Iowa 50703
WLBT-TV 715 South Jefferson Street. Jackson, MS 39201
WNDU-TV 54516 State Road 933, South Bend, IN 46637
KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa, ID 83687
KOLO-TV 4850 Ampere Dr., Reno, NV 89502
KNDO/KNDU-TV 216 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902
KAPP/KVEW-TV 601 N. Edison Kennewick, WA 99336
WMBD/WYZZ-TV 3131 N. University, Peoria, IL 61604
KADN-TV 1500 Eraste Landry Rd. Lafayette, LA 70506 (see ad above!)
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KRCG-TV 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KBJR-TV 246 S Lake Ave. Duluth, MN 55802
KMIR-TV 72920 Park View Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92260
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KIMT-TV 135 E William St. Albert Lea, MN 56007
KOAM-TV 2950 NE Highway 69 Pittsburg, KS 66762
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
KTAB/KRBC-TV 4510 South 14th St. Abilene TX 79605
KPLC-TV 320 Division St. Lake Charles LA 70601
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
WTOK-TV 815 23rd Ave. Meridian, Ms. 39301
Delta News 837 Washington Ave Greenville, MS 38701
KAEF-TV 540 E Street Eureka, CA 95501
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501

**: Spanish language station

March 6, 2022

Tuesday, March 8, 2022 UPDATE:

Greetings:

One item today, but it’s a another big one.

A veteran news director gets her first GM job…in a top five market.

Frank

KELLY FRANK, currently the Director of Content (aka news director) for Tegna’s WTSP-TV (CBS) in Tampa, has been named President and General Manager for KYW-TV, the CBS o-and-o in Philadelphia.

Details are in this news release, where you will learn more about her background, including working earlier in her career with one of the Presidents of the CBS stations, ADRIENNE ROARK.

Kelly’s a former ND in Columbus, OH, (WBNS-TV/CBS), has worked for CNN, and in a variety of local markets. Her WTSP bio has more.

More in our full newsletter Sunday.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

The key word this week is RETURN.

Many of the moves involved people either returning to their old station or to their home state.

All part of a flurry of ND hires this week, with SIX jobs filled. And the TWO new openings were created by people taking new jobs within their current companies.

Our list of open ND jobs stands at 39.

TWO of those ND jobs are among our FOUR Paid Help Wanted ads.

And we have a NEW Paid Help Wanted ad this week for a job at the University of Mississippi.

THREE GMs are in the news this week, as well as a one-time San Francisco Bay Area reporter who is returning to the market in management. And there’s a new exec at ABC News.

Enjoy this week’s newsletter and I promised to send out next week’s newsletter BEFORE I start working on another failed basketball bracket.

Newly Named News Directors:

Hogensen

WSYX-WTTE-TV, Columbus, OH…NICOLE HOGENSEN returns to her native Ohio as she will be the next news director for this Sinclair owned ABC/FOX duopoly. She’s leaving WPTV (Scripps-NBC) in West Palm Beach after eleven years, six as ND. Nicole replaces JAMIE JUSTICE, promoted to a Group ND role at Sinclair after seven years as ND of the 14 years she worked there.

Woodard

WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, NY…JEFF WOODARD shows you CAN go home again returning to this Tegna/NBC affiliate after six years. He spent 18 years here, the last 7+ as ND, before leaving in 2016 to take the Director of Marketing job at SUNY-Fredonia. Here’s part of the note from GM JIM TOELLNER. Jeff began in radio in Syracuse. He replaces ATHAN KOMPOS who left last year after 20 years, four as ND.

Dangler

WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH…another Ohio native returns home as OLIVIA DANGLER joins this Nexstar owned NBC affiliate as ND. Here’s the staff note from GM JOE ABOUZEID which details her background. Olivia comes from sister Nexstar station WHTM-TV (ABC) in Harrisburg, PA, where she’s been ND for two years. Olivia replaces LONI BLANDFORD who’s moving to the Nexstar recruiting team after 4 1/2 years as ND here.

Mulligan

WSIL-TV, Harrisburg, IL…it’s another homecoming as JEFF MULLIGAN returns to his first station. He’s the new ND for this Allen Media Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate, as you’ll learn in this news release. Jeff’s currently the Dayside EP for KGO-TV (ABC owned) in San Francisco. A native of Chicago, Jeff attended nearby SIU and worked in Cape Girardeau, Peoria and Indianapolis. At WSIL, Jeff replaces JEFF WEINRICH who left last year for a marketing job with a local health group.

Boatman

WAND-TV, Decatur, IL…JACKLYNN BOATMAN gets her first news director job at this Block Communications owned NBC affiliate. She’s been the Assistant ND there since 2019, and the interim ND since MORGAN SCHAAB left in October to become ND for Tegna’s KFSM-TV in Ft. Smith, AR. Jacklynn’s an alum of Southern Illinois University and also worked in Ft. Myers as a producer. Morgan was ND here for 3 1/2 years. She worked there for 13 years, in two stints.

Ernst

KCBD-TV, Lubbock, TX…we’re late in reporting MATT ERNST’s ascension to ND for this Gray TV NBC affiliate. He’d been the Assistant ND here for the past year following 14 years at KJTV (FOX) in Lubbock, where he began as a weather anchor, became chief meteorologist, and then spent two years as ND. (KJTV is operated by Gray). He replaces BENJI SNEAD who left in October after failing to adhere to Gray’s vaccination policies.

New News Director Openings:

Flynn

WZZM-TV, Grand Rapids, MI…JULIE FLYNN is leaving one Tegna station to return to another. She’s been the news director at this ABC affiliate since early 2019, coming from Tegna’s WKYC-TV (NBC) in Cleveland. She’s now returning to WKYC to be Director of Innovation. Julie also worked for WEWS-TV (Scripps/ABC) during the 15 years she worked in Cleveland.

WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA…you learned about that OLIVIA DANGLER is leaving this Nexstar/ABCs station to become ND at Nexstar’s WDTN-TV (NBC) in Dayton. She’s been ND here for two years.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

Assistant News Director, KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX:

KBTX, the legacy CBS station in Bryan-College Station, Texas, is looking for an inclusive, collaborative leader to serve as the station’s Assistant News Director.

You’ll work in a well-resourced, market-leading newsroom in one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Bryan-College Station is consistently named one of America’s best college towns, recognized for quality of life no matter the last time you set foot in a classroom.

This is a growth-focused position at a station that prioritizes team members meeting their personal and professional goals. Each day, you’ll oversee KBTX’s multiplatform programming with a commitment to the station’s core values, providing editorial direction, leadership, support, and encouragement to a growing team of journalists. You will also help craft and oversee the newsroom’s strategic plan and development strategies.

KBTX has a deep commitment to community and a strong history of fostering the best in our team members through close, personal relationships. We work each day to build an inclusive, diverse workplace where all ideas and perspectives are valued, ensuring our product best reflects the vibrant community we serve.

You’ll succeed in this role thanks to a community-minded spirit and a vision to maintain and expand the station’s legacy of community outreach. Each year, KBTX’s newsroom helps to raise millions of dollars for local organizations and serves as a trusted community partner to dozens more. As assistant news director, you’ll serve as a direct conduit and among the strongest sustaining forces behind this vision.

To learn more or apply now, click here.

News Director, KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA:

NEWS15, the local FOX and NBC affiliate in Lafayette, LA is looking for a News Director to lead our news department. We are looking for someone with outstanding leadership skills who thrives on teaching, coaching and developing a strong and positive newsroom environment. In addition, the News Director leads and supervises all aspects of news, weather, and sports programming production.

The News Director will oversee a department that generates 40.5 hours of on-air content on the Lafayette market’s NBC and FOX stations. Lafayette is a great place to live and work with a culture all its own, and we are looking for a someone to oversee a department that produces professional and engaging content that reflects that culture in a way that appeals to our own families and communities.

Specific Job Duties:
Institutes training systems for new employees.
Makes decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion and termination of employees.
Develops news coverage strategy for the station and its website.
Critiques newscasts daily to correct errors, improve coverage and provide mentoring feedback to news staff.
Prepare the department’s budget and manages expenses to meet established financial goals.

Skills & Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience preferred.
Minimum five years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role.

Must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (subject to any medical or religious accommodations or other applicable law).

To be considered for this exciting opportunity, please click here.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

News Director, WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY:

WBNG is looking for a dynamic newsroom leader to take our team to the next level.

WBNG-TV, the CBS affiliate in Binghamton, NY, seeks a News Director to help guide our news department to new heights of journalistic and ratings success. This is an exciting opportunity to join a great team in one of New York’s most beautiful places to live.

The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing and maintaining market leading standards for newsroom operations and content. Other duties include hiring, coaching, supervising and evaluating news personnel, as well as preparation and administration of newsroom budgets and capital requests. The News Director is expected to work closely with other department managers to achieve the company’s overall performance goals.

A minimum of 4 years television news management experience and a college degree in broadcast journalism preferred. Must be able to demonstrate strong working knowledge of community issues, as well as sound journalistic principles. Must have the ability to make fast, accurate journalistic and logistical judgments.

If you have a passion for excellence, and a burning desire to lead the best local broadcast news operation in Binghamton, NY, we want to hear from you.

WBNG offers a competitive salary and traditional benefits package.

If you think you’re qualified, want to work with a great group of people and live in a great community, apply online by clicking here.

WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

SUPERVISING PRODUCER:

KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/27/22)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/23/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 2/13/22:

KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)

Relisted 2/13/22:

E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH: National Director of News Platform Strategies and Special Projects
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)

Relisted 2/6/22:

WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/30/22:

Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Director, Documentary Journalism Center)

Relisted 1/30/22:

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (Assistant Professor)

Relisted 1/23/22:

New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/9/22:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI: (Senior Manager of Investigative and Enterprise Content)

Listed 12/26/21:

WIS-TV, Columbia, SC: Digital Content Manager

Names in the News:

Kiriyama

GEORGE KIRIYAMA returns to the Bay Area, this time in management. He’ll be the new Managing Editor for KTVU-TV (FOX) in Oakland/San Francisco. Earlier in his career he was a reporter for KNTV (NBC) before moving to managment where has held a number of jobs, most recently as a managing editor in Las Vegas. His Linkedin page tells the story.

Deshishku

ABC News has named STACIA PHILIPS DESHISHKU executive editor and senior vice president of ABC News. Details here. She’s been VP/GM for ABC Audio, is a former deputy Washington Bureau Chief for ABC News, and has previously worked for CNN and CBS.

General Manager News and Notes:

Siegel

Former WWL-TV (New Orleans) news director BILL SIEGEL gets his second GM job as he moves up I-95 to take over Scripps WPTV (NBC) in W. Palm Beach. He’s been running Scripps’ WSFL-TV in Miami, going there with plans to launch a news department. That got shelved, though WPLG-TV (ABC) now produces newscasts for WSFL. Bill’s also worked in St. Louis, Milwaukee, and San Antonio.

Boenau

A new general manager for the Gray station in Tucson. ROB BOENAU takes over, moving from his current job as marketing director for Gray’s WOIO/WUAB-TV (CBS/CW) in Cleveland, where he has worked for 20 years. Rob’s also worked in Wichita. Left unsaid in the news release was the fate of previous GM MICHAEL HORNFECK, who just named JESSICA BOBULA as ND there on February 16th.

Hormaza

WTIC/WCCT-TV, the Tegna owned FOX/CW duopoly in Hartford, has named HUMBERTO HORMAZA as its next general manager. More details here. He joins the station from the Entravision owned station in Orlando, where he’s been VP/GM for the last eight years. Humberto comes through the sales ranks, having worked in Miami before moving north.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, March 6, 2022.

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

KPIX-TV 855 Battery St. San Francisco, CA 94111
KOVR/KMAX-TV 2713 KOVR Drive, West Sacramento, CA 95605
KTVX-TV 2175 West 1700 South Salt Lake City, UT 84104
WPTV 1100 Banyan Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33401
WZZM-TV 645 3 Mile Rd NW. Grand Rapids, MI 49544
WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
WTVQ-TV 6940 Man O War Blvd., Lexington, KY 40511
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Drive Omaha, NE 68127
KOLR-TV 2650 E. Division Springfield, MO 65803
KXXV-TV 1909 S. New Rd. Waco, TX 76711
KWWL-TV 511 E 5th Street Waterloo, Iowa 50703
WLBT-TV 715 South Jefferson Street. Jackson, MS 39201
WNDU-TV 54516 State Road 933, South Bend, IN 46637
WITN-TV 275 East Arlington Blvd. Greenville, NC 27858
KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa, ID 83687
KOLO-TV 4850 Ampere Dr., Reno, NV 89502
KNDO/KNDU-TV 216 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902
KAPP/KVEW-TV 601 N. Edison Kennewick, WA 99336
WMBD/WYZZ-TV 3131 N. University, Peoria, IL 61604
KADN-TV 1500 Eraste Landry Rd. Lafayette, LA 70506 (see ad above!)
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KRCG-TV 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KBJR-TV 246 S Lake Ave. Duluth, MN 55802 (see ad above!)
KMIR-TV 72920 Park View Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92260
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KIMT-TV 135 E William St. Albert Lea, MN 56007
KOAM-TV 2950 NE Highway 69 Pittsburg, KS 66762
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
KTAB/KRBC-TV 4510 South 14th St. Abilene TX 79605
KPLC-TV 320 Division St. Lake Charles LA 70601
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
WTOK-TV 815 23rd Ave. Meridian, Ms. 39301
Delta News 837 Washington Ave Greenville, MS 38701
KAEF-TV 540 E Street Eureka, CA 95501
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501

**: Spanish language station

February 27, 2022

Greetings:

There were TWO big stories this week, the sale of Tegna and a new president coming for CNN after Discovery takes over the cabler. We’ll cover those below.

A modest week of ND changes, as TWO new ND’s were named, with just TWO new openings.

Our list of open ND jobs is still high at 45.

THREE of those open jobs are among our FOUR Paid Help Wanted ads. The fourth ad is for an Assistant ND job in Texas.

Also this week, we’ll fix an omission from last week’s report on changes at a Massachusettes station. That omission involves a well known broadcaster.

The GM merry go round continues in Buffalo, which has seen FOUR GMs leave stations in the last eight months. That’s among the changes in our GM news section.

NAHJ has a new executive director, ONE local station wins a Polk Award, and there are a lot of news management changes at local stations. We’ll cover those in our Names in the News section, along with the details on the Tegna and CNN changes.

There’s a lot to read in this week’s newsletter. Pour your favorite beverage and enjoy.

Newly Named News Directors:

Burch

KVII-TV, Amarillo, TX…JAMIE BURCH returns to the news director chair as he takes over at this Sinclair owned ABC affiliate. Jamie’s spent the last year or so as the Assistant ND at Scripps’ KXXV-TV in Waco. He’s a former news director at Sinclair’s KTXS-TV (ABC) in Abilene, as well as in Panama City. He’s also worked in Dallas, Atlanta and Mobile. At KVII, he replaces ROGER GRAY who (if my records are correct) left way back in JULY after two years as ND.

Oder

KTTC-TV, Rochester, MN…MICHAEL ODER gets his first ND job at this Gray owned NBC affiliate. He’s been the Assistant ND at Gray’s KBTX-TV in Bryan TX for the last five years, in his second stint there. He also reported in Birmingham. Here’s the note from KTTC GM STEPHANIE HEDRICK. Michael replaces MICHELE GORS who was promoted to GM for Gray’s KEYC-TV in Mankato, MN, late last year.

KBTX is looking for Michael’s replacement. You can learn more in the Paid Help Wanted ad below.

New News Director Openings:

Hogensen

WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL…NICOLE HOGENSEN is leaving this Scripps owned NBC affiliate after eleven years there, the last six as news director. Here’s the staff email from GM LARRY OLEVITCH. Nicole told me she’ll announce her next job soon, promised to share that news with me, and when she does…I’ll share it with you. No charge. She’s also worked in Cleveland, Columbus, OH, Richmond, VA, and Erie, PA.

Ruiz

KTAB/KRBC-TV, Abilene, TX…TRAVIS RUIZ is joining the Nexstar recruiting team and thus leaving this sister Nexstar operation (Nexstar owns KTAB/CBS and operates KRBC-NBC). He’s been ND here for five years, worked for KVII-TV in Amarillo twice, and also worked in Colorado Springs for KXRM-TV.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

Assistant News Director, KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX:

KBTX, the legacy CBS station in Bryan-College Station, Texas, is looking for an inclusive, collaborative leader to serve as the station’s Assistant News Director.

You’ll work in a well-resourced, market-leading newsroom in one of the fastest-growing cities in the country. Bryan-College Station is consistently named one of America’s best college towns, recognized for quality of life no matter the last time you set foot in a classroom.

This is a growth-focused position at a station that prioritizes team members meeting their personal and professional goals. Each day, you’ll oversee KBTX’s multiplatform programming with a commitment to the station’s core values, providing editorial direction, leadership, support, and encouragement to a growing team of journalists. You will also help craft and oversee the newsroom’s strategic plan and development strategies.

KBTX has a deep commitment to community and a strong history of fostering the best in our team members through close, personal relationships. We work each day to build an inclusive, diverse workplace where all ideas and perspectives are valued, ensuring our product best reflects the vibrant community we serve.

You’ll succeed in this role thanks to a community-minded spirit and a vision to maintain and expand the station’s legacy of community outreach. Each year, KBTX’s newsroom helps to raise millions of dollars for local organizations and serves as a trusted community partner to dozens more. As assistant news director, you’ll serve as a direct conduit and among the strongest sustaining forces behind this vision.

To learn more or apply now, click here.

News Director, KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA:

NEWS15, the local FOX and NBC affiliate in Lafayette, LA is looking for a News Director to lead our news department. We are looking for someone with outstanding leadership skills who thrives on teaching, coaching and developing a strong and positive newsroom environment. In addition, the News Director leads and supervises all aspects of news, weather, and sports programming production.

The News Director will oversee a department that generates 40.5 hours of on-air content on the Lafayette market’s NBC and FOX stations. Lafayette is a great place to live and work with a culture all its own, and we are looking for a someone to oversee a department that produces professional and engaging content that reflects that culture in a way that appeals to our own families and communities.

Specific Job Duties:
Institutes training systems for new employees.
Makes decisions regarding hiring, evaluation, promotion and termination of employees.
Develops news coverage strategy for the station and its website.
Critiques newscasts daily to correct errors, improve coverage and provide mentoring feedback to news staff.
Prepare the department’s budget and manages expenses to meet established financial goals.

Skills & Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education and work-related experience preferred.
Minimum five years’ experience in news programming production, with at least two years’ experience in a leadership role.

Must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 (subject to any medical or religious accommodations or other applicable law).

To be considered for this exciting opportunity, please click here.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

News Director, WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY:

WBNG is looking for a dynamic newsroom leader to take our team to the next level.

WBNG-TV, the CBS affiliate in Binghamton, NY, seeks a News Director to help guide our news department to new heights of journalistic and ratings success. This is an exciting opportunity to join a great team in one of New York’s most beautiful places to live.

The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing and maintaining market leading standards for newsroom operations and content. Other duties include hiring, coaching, supervising and evaluating news personnel, as well as preparation and administration of newsroom budgets and capital requests. The News Director is expected to work closely with other department managers to achieve the company’s overall performance goals.

A minimum of 4 years television news management experience and a college degree in broadcast journalism preferred. Must be able to demonstrate strong working knowledge of community issues, as well as sound journalistic principles. Must have the ability to make fast, accurate journalistic and logistical judgments.

If you have a passion for excellence, and a burning desire to lead the best local broadcast news operation in Binghamton, NY, we want to hear from you.

WBNG offers a competitive salary and traditional benefits package.

If you think you’re qualified, want to work with a great group of people and live in a great community, apply online by clicking here.

WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

News Director, WLBT-TV, Jackson, MS:

WLBT is Mississippi’s flagship station and the dominant #1 local TV and digital media in Central Mississippi. We are a Gray Television NBC affiliate that consistently produces award-winning local news coverage. Jackson, MS is market #97 serving a 24 county region. WLBT produces 55 hours of news each week, including newscasts for WDBD Fox 40. The Jackson metro is the economic hub of Mississippi and a great place to work, live, and raise a family.

General Responsibilities:

– Five years of previous experience in newsroom leadership is required, as well as strong communication and organizational skills
– A degree in Journalism or Mass Communications is preferred
– Ability to work closely with other station department heads and managers within the company
– Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks

Qualifications:

• Utilize required software and systems (ENPS, Edius, Microsoft Teams, Excel). Strong computer knowledge preferred.
• A self-starter with a proven record of success in leadership, production, and distribution of local news, and development of talent.
• Strong leadership skills and excellent news judgment.
• A successful track record utilizing multi-media digital assets maximizing how news is covered and distributed.
• A passion for production and storytelling, combined with an unwavering commitment to journalistic ethics and standards.
• A community-minded spirit and vision to expand the station’s outreach and impact.
• Ability to meet deadlines while handling multiple tasks.

Interested applicants can click here to learn more and apply.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Digital AND, relisted 1/16/22)
KCNC-TV, Denver, CO (listed 1/23/22)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 2/27/22)
WXIN/WTTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 1/30/22)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 2/27/22)
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (listed 2/20/22)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 2/6/22)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 2/27/22)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (relisted 1/9/22)
KBTX-TV, Bryan, TX (listed 2/27/22, see ad above!)
WBTW-TV, Myrtle Beach/Florence, SC (listed 2/13/22)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (listed 2/20/22)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KRON-TV, San Francisco, CA (Digital EP, listed 2/13/22)
WDCW-TV, Washington, DC (Digital EP, listed 2/13/22)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 2/13/22)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 2/27/22)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 1/9/22)
Spectrum News, Charlotte, NC (relisted 1/30/22)
WJZY-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 1/30/22)
KMOV-TV. St. Louis, MO (Special Projects EP, listed 2/27/22)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (listed 1/9/22)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (Streaming EP, relisted 2/27/22)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 2/27/22)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 2/13/22)
WIAT-TV, Birmingham AL (listed 2/20/22)
WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans (EP Special Projects, revised 2/27/22)
KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA (relisted 1/9/22)
KMTV, Omaha, NE (listed 2/13/22)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 2/27/22)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (relisted 1/9/22)
WAFF-TV, Huntsville, AL (relisted 1/2/22)
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX (AM EP, listed 1/16/22)
WTVC-TV, Chattanooga, TN (listed 1/23/22)
KTSM-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 1/30/22)
WJHL-TV, Johnson City, TN (listed 2/27/22)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (Digital EP, relisted 2/13/22)
KADN/KLAF-TV, Lafayette, LA (relisted 2/27/22)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CO (listed 2/27/22)
KFDX-TV, Wichita Falls, TX (listed 1/9/22)

SUPERVISING PRODUCER:

KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 2/27/22)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 1/23/22)
KOMU-TV, Columbia, Mo (listed 1/30/22)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 2/13/22:

KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital Director)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Assignment Desk Manager)

Relisted 2/13/22:

E.W. Scripps, Cincinnati, OH: National Director of News Platform Strategies and Special Projects
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (Digital Content Manager)

Relisted 2/6/22:

WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/30/22:

Missouri School of Journalism, Columbia, MO: (Director, Documentary Journalism Center)

Relisted 1/30/22:

Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY (Assistant Professor)

Relisted 1/23/22:

New York 1, New York, NY (Sr. Producer, Mornings on 1)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA: (Digital Content Director)

Listed 1/9/22:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI: (Senior Manager of Investigative and Enterprise Content)

Listed 12/26/21:

WIS-TV, Columbia, SC: Digital Content Manager

Listed 12/19/21:

University of Florida, Gainesville, FL: Director of Innovation News Center

Names in the News:

Certainly the two biggest stories of the week were the sale of Tegna and the pending appointment of a new head of CNN. We brought you early word of both those developments in emailed UPDATES and included links to provide more details.

I did see some new articles of interest.

Poynter’s AL TOMPKINS looks at what the deal means for the stations involved.

TV Newscheck’s HARRY JESSELL wonders if  journalism may suffer because of the huge debt load.

And Broadcasting and Cable interviewed Standard General’s SOO KIM on why he found the Tegna group attractive.

Licht

Saturday’s update on CHRIS LICHT‘s apparent promotion (though not officially announced yet) to President of CNN is getting lots of coverage in mainstream media of course. Yesterday’s UPDATE brought you links from CNN, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.

If you missed those stories, here they are again:

CNN:

The NY Times:

The Wall Street Journal:

Licht has a news background as a former EP for CBS This Morning and was the founding EP for ‘Morning Joe’ on MSNBC. He also worked for NBC owned stations in Los Angeles and San Francisco. His CBS bio has more.

He also survived a cerebral hemorrhage in 2010 and wrote a book about the experience, “What I Learned when I Almost Died.”

Pena

NAHJ has named DAVID PENA, Jr. as its next executive director. He’s a veteran non-profit executive who has run many different organizations, as you’ll learn in the news release.

Congratulation to KNXV-TV (Scripps/ABC) in Phoenix which, I believe was the only local TV station to win a George Polk Award. The full list is here.

Payne

A move within Nexstar sends CHRIS PAYNE to WNCN-TV (CBS) in Raleigh as Assistant News Director. It’s a return to Raleigh for Chris, who’s currently the Assistant ND for Nexstar’s WRIC-TV in Richmond and has also worked in Charlottesville and Memphis. Of note: he worked at WMC-TV in Memphis where his boss was TAMMY PHILLIPS, now Nexstar’s Director of Talent Acquisition.

Nguyen

THUY LAN NGUYEN moves from reporting to management as she has joined Tegna’s WBIR-TV (NBC) in Knoxville as its next assistant news director. She moves from Tegna’s WTSP-TV (CBS) in Tampa-St. Petersburg where she has been a multi skilled journalist (aka one man band) for the last 2+ years.. Thuy’s complete work history is here.

Amato

WKBN/WYTV/WYFX-TV in Youngstown, OH, has promoted KATELYN AMATO to nightside executive producer. Here’s the news release. She’s been a producer for this Nexstar operation and has also worked in Columbus, OH, and as an associate producer for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh.

General Manager News and Notes:

Kennedy

BRIEN KENNEDY becomes the fourth Buffalo GM to leave a station in the last eight months as he’s announced his retirement from WIVB-TV (Nexstar/CBS). More here. He’s been here two years, and previously was the GM for three CBS owned stations, KYW-TV (Philadelphia), WCCO-TV (Minneapolis) and WFOR-TV (Miami).

After leaving KYW, Kennedy filed a complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission claiming he was fired for cooperating into a probe of misconduct against former o-and-o division president PETER DUNN and his top lieutenant, o-and-o news head DAVID FRIEND.

KAPP/KVEW-TV in Yakima/Kennewick, WA, has named JAMES LOFTUS as its next general manager. He joins this Morgan Murphy Media operation from KOLD-TV in Tucson where he was sales director.

Our report last week on management changes at WGGB-WHSM-TV in Springfield, MA, omitted a key fact. We told you ND PATIENCE HETTRICK was assuming additional duties as Station Manager, reporting to DANA NEVES, GM for sister Gray (formerly Meredith) station WFSB-TV in Hartford.

Doerr

What we didn’t know was the fate of former WGGB/WHSM GM STEVE DOERR. We’ve learned he quietly left as part of Gray’s reorganization of its stations in the northeast. Many of you know Steve, a former GM, ND, and network executive.

Quick items:

Sinclair has named ROB WEISBORD COO and President of Broadcasting.

And Sinclair promoted TODD BERNSTEIN to station manager of its Washington station, WJLA-TV (ABC). He was Director of Sales there.

And speaking of Washington, Gray Television has promoted LISA ALLEN to be General Manager of its Washington operations.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 27, 2022.

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

KPIX-TV 855 Battery St. San Francisco, CA 94111
KOVR/KMAX-TV 2713 KOVR Drive, West Sacramento, CA 95605
KTVX-TV 2175 West 1700 South Salt Lake City, UT 84104
WSYX-TV 1261 Dublin Road, Columbus, OH 43215
WPTV 1100 Banyan Blvd. West Palm Beach, FL 33401
WGRZ-TV 259 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, NY 14202
WLNE-TV 10 Orms St. Providence, RI 02904
WDTN-TV 4595 S. Dixie Dr. Dayton OH 45439
WTVQ-TV 6940 Man O War Blvd., Lexington, KY 40511
WYMT-TV 199 Black Gold Blvd. Hazard, KY 41701
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Drive Omaha, NE 68127
KOLR-TV 2650 E. Division Springfield, MO 65803
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr. Carterville, IL 62918
KXXV-TV 1909 S. New Rd. Waco, TX 76711
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur, IL 62521
KWWL-TV 511 E 5th Street Waterloo, Iowa 50703
WLBT-TV 715 South Jefferson Street. Jackson, MS 39201 (see ad above!)
WNDU-TV 54516 State Road 933, South Bend, IN 46637
WITN-TV 275 East Arlington Blvd. Greenville, NC 27858
KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa, ID 83687
KOLO-TV 4850 Ampere Dr., Reno, NV 89502
KNDO/KNDU-TV 216 W. Yakima Ave., Yakima, WA 98902
KAPP/KVEW-TV 601 N. Edison Kennewick, WA 99336
WMBD/WYZZ-TV 3131 N. University, Peoria, IL 61604
KADN-TV 1500 Eraste Landry Rd. Lafayette, LA 70506 (see ad above!)
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KRCG-TV 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KBJR-TV 246 S Lake Ave. Duluth, MN 55802 (see ad above!)
KMIR-TV 72920 Park View Dr., Palm Desert, CA 92260
KCBD-TV 5600 Avenue A Lubbock, TX 79404
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KIMT-TV 135 E William St. Albert Lea, MN 56007
KOAM-TV 2950 NE Highway 69 Pittsburg, KS 66762
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
KTAB/KRBC-TV 4510 South 14th St. Abilene TX 79605
KPLC-TV 320 Division St. Lake Charles LA 70601
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street; Alexandria, LA 71301
WTOK-TV 815 23rd Ave. Meridian, Ms. 39301
Delta News 837 Washington Ave Greenville, MS 38701
KAEF-TV 540 E Street Eureka, CA 95501
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501

**: Spanish language station