Rick’s Weekly Newsletter | Rick Gevers & Associates

May 31, 2020

Monday, June 1, 2020 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Our run of telling you about news directors (or ex-NDs) taking a new GM job continues today with word of a promotion for a second generation broadcaster.

Antoniotti

JUSTIN ANTONIOTTI has been promoted to GM for Hearst’s WGAL-TV (NBC) in Lancaster-Harrisburg, PA. Justin’s spent the last four years as GM for the company’s WPTZ/WNNE-TV, the NBC/CW affiliates in Plattsburgh, NY/Burlington, VT.

He’s spent much of his career with Hearst, beginning in 2005 when he joined WISN-TV in Milwaukee as the Assistant News Director. From then, he went on to be ND at WYFF-TV (NBC) in Greenville, SC and ND for WTAE-TV (ABC) in Pittsburgh before becoming GM at WPTZ/WNNE in 2016.

He’s also worked in Houston, Memphis, Biloxi, and Columbia, MO.

Some of our more veteran readers will remember Justin’s father STEVE ANTONIOTTI. Steve served as a news director in Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Oklahoma City, and as a GM for several stations in Detroit.

Finally, one clarification from last night’s news newsletter. Our report on COREY HANSON’s move to Mobile as a GM had the wrong call letters. She will run WALA-TV there, not WPMI-TV as I erroneously reported.

Have a safe week.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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Greetings:

Longtime readers know I enjoy telling you about news directors (or former NDs) moving into a GM’s job. This week that pleasure is times FOUR as EVERY new GM in our report is a former ND. And they are ascending to the top job in good sized markets, like NINE, TEN, 27 and 57. Congrats to all and I’m hopeful that trend continues to grow. Details in our GM section below.

And lots of action on the ND front as well, with FIVE new news directors to share, and TWO new openings, both being created by promotions. Our count of open news director jobs drops to 22, which is the lowest it’s been in quite a while.

We have an obituary for a legend of TV news who helped launch the careers of many very well known reporters and anchors.

And there are TWO news managers on the move in our Names in the News section.

Let’s hope the week ahead is better and safer than the last few days have been in our country.

Newly Named News Directors:

O’Neill

KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM…JESS O’NEILL returns to this Hearst owned ABC affiliate for his first ND job. Details in the station’s news release. Jess is currently the assistant news director at sister Hearst station WESH-TV (NBC), where, years ago, he was a producer. Earlier in his career he was a senior producer at KOAT. He’s also worked for CNN and in California. He replaces GREG SHEPPERD who left in March after 4 1/2 years as ND to return to Chicago for family reasons.

Loring

KRCR-TV, Redding, CA…we are apparently a little tardy in reporting KERRY LORING’s return to this ABC affiliate owned by Sinclair. (Her Linkedin page reports she’s been ND there since August.) That same Linkedin page tells us she was the Assistant ND there from 2008-2012. She’s also worked in Los Angeles (twice), San Francisco, and Phoenix. Kerry replaces JENNIFER SCARBOROUGH who left last year after more than 20 years at the station to spend more time with her aging parents.

Alexander

KFDM-TV, Beaumont, TX…PAUL ALEXANDER starts June 15th as the next ND for Sinclair’s CBS affiliate. He’s a former ND in Corpus Christi and Brownsville. Paul began in sports, working as an anchor in Tucson, Austin, TX, San Antonio and St. Louis, a news anchor for the statewide News of Texas, and a news and sports radio talk show host. SCOTT LAWRENCE, who’s been the ND for the last five of his 39 years at the station, is returning to his old job of EP.

Maples

KHQA-TV, Quincy, IL…this CBS/ABC duopoly (owned by Sinclair) has promoted RAJAH MAPLES. Her new title is News Manager. Here’s her bio from the station website. Rahah’s also worked for two stations in Columbia, MO and replaces KRISTEN HAMILTON who was promoted last December to ND for sister Sinclair station KGAN-TV in Cedar Rapids, IA. Kirsten worked here five years.

Javid

KAEF-TV, Eureka, CA…another Sinclair station has promoted NAZY JAVID to news director. According to her station bio, she also anchors for this ABC/FOX operation. She also studied law for two years.

New News Director Openings:

Elmore

KABC-TV, Los Angeles, CA…congrats to veteran ND ROB ELMORE. He’s returning to Raleigh-Durham and ascending to the GM’s office at sister ABC o-and-o WTVD-TV, where he spent 17 years as ND before moving to KABC five years ago. The news release is here. Before his first tour in Raleigh-Durham, Rob was an ND in Rochester, NY, and worked in Nashville and Watertown, NY, where he began his career as a reporter.

Roach

WKEF/WRGT-TV, Dayton, OH…KEVIN ROACH, who’s been the ND here since 2016, is moving within Sinclair to become the AM News Content Director for the company’s WJLA-TV (ABC) in Washington. He’s also been a news director (twice) for another Dayton station as well as for WXIX-TV (FOX) in Cincinnati. It’s a return to DC for Kevin, who worked there for the Associated Press. His entire work history is here on his Linkedin page. Sinclair owns WKEF, the ABC affiliate and operates FOX affiliate WRGT under an LMA.

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

There are no paid help wanted ads this week.

If you need to advertise a news management job, email me for details: rick@rickgevers.com

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WGN-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 5/17/20)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (new listing this week)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 5/10/20)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (relisted 4/12/20)
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (relisted 4/26/20)
WGBA-TV, Green Bay, WI (relisted 4/12/20)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

WWSB-TV, Sarasota, FL (relisted 3/29/20)
KING/KONG-TV, Seattle, WA (relisted 5/3/10)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (PM EP, relisted 4/5/20)
KSWB-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 5/10/20)
WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY (EP of Lifestyle Content, listed 5/24/20)
WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA (relisted 5/17/20)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (PM EP, relisted this week)
WHBF-TV, Rock Island, IL (relisted 5/3/10)
KCAU-TV, Sioux City, IA (relisted 5/3/10)

More News Management Openings:

Listed 4/19/20:

KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Director)

Obituary:

One of the legends of our industry died this week.

Small

BILL SMALL died Sunday, May 24 at the age of 93. He ran the legendary Washington Bureau for a dozen years during the heyday of CBS News in the 60’s and 70’s. During his tenure, he hired many renowned reporters. Mr. Small later ran NBC News and served as President of UPI. These obituaries are worth a few minutes of your time: One from The Washington Post, The New York Times, and from CBS News.

A personal anecdote, if I may. A few years ago at an RTDNA convention, I was at a reception when I realized I was standing next to him. He seemed to know no one, and no one seemed to know him. I introduced myself and tried to make sure he met some appropriate people. He was very gracious, which (as you read in the obituaries above) was not always his strong suit. 🙂

Names in the News (and other items):

O’Donnell

Nexstar’s KDVR/KWGN-TV (FOX/CW) duopoly in Denver has hired SEAN O’DONNELL as its next Digital Content Executive Producer. Here’s the memo from News Director BRIAN GREGORY. Sean’s been working for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh (Cox/NBC) and earlier worked for another Cox station, WFXT-TV in Boston as well as WHDH-TV in Beantown.

REBECCA WALTERS is returning to Oklahoma as the Executive Producer for Scripps’ KJRH-TV (NBC) in Tulsa. She’s been working for Spectrum News in Kentucky and is an OU alum.

General Manager News and Notes:

Where to start? Lots of good choices! As is our custom, we’ll report in order of market size.

Grimes

That takes us to Boston, where KYLE GRIMES continues his climb at Hearst as he’s been named GM for WCVB-TV (ABC). He’s been the GM for Hearst’s WGAL-TV in Lancaster/Harrisburg, PA since 2016. Kyle previously ran WPTZ/WNNE-TV, the NBC/CW affiliates in Plattsburgh, NY/Burlington, VT. He had earlier been the news directors for those stations, and also served as ND for Hearst’s WPBF-TV (ABC) in West Palm Beach, FL. Kyle replaces BILL FINE who is retiring.

Collura

In Atlanta, another former ND, DEBORAH COLLURA. has been named GM for Meredith’s WGCL-TV (CBS). She starts tomorrow and will be reunited with her ND from her last GM gig at WCNC-TV in Charlotte, MATT KING, who joined WGCL in March. This memo from Meredith’s Local Media Group President PATRICK McCREERY (himself a former ND) tells the story including much of Deb’s background. She replaces LYLE BANKS who’s left the station after about 2 1/2 years as GM.

Elmore

We told you above that current news director ROB ELMORE was returning to Raleigh-Durham as GM for ABC owned WTVD-TV. Rob was ND there for 17 years before a transfer took him to another o-and-o, KABC-TV in Los Angeles five years ago. He’s also been a news director in Rochester, NY and worked in Nashville and Watertown, NY. At WTVD, he replaces CAROLINE FOY WELCH who is retiring.

Hanson

Finally, another Meredith station made a GM change this week, as (this is a recording) another former news director, COREY HANSON, moves to Mobile as GM for ~~WPMI-TV~~ WALA-TV (FOX). This news release (which also covers Deborah Collura’s move to Atlanta) has more. Corey’s been the station manager for sister Meredith station, KPTV in Portland, OR, where she earlier served as news director. She’s also worked for two other Portland stations. Corey replaces GARY YODER who has left the station.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, May 31, 2020:

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

KABC-TV 500 Circle Seven Dr. Glendale, CA 91201
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
KXTX-TV 4805 Amon Carter Blvd. Ft. Worth, TX 76155
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
WEWS-TV 3001 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115
WBFF-TV 2000 W 41st St, Baltimore, MD 21211
KCTV 4500 Shawnee Mission Pkwy. Fairway, KS 66205
WPMT-TV 2005 South Queen Street York, PA 17403
WNYT-TV 715 North Pearl Street, Albany, NY 12204
WRGB-TV 1400 Balltown Road, Schenectady, NY 12309
WKEF/WRGT-TV 2245 Corporate Place Miamisburg, OH 45342
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
KVAL/KMTR-TV 4575 Blanton Rd., Eugene, OR 97405
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
KOMU-TV 5550 Old 63 S, Columbia, MO 65201
KPLC-TV 20 Division Street, Lake Charles, LA 70601
WLFI-TV 2605 Yeager Rd. West Lafayette, IN 47906
Delta News 837 Washington Av. Greenville, MS 38701
KIDY/KXVA-TV 5 S. Chadbourne Street San Angelo, TX 76903
KGWN-TV 2923 E. Lincolnway, Cheyenne, WY 82001
KAVU-TV 3808 N Navarro St, Victoria, TX 77901

**: Spanish language station

May 24, 2020

Thursday, May 28, 2020 Update #3!

Greetings:

Rare is the day when we send out THREE updates, but each story seems to be more interesting than the last, as yet another former ND gets a top ten GM job.

Collura

This time it’s DEBORAH COLLURA, who’s headed to Meredith’s WGCL-TV (CBS) in Atlanta. This memo from Meredith’s Local Media Group President PATRICK McCREERY (himself a former ND) tells the story.

Deborah most recently was GM for Tegna’s WCNC-TV in Charlotte, a job she left late last year after five years. She spent much of her career with Graham Media (former Post-Newsweek Stations) as the above memo explains.

At WGCL, she replaces LYLE BANKS who spent just over two years as GM there.

Hopefully this will put a ‘lid’ on today’s news, as a press office might say. But we’ll have a busy newsletter this weekend!

regards,

Rick Gevers

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Thursday, May 28, 2020 Update #2!

Greetings:

This UPDATE involves a CURRENT news director who’s headed to the general manager’s office.

Elmore

ROB ELMORE, who’s been the VP/News for KABC-TV (ABC, obviously!) for the past five years, is returning to Raleigh-Durham as GM for sister ABC station WTVD-TV. Details here.

Before moving to KABC, Rob spent 17 years as the ND for WTVD. Rob also worked as an ND for WHEC-TV in Rochester, NY, worked for another Rochester station, as well as in Nashville and Watertown, NY, where he began his career as a reporter.

At WTVD, he replaces CAROLINE FOY WELCH who is retiring after eight years as GM.

Rob’s promotion is the SECOND ABC o-and-o news director to be moved to the GM’s office in the last two weeks, following last week’s promotion of MICHAEL CARR to GM of Fresno’s KFSN-TV after eight years as ND there.

Congratulations to Rob and a tip of the hat to the ABC owned stations division for promoting NDs to the top job, including KABC’s CHERYL FAIR whose promotion cleared the way for Rob to move to California.

Who knows what the rest of the week will bring?

regards,

gevers

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Thursday, May 28, 2020 Update:

Greetings:

A two time news director turned general manager lands a top ten general manager job today at a legendary station.

Grimes

KYLE GRIMES will be the next GM for Hearst’s WCVB-TV (ABC) in Boston. Here’s the good news from the station’s website.

Kyle been the GM for Hearst’s WGAL-TV (NBC) in Lancaster/Harrisburg, PA, since 2016 Before that, he ran WPTZ/WNNE-TV, Hearst’s NBC/CW affiliates in Plattsburgh, NY/Burlington, VT. He had earlier been the ND for those stations, and also served as ND for the company’s WPBF-TV (ABC) in West Palm Beach, FL.

He’s a Hearst lifer, having started his career at KSBW-TV (NBC) in Monterrey/Salinas, CA before moving to KCRA-TV (NBC) in Sacramento.

At WCVB, he replaces BILL FINE, who is retiring.

Congrats to Kyle.

More in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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Greetings:

Normally in this space on this weekend we salute the winner of the Indianapolis 500. Not today, of course. But we hope to be able to do that in August when the race has been re-scheduled. #missingthe500!

In our normal business, news of TWO new news directors with ONE new opening, that created by our favorite reason, an ND getting promoted to GM. Thus, our count of open news director jobs stands at 26.

You’ll also note our list of open news management jobs has gotten a bit shorter, which is likely due to the uncertain economy moving forward.

Once again, we have a lot of GM changes…those are below, along with a few Names in the News items.

Have a safe and healthy week and we’ll see you here next week.

Newly Named News Directors:

Nazarenus

WGAL-TV, Lancaster/Harrisburg, PA…we’re a little late in reporting that ERIC NAZARENUS has been promoted to news director for this Hearst owned NBC affiliate. He’s been at the station for 21 years, the last 17 as Assistant News Director. He’s also worked for two stations in Baltimore in assignment manager roles. At WGAL, he replaces MICHELLE CHISM who left the station in February after 2 1/2 years as ND.

KSWO-TV, Lawton, OK…another promotion finds SHARICKA BRACKENS moving from the AND job to the big office. Here’s the staff memo. She’s spent most of her career here, beginning as an intern and working up to Assistant ND, the job she’s held for the past three years. Sharicka replaces JAMES WARNER who left in November for an Assistant ND job at WOFL-TV (FOX) in Orlando. Gray Television owns KSWO and operates KAUZ-TV (CBS) under an SSA.

New News Director Opening:

Carr

KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA…congratulations to MICHAEL CARR who’s being promoted to general manager for this ABC o-and-o. He’s been the ND here since 2012, was the EP before that, and has also served as a producer and weekend assignment editor. Michael’s also worked in Sacramento and San Francisco. (Our UPDATE earlier this week inaccurately said he’d been promoted to ND, which he already was, obviously.)

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

There are no paid help wanted ads this week.

If you need to advertise a news management job, email me for details: rick@rickgevers.com