Rick Gevers & Associates

October 13, 2019

Friday, October 18, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Sad news from Los Angeles this afternoon where a longtime newsman…who worked both in local news and network…has died.

Myers

CHRIS MYERS, who was the deputy bureau chief of the CBS News Bureau in Los Angeles, died yesterday. CBS News President SUSAN ZIRINSKY shared the news in this email.

Longtime Chicago TV writer ROBERT FEDER reported this morning that Chris was “in intensive care in Los Angeles with a life- threatening infection after reportedly injuring his hand.”

Chris had been with CBS in Los Angeles for the last two years. He’d earlier worked for two stations in Los Angeles and three in Chicago, including a stint as Assistant News Director for WFLD-TV and as an EP for WMAQ-TV.

As you’ll learn in the note above, a memorial service will be held next Friday in Los Angeles.

Our sympathy to his family, friends, and co-workers.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

ONE major market news director was named this week, there’s ONE new medium market vacancy, and ONE small market ND job filled…but we don’t know who got that job yet.

Those changes leave our count of open news director jobs at 25.

Sadly, we have TWO obituaries, ONE of a three time news director and one for a GM who spent most of his career in his home town of Cincinnati.

A handfuls of news managers are getting new jobs, and we have TWO GM moves, both within Nexstar, as a veteran GM exits the company while another experienced GM joins the company.

Details below.

Newly Named News Directors: 

Medalie

WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL…our UPDATE earlier this week told you that MELISSA MEDALIE has been promoted to VP/News Director for this FOX o-and-o. The Orlando Sentinel’s longtime TV writer HAL BOEDEKER has more. Melissa’s been the Assistant News Director there for two years, and joined the station as an EP in 2010. She began her career as a reporter, working in Elmira, Syracuse, and Harrisburg before joining Orlando based Ivanhoe Broadcast News as an executive producer. She replaces JEFF ZELLER who left the station in August after about ten years as ND.

And we have removed (from our list of open ND jobs at the end of this newsletter) the listing for KXXV-TV in Waco, TX. I’m told the next ND there has been hired but won’t be announced for a few days.

New News Director Opening: 

WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA…DAVID HUGHES is leaving this Gray Television owned CBS affiliate. but I haven’t been able to reach him to confirm his next job. David’s been the ND here for three plus years, coming from WFLA-TV in Tampa where he was an EP. He’s also worked in Raleigh and Macon, GA. More on him in his profile on the WDBJ website.

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

Executive Producer, WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL:

WBRC Fox6 is searching for a news manager who can oversee our early evening newscasts.

If you’re a great coach who can teach producers how to craft a fast-pace, must-watch TV newscast, you should apply. If you love leading a hungry team of reporters, you should apply.

Our brand focuses on weather and urgency, so we’re hiring executive producers who push for urgency in copy and know how to adjust on the fly when breaking news changes our daily plans. Our executive producers produce regularly, know how to edit, and they add content to our digital platforms.

If you’re a great coach who can teach producers how to craft a fast-pace, must-watch TV Newscast, you should apply. If you love leading a hungry team of reporters, you should apply. Our brand focuses on weather and urgency, so we’re hiring executive producers who push for urgency in copy and know how to adjust on the fly when breaking news changes our daily plans. Our executive producers produce regularly, know how to edit, and they add content to our digital platforms.

*Develop training initiatives to teach producers how to remain innovative
*Develop story ideas
*Write teases
*Call sources for new/updated information
*Create graphics to use during newscasts
*Edit
*Add content to our digital platforms
*Be a newsroom leader

Apply here.

News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 9/1/19)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 9/8/19)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (relisted 9/8/19)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (relisted 9/8/19)
KRCG-TV, Jefferson City, MO (listed 9/15/19)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Special Projects EP, relisted 9/8/19)
KPIX-TV, San Francisco, CA (AM EP, listed 8/11/19)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (Dayside EP, listed 8/18/19)
KDVR/KWGN-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP, relisted 8/18/19)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 10/6/19)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (AM EP, listed 929/19)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (Dayside EP, listing modified 9/15/19)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Senior EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 9/29/19)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WPBF-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (AM EP, new listing this week)
WSPA-TV, Spartanburg, SC (Digital Content EP, relisted 9/15/19)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (Digital EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted this week, see ad above!)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (PM EP, relisted 8/18/19)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WBRE-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (Digital Content EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 10/6/19)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (AM EP, listed 9/8/19)
WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (8/18/19)
WFXG-TV, Augusta, GA (relisted 8/18/19)
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital Executive Producer, relisted 9/1/19)
KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CA (new listing this week)
KSBY-TV, San Luis Obispo, CA (PM EP, relisted 8/18/19)
WVNS-TV, Beckley, WV (listed 9/15/19)

MANAGING EDITOR:

KNSD-TV, San Diego, CA (new listing this week)

Other News Management Openings:

New listing this week:

WTXL-TV, Tallahassee, FL (Content Manager)

Listed 9/15/19:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Editorial Director)

Relisted 8/25/19:

Rocky Mountain PBS, Denver, CO (Investigative Producer)

Obituaries:

  White

A memorial service will be held next Saturday (October 19th) for former ND KEN WHITE, who died this week after a five year battle with mantle cell lymphoma. Ken’s daughter posted details (along with suggestions for unusual attire for such an event) on Facebook. Ken most recently was ND for WWVA-TV in Bluefield, WV, a job he left in August for health reasons. The station remembers him here. He also was an ND in Charleston/Huntington, WV, Shreveport, was the initial ND for WCCB-TV in Charlotte, and worked in Pittsburgh. Ken also hosted sports talk radio!

Fee

BILL FEE, who spent most of his career at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati, including 12 years as GM, also died of cancer this week. He was born and raised there, and returned after serving (and being injured) in Vietnam. WCPO paid tribute to him here, and a more traditional obituary is available as well, where you can learn details about a memorial service this Friday.

Names in the News (and other items):

KPIX-TV, the CBS owned station in San Francisco, has promoted EMILY DICK to morning executive producer. She’s been there for two years, hired as an associate producer, then producer, and now EP. Emily has also worked in Norfolk.

CANDI LASTER has been promoted to morning evening executive producer at KSHB-TV in Kansas City. She’s been a producer there in her second tour of duty at this Scripps owned NBC affiliate. Candi also worked in Louisville, Little Rock, and Springfield, MO.

Finally, KRNV-TV in Reno has hired JASON PUMO as its next Assistant ND. He most recently worked in Columbus, OH, as a Senior EP for WBNS-TV and is a former ND in Jackson, MS. Jason’s resume also includes time in Portland, OR, and Evansville, IN.

General Manager News and Notes:

Aitken

JAMIE AITKEN is leaving his job as GM for Nexstar’s newly acquired WTTV/WXIN-TV (CBS/FOX) in Indianapolis at the end of the month. Jamie told me (in an exclusive interview during the intermission of a HUGH JACKMAN concert in Indianapolis Saturday night) 🙂 that he thought the time was right with the ownership change. He’s looking forward to spending more time with his teenage son before he leaves for college. Jamie’s a former GM for KDAF-TV in Dallas, KASW-TV in Phoenix, KREM-TV in Spokane, and was GM for the now defunct Texas Cable News. He’s began his career in print.

One Nexstar GM leaves (above) another joined the company as J.R. JACKSON has been named GM for KSEE/KGPE-TV (NBC/CBS) in Fresno. It’s a return to Fresno for J.R., who was the General Sales Manager for KMPH-TV there. He’s been the GM for KVAL-TV and KMTR-TV in Eugene, OR and has also worked in Sacramento.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, October 13, 2019:

It’s unofficial, there may be others that are open, and some of these may have been filled. If you know of any in either category, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com

KTTV 1999 South Bundy Drive Los Angeles CA 90025
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KCPQ-TV 1813 Westlake Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
KSHB-TV 4720 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64112
WDAF-TV 3030 Summit St, Kansas City, MO 64108
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Dr, Columbus, OH 43215
WBIR-TV 1513 Bill Williams Ave. Knoxville, TN 37917
WFRV-TV 1181 E Mason Street Green Bay, WI 54301
WDBJ-TV 2807 Hershberger Rd NW, Roanoke, VA 24017
KGAN-TV 600 Old Marion Rd NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd E, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
WWAY-TV 1224 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC 28451
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KRCR-TV 755 Auditorium Dr. Redding, CA 96001
WJFW-TV 3217 County Rd G Rhinelander, WI 54501
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Ave, Medford, OR 97504
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
WVVA-TV 3052 Big Laurel Highway Bluefield WV 24701
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr, Carterville, IL 62918
KAEF-TV 540 E St Eureka, California 95501

**: Spanish language station

October 6, 2019

Friday, October 11, 2019 UPDATE:

I’m sorry to tell you that a three time news director lost his battle with cancer this morning.

  White

KEN WHITE died after fighting mantle cell lymphoma for five years. Before he died, this detailed note was posted yesterday to his Facebook page.

Ken’s most recent job as as ND for WVVA-TV in Bluefield, WV, a position he left in August to concentrate on his health. He’d also been a news director for WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV, and was the founding news director for WCCB-TV in Charlotte, where he spent 14 years.

I hope to have more details on services and memorial information in the full newsletter this weekend.

Our sympathy to Ken’s wife, family, friends, and co-workers.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Tuesday, October 8, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

There’s a new news director for a network owned station in a top 20 market.

Medalie

MELISSA MEDALIE has been promoted to VP/News Director for WOFL-TV, the FOX o-and-o in Orlando. The Orlando Sentinel’s longtime TV writer HAL BOEDEKER has more. Melissa’s been the Assistant News Director there since August, 2017, and first joined the station as an executive producer in 2010.

Melissa began her career as a reporter, working in Elmira, Syracuse, and Harrisburg before joining Orlando based Ivanhoe Broadcast News as an executive producer.

She replaces JEFF ZELLER who left the station in August after about ten years as ND.

Chioji

And…speaking of Orlando…I’m sorry to report the death of longtime WESH-TV anchor WENDY CHIOJI, who lost her battle with cancer yesterday. She was 57. The station remembers her here.

Our sympathy to her family, friends, and former co-workers at WESH.

We’ll have more on the week’s news in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

Just ONE new news director in this week’s report, and that involves someone who’d been the interim ND at his station for several months.

And, as far as I know, NO new ND openings this week, leaving our count of open ND jobs at 26. TWO of the open ND jobs are advertised in our Paid Help Wanted Ads.

There are THREE items in Names in the News, and TWO GM items, both involving multiple time GMs taking new jobs.

Read on for the details.

Newly Named News Director: 

WOAY-TV, Oak Hill, WV…we’re a little tardy in reporting TYLER BARKER‘s promotion to news director for this locally owned ABC affiliate, which he tells me happened in May. He’s been the interim news director since DENNIS LORTZ left last December after just a few months as ND. Tyler first joined the station in 2015 as the weekend meteorologist and was later promoted to chief meteorologist.

And I wanted to clarity our report last week on the ND change at KRGV-TV in Weslaco, TX. We told you that JENNY MARTINEZ was retiring. Jenny tells me that’s not the case, that she’s moving on to the next chapter after 25 years at the station. She was the subject of a lengthy and interesting profile in the local newspaper.

New News Director Openings: 

I’m not aware of any new openings this week. If you are, please let me know.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

News Director, KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO:

Are you a talented and innovative news leader ready to take an aggressive station to the next level in a competitive news market?

If so, we are searching for a bold and fearless News Director at KSHB, the Scripps NBC station in Kansas City. The right candidate will be someone who understands deep impact enterprise content and can help teach and develop our talented group of journalists into strong emotional storytellers.

We seek someone who can foster a positive, innovative and hard charging newsroom into a digital now mindset. We are looking for a candidate who can effectively plan a news strategy for a continuous measurement world, while still being able to coordinate breaking news, weather and large event coverage.

You must be a digital powerhouse, leveraging the web, OTT, and all social platforms to make sure that local audiences are seeing, talking about and sharing stories generated by our newsroom. You must be a risk taker and someone ready to adapt, change and think out of the box.

If this sounds like you, we would like for you to apply by clicking here.

News Director, WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI:

It’s football season, so let me throw this at you:

#NexstarNation is looking for a NEW coach (read News Director) to lead our team at WFRV in Green Bay.

Must have a winning record on the field, be an all-star at developing talent, and know how to create a playbook to “own” the big story.

Think leader, game-changer – someone who has a passion for the game and the players.

The coach (read News Director) must be strategic, know how to run the ball down the field on broadcast, while playing just as hard on our digital and social media platforms. And you probably guessed, our coverage of the Green Bay Packers is a priority. Must have plays for unique storytelling and programming.

To be considered, you must have more than five years of experience on the field as a successful coach (read news manager.)

Apply here.

News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 9/1/19)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 9/8/19)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (relisted 9/8/19)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (relisted 9/8/19)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (relisted this week)
KRCG-TV, Jefferson City, MO (listed 9/15/19)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Special Projects EP, relisted 9/8/19)
KPIX-TV, San Francisco, CA (AM EP, listed 8/11/19)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (Dayside EP, listed 8/18/19)
KDVR/KWGN-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP, relisted 8/18/19)
WNCN-TV, Raleigh, NC (new listing this week)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (AM EP, listed 929/19)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 8/18/19)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (Dayside EP, listing modified 9/15/19)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Senior EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 9/29/19)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WSPA-TV, Spartanburg, SC (Digital Content EP, relisted 9/15/19)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (Digital EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted 9/8/19)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (PM EP, relisted 8/17/19)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WBRE-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (Digital Content EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (new listing this week)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (AM EP, listed 9/8/19)
WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (8/17/19)
WFXG-TV, Augusta, GA (relisted 8/17/19)
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital Executive Producer, relisted 9/1/19)
KSBY-TV, San Luis Obispo, CA (PM EP, relisted 8/17/19)
WVNS-TV, Beckley, WV (listed 9/15/19)

Other News Management Openings:

Listed 9/15/19:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Editorial Director)

Relisted 8/25/19:

Rocky Mountain PBS, Denver, CO (Investigative Producer)

Names in the News (and other items):

THOMAS LESYNA joins Nexstar’s WOWK-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV as executive producer. He’s a former AND for KMTV in Omaha, NE (Scripps).

Julie S.

In case you missed it, we shared with you earlier this week details about JULIE SZULCZEWSKI’s federal lawsuit against Cox Media and her former station, WSOC-TV in Charlotte. Julie, now the news director for WAFF-TV in Huntsville, was ND at WSOC from 2011 until 2018, had been the managing editor there from 2007-2010 when she left to be the ND for Hubbard’s KOB-TV in Albuquerque. Julie had also worked for Cox’s WFTV in Orlando, as well as in Miami, St. Louis, and Ft. Myers.

Finally, due to an editing error last week we misidentified Detroit’s WXYZ-TV news director RHONDA LaVELLE by using her maiden name. Apologies to Rhonda.

General Manager News and Notes:

Higgins

MARK HIGGINS moves within Nexstar to become the next general manager for WFLA-TV (NBC) in Tampa. He’s been the GM for Nexstar’s WSPA-TV in Spartanburg, SC and has held multiple GM jobs. Mark replaces SKIP VALET who’d held the job for less than two years. Skip’s a former GM in Norfolk and Orlando, and was an ND for Post-Newsweek (now Graham Media) stations in Houston, Orlando, and Jacksonville FL,, where I hired him as a production assistant in 1982.

Totsch

BOBBY TOTSCH leaves Sinclair’s WPMI-TV (NBC) in Mobile to become the next general manager for Nexstar’s newly acquired WHO-TV (NBC) in Des Moines. Bobby told me the move brings him much closer to family in Missouri. He’s a former GM for KCTV in Kansas City and earlier had worked as the general sales manager for KMOV-TV in St. Louis.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, October 6, 2019:

It’s unofficial, there may be others that are open, and some of these may have been filled. If you know of any in either category, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com

KTTV 1999 South Bundy Drive Los Angeles CA 90025
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KCPQ-TV 1813 Westlake Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109
WOFL-TV 35 Skyline Dr, Lake Mary, FL 32746
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
KSHB-TV 4720 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64112 (see ad above!)
WDAF-TV 3030 Summit St, Kansas City, MO 64108
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Dr, Columbus, OH 43215
WBIR-TV 1513 Bill Williams Ave. Knoxville, TN 37917
WFRV-TV 1181 E Mason Street Green Bay, WI 54301 (see ad above!)
KGAN-TV 600 Old Marion Rd NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
KXXV-TV 1909 S New Rd, Waco, TX 76711
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd E, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
WWAY-TV 1224 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC 28451
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KRCR-TV 755 Auditorium Dr. Redding, CA 96001
WJFW-TV 3217 County Rd G Rhinelander, WI 54501
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Ave, Medford, OR 97504
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
WVVA-TV 3052 Big Laurel Highway Bluefield WV 24701
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr, Carterville, IL 62918
KAEF-TV 540 E St Eureka, California 95501

**: Spanish language station

September 29, 2019

Thursday, October, 3, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

A former news director turned several time general manager is out as Nexstar makes a change in (until the Tribune acquisition) one of its biggest markets.

Higgins

SKIP VALET resigned today as general manager of the company’s WFLA-TV (NBC) in Tampa and was immediately replaced by veteran GM MARK HIGGINS.

Details (though no mention of Skip) in this news release.

Higgins has been running Nexstar’s WSPA-TV in Spartanburg, SC. He’s been a GM in multiple markets, as his Linkedin page details.

Valet

Skip had been the GM at WFLA since early 2018. He’d spent two previous years as a GM in Norfolk. But he worked most of his career at Post-Newsweek (now Graham Media) stations. He was GM for WKMG-TV in Orlando, where he earlier had been ND. And he was the ND for KPRC-TV in Houston and WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, where (full disclosure:) I hired him as a production assistant) in 1982.

We’ll have all the week’s news in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Monday, September 30, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

Here’s an interesting court case to follow from Charlotte.

Julie S.

Former WSOC-TV news director JULIE SZULCZEWSKI has filed a federal lawsuit against Cox Media and her former station, Cox’s ABC station in Charlotte.

Here’s the details in a story from The Charlotte Observer.

She was ND at WSOC from 2011 until 2018, had been the managing editor there from 2007-2010 when she left to be the ND for Hubbard’s KOB-TV in Albuquerque. Julie had also worked for Cox’s WFTV in Orlando, as well as in Miami, St. Louis, and Ft. Myers.

We’ll continue to follow this story and keep you posted.

One brief correction from yesterday’s full newsletter. Due to an editing error, we accidentally used RHONDA LaVELLE’s maiden name in a brief item. Apologies, Rhonda!

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

After a few slow weeks, we have lots of tidbits to tell you about this week.

There’s ONE new news director, as a veteran ND returns to his former market.

There’s TWO new openings, including one in a desirable top 15 market.

Our list of stations with open news director jobs grows to 27. TWO of those 27 jobs are featured in Paid Help Wanted ads below.

Also this week, we have the entire list of National Emmy Winners, including TWO Tegna stations, the only local stations to be honored. Lots of news managers on the move, and also…for the first time in weeks…a variety of GM moves, including a former ND turned GM who’s looking for a new ND at her new station. (Hint: its one of those two paid ads.) And a new role for a former president of NBC News.

All that and more below.

Newly Named News Director: 

Csanyi-Salcedo

KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX…ZOLTAN CSANYI-SALCEDO returns to the Rio Grande Valley as the ND for this Manship owned ABC affiliate. Zoltan has been ND at KYTX-TV in Tyler, TX, for just nine months…but before that he spent four years as ND for KGBT-TV in Harlingen (same market). He’s also been an ND for Telemundo in Dallas, and three times in El Paso, (twice at the Univsiion station and once at the NBC affiliate). He’s also worked for ESPN. At KRGV, he replaces JENNY MARTINEZ who is retiring.

New News Director Openings: 

Hill

KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA…we told you on Thursday that ERICA HILL will leave this Nexstar owned (as of last week) FOX affiliate to move to Los Angeles. Erica kindly sent me the memo she sent to her staff with the details behind her decision. She’s been ND here for the last six years and, in all, worked at the station three times. She’s also worked in Chicago, Boise and for the now-defunct Northwest Cable News.

KYTX-TV, Tyler TX…we told you above that ZOLTAN CSANYI-SALCEDO has left this Tegna owned CBS affiliate to return to the Harlingen market as ND for KRGV-TV.

Also, while they are not new openings, please note the paid help wanted ads just below for news director openings at KSHB-TV in Kansas City and WFRV-TV in Green Bay, WI.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

News Director, KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO:

Are you a talented and innovative news leader ready to take an aggressive station to the next level in a competitive news market?

If so, we are searching for a bold and fearless News Director at KSHB, the Scripps NBC station in Kansas City. The right candidate will be someone who understands deep impact enterprise content and can help teach and develop our talented group of journalists into strong emotional storytellers.

We seek someone who can foster a positive, innovative and hard charging newsroom into a digital now mindset. We are looking for a candidate who can effectively plan a news strategy for a continuous measurement world, while still being able to coordinate breaking news, weather and large event coverage.

You must be a digital powerhouse, leveraging the web, OTT, and all social platforms to make sure that local audiences are seeing, talking about and sharing stories generated by our newsroom. You must be a risk taker and someone ready to adapt, change and think out of the box.

If this sounds like you, we would like for you to apply by clicking here.

News Director, WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI:

It’s football season, so let me throw this at you:

#NexstarNation is looking for a NEW coach (read News Director) to lead our team at WFRV in Green Bay.

Must have a winning record on the field, be an all-star at developing talent, and know how to create a playbook to “own” the big story.

Think leader, game-changer – someone who has a passion for the game and the players.

The coach (read News Director) must be strategic, know how to run the ball down the field on broadcast, while playing just as hard on our digital and social media platforms. And you probably guessed, our coverage of the Green Bay Packers is a priority. Must have plays for unique storytelling and programming.

To be considered, you must have more than five years of experience on the field as a successful coach (read news manager.)

Apply here.

News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 9/1/19)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 9/8/19)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (relisted 9/8/19)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (relisted 9/8/19)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (relisted 8/11/19)
KRCG-TV, Jefferson City, MO (listed 9/15/19)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Special Projects EP, relisted 9/8/19)
KPIX-TV, San Francisco, CA (AM EP, listed 8/11/19)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (Dayside EP, listed 8/18/19)
KDVR/KWGN-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP, relisted 8/18/19)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (AM EP, new listing this week)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 8/18/19)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (Dayside EP, listing modified 9/15/19)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Senior EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted this week)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WSPA-TV, Spartanburg, SC (Digital Content EP, relisted 9/15/19)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (Digital EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted 9/8/19)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (PM EP, relisted 8/17/19)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WBRE-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (Digital Content EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (AM EP, listed 9/8/19)
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (listed 9/15/19)
WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (8/17/19)
WFXG-TV, Augusta, GA (relisted 8/17/19)
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital Executive Producer, relisted 9/1/19)
KSBY-TV, San Luis Obispo, CA (PM EP, relisted 8/17/19)
WVNS-TV, Beckley, WV (listed 9/15/19)

Other News Management Openings:

Listed 9/15/19:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Editorial Director)

Relisted 8/25/19:

Rocky Mountain PBS, Denver, CO (Investigative Producer)

Names in the News (and other items):

Tegna’s KING-TV in Seattle and WXIA-TV in Atlanta were among those organizations honored with National Emmy Awards this week. HBO, CNN, and CBS were the biggest winners. The entire list is here.

Capus

STEVE CAPUS, who spent eight years as President of NBC News and another four years as the Executive Editor for CBS News, will serve as an advisor to the CEO of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). That’s JOHN LANSING, who’s headed off to become CEO of NPR in mid-October.. Here’s the note John sent out about Capus and his new role.

Rates

SCOTT RATES, who left the ND job at KAEF-TV in Eureka earlier this summer, is now working as the Assistant News Director and Anchor for KHSL-TV in Chico, CA. Scott spent three years as ND for KAEF and has also worked in Orlando and San Francisco.

Two news manager moves at Scripps’ WXYZ-TV (ABC) in Detroit. RONNIE LOVE is the new morning executive producer, And YVE JONES has been named Real Time Manager. ND RHONDA LaVELLE tells me that real time manager is, in her words, ‘almost like a managing editor’. Ronnie’s been working as a producer at WXYZ and Yve’s a former ND at WAPT-TV in Jackson, MS.

Also at Scripps stations, LATOYA STEVENS joins WMAR-TV (ABC) in Baltimore as the new PM Executive Producer. And DAVID MCDONALD is the new Content Manager at WCPO-TV (also ABC) in Cincinnati.

Reynolds

SHAWN REYNOLDS has been named Group Director of News and Content for Waypoint Media, which owns 16 TV stations and four radio stations. Shawn’s a former ND for WTVM-TV in Columbus, GA, and is currently producing newscasts for KCBS/KCAL-TV in Los Angeles. Here’s the news release with more details.

KIMBERLYN CHATMAN moves across town to become the morning EP for Tegna’s WWL-TV in New Orleans. She’s spent the last 14 years as a producer for WVUE-TV in New Orleans, and earlier worked in San Diego.

General Manager News and Notes:

Oslund

KERRY OSLUND joins Scripps as its Vice President Of Strategy And Business Development. Kerry most recently had held the same title for Tribune Broadcasting. He’s a longtime newsman, having worked as a news director in Grand Rapids, MI, and Portland, OR and in a corporate role for Schurz Broadcasting, Tegna/Gannett, and Lee Enterprises. Learn more about his new job here.

Choal

Scripps also appointed KATHLEEN CHOAL to be general manager of its Kansas City NBC affiliate, KSHB-TV. She’s been the GM for KSBY-TV, Scripps’ NBC affiliate in San Luis Obispo, CA. She’s a former news director in Tucson, and has worked in Houston, Minneapolis, Denver and Las Vegas. Here’s the news release with more.

We have a number of other general manager appointments to share:

Nexstar named JOHN TREVINO as general manager of its newly acquired Dallas station, KDAF-TV. He’s worked in a number of Texas markets.

MICHAEL NURSE will run Sinclair’s WKEF/WRGT-TV in Dayton. He’s spent the last six years as GM for WKBW-TV in Buffalo.

And DALE WOODS is the new GM for Block Communications WDRB-TV in Louisville. He’s a former GM for WHO-TV in Des Moines and WSMV-TV in Nashville, a job he left in January.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, September 29, 2019:

It’s unofficial, there may be others that are open, and some of these may have been filled. If you know of any in either category, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com

KTTV 1999 South Bundy Drive Los Angeles CA 90025
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KCPQ-TV 1813 Westlake Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109
WOFL-TV 35 Skyline Dr, Lake Mary, FL 32746
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
KSHB-TV 4720 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64112 (see ad above!)
WDAF-TV 3030 Summit St, Kansas City, MO 64108
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Dr, Columbus, OH 43215
WBIR-TV 1513 Bill Williams Ave. Knoxville, TN 37917
WFRV-TV 1181 E Mason Street Green Bay, WI 54301 (see ad above!)
KGAN-TV 600 Old Marion Rd NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
KXXV-TV 1909 S New Rd, Waco, TX 76711
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd E, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
KYTX-TV 2211 E SE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
WWAY-TV 1224 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC 28451
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KRCR-TV 755 Auditorium Dr. Redding, CA 96001
WJFW-TV 3217 County Rd G Rhinelander, WI 54501
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Ave, Medford, OR 97504
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
WOAY-TV P.O. BOX 3001 Oak Hill, WV 25901
WVVA-TV 3052 Big Laurel Highway Bluefield WV 24701
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr, Carterville, IL 62918
KAEF-TV 540 E St Eureka, California 95501

**: Spanish language station

September 22, 2019

Thursday, September 26, 2019 UPDATE:

Greetings:

The ‘dean’ of Seattle news directors announced her resignation today after six plus years as ND and additional time in three different stints at the station.

Hill

ERICA HILL-RODRIGUEZ will leave Nexstar’s KCPQ-TV in Seattle at the end of the November book. She explained WHERE she is going and WHY she is moving in this post on social media.

Her departure comes just one week after Nexstar took over ownership of this FOX affiliate as part of its acquisition of Tribune Broadcasting.

Erica was the Assistant ND at KCPQ before she was promoted. She’s also worked in Chicago, Boise, and had earlier worked for Northwest Cable News in Seattle.

After a few slow weeks, we have a lot more movement to tell you about in our full newsletter this weekend.

regards,

Rick Gevers

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

Greetings:

Another slow week on the news director movement front, with just ONE new opening and ONE ND job filled.

Our list of stations with open news director jobs stands at 25.

And there’s just ONE item in Names in the News, and the only item in our GM section involves a new general manager at a FOX o-and-o.

A reminder…we always appreciate hearing about ND hires or openings we may have missed, or items about news managers on the move. Please send ’em along!

Newly Named News Director: 

Adams

KOCO-TV, Oklahoma City, OK…SHAWNDA ADAMS has been promoted to ND for this Hearst owned ABC affiliate.  She’s been the Assistant ND here for the past five years.  Earlier in her career, Shawnda worked as an EP for KPRC-TV in Houston and WKMG-TV in Orlando. She also worked as a producer in Orlando and Tulsa. Shawnda replaces REBECCA GAYLORD who left the station at the end of August and last week took the ND job at KBZK/KXLF-TV in Butte/Bozeman, MT.

New News Director Openings: 

WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI…KELLY PETERSON is stepping down as ND for this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate due to a family illness.  She’s been the ND here for about nine months and earlier had worked as an EP there. She’s also worked in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Grand Forks, ND.

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

There are no new ads this week.

But you’d like to advertise your news manager opening, just email me the copy (250 word limit) and a jpeg of your station’s logo.

Ads run for two weeks and cost $300. We email the newsletter to about 1,500 people: between 1,500-1,800 people see the identical content on our website.

Happy to answer any questions you may have at rick@rickgevers.com or by phone at 317-635-7912.

News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 9/1/19)
KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (relisted 9/8/19)
WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY (relisted 9/8/19)
WJAC-TV, Johnstown, PA (relisted 9/8/19)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (relisted 8/11/19)
KRCG-TV, Jefferson City, MO (listed 9/15/19

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (Special Projects EP, relisted 9/8/19)
KPIX-TV, San Francisco, CA (AM EP, listed 8/11/19)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (Dayside EP, listed 8/18/19)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (AM EP, relisted 8/18/19)
KDVR/KWGN-TV, Denver, CO (AM EP, relisted 8/18/19)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (PM EP, listed 8/11/19)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 8/18/19)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (Dayside EP, listing modified 9/15/19)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Senior EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (listed 8/25/19)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 8/4/19)
WISN-TV, Milwaukee, WI (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WSPA-TV, Spartanburg, SC (Digital Content EP, relisted 9/15/19)
WHTM-TV, Harrisburg, PA (Digital EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted 9/8/19)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (PM EP, relisted 8/17/19)
WAVY-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WBRE-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (Digital Content EP, relisted 9/8/19)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (AM EP, listed 9/8/19)
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (listed 9/15/19)
WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (8/17/19)
WFXG-TV, Augusta, GA (relisted 8/17/19)
WTAJ-TV, Altoona, PA (Digital Executive Producer, relisted 9/1/19)
KSBY-TV, San Luis Obispo, CA (PM EP, relisted 8/17/19)
WVNS-TV, Beckley, WV (listed 9/15/19)

Other News Management Openings:

Listed 9/15/19:

WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Editorial Director)

Relisted 8/25/19:

Rocky Mountain PBS, Denver, CO (Investigative Producer)

Names in the News (and other items):

Crooks

MAXINE CROOKS is leaving her job as EP at ABC’s WPVI-TV in Philadelphia to move to New York as VP of Strategy and Talent Development for the ABC owned stations,  Maxine has spent 31 years at WPVI.  More details about her background AND her new job can be found here.

General Manager News and Notes:

MIKE LEWIS will be the next general manager for the FOX owned duopoly in Charlotte, WJZY/WMYT-TV.  He’s been the general sales manager for the FOX duopoly in Washington, WTTV/WDCA-TV and has spent most…but not all…of his career at FOX owned stations, as you’ll see in this article.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, September 22, 2019:

It’s unofficial, there may be others that are open, and some of these may have been filled. If you know of any in either category, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com

KTTV 1999 South Bundy Drive Los Angeles CA 90025
WFMZ-TV 300 E Rock Rd, Allentown, PA 18103
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
WOFL-TV 35 Skyline Dr, Lake Mary, FL 32746
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
KSHB-TV 4720 Oak St, Kansas City, MO 64112
WDAF-TV 3030 Summit St, Kansas City, MO 64108
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Dr, Columbus, OH 43215
WBIR-TV 1513 Bill Williams Ave. Knoxville, TN 37917
WFRV-TV 1181 E Mason Street Green Bay, WI 54301
KGAN-TV 600 Old Marion Rd NE Cedar Rapids, IA 52402
KXXV-TV 1909 S New Rd, Waco, TX 76711
WMBF-TV 918 Frontage Rd E, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
WLTZ-TV 6140 Buena Vista Rd. Columbus, GA 31907
WWAY-TV 1224 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC 28451
KRIS-TV 301 Artesian Street Corpus Christi, TX 78401
KVII-TV 1 Broadcast Center, Amarillo, TX 79101
KRCR-TV 755 Auditorium Dr. Redding, CA 96001
WJFW-TV 3217 County Rd G Rhinelander, WI 54501
KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Ave, Medford, OR 97504
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
WOAY-TV P.O. BOX 3001 Oak Hill, WV 25901
WVVA-TV 3052 Big Laurel Highway Bluefield WV 24701
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Dr, Carterville, IL 62918
KAEF-TV 540 E St Eureka, California 95501

**: Spanish language station