August 11, 2008
Greetings:
We have a flurry of activity to report this week, with much of it in medium and smaller markets. There is one new ND opening in a top 30 market.
That’s one of FOUR new ND openings this week, with FIVE new news directors to share with you.
My count, always unofficial, stands at 31 open ND positions around the country.
Also this week: we have an ad for an EP of Special Projects and Investigations for a Kansas City station, details about the passing of a former ND, several new news management openings, and details about promotions for some news managers.
As we like to say, all that, and more, after this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN…JASON HEATH moves to a new role within the parent as Talent Consultant for McGraw-Hill Broadcasting. He’s been the ND at this ABC affiliate for the past three years. (Note: this opening means three of McGraw-Hill’s four stations…Denver, Indianapolis, and San Diego…currently have news director openings.)
KVEO-TV, Browsville, TX…DREW HADWAL has left this Communications Corporation owned NBC affiliate after a year as ND. Drew was the first ND here.
WAGT-TV, Augusta, GA…SCOTT BRADY is being promoted to ND for sister-Schurz station KYTV in Springfield, MO. (More on that below.) Scott’s been ND for this NBC affiliate for the past 4+ years.
KIMT-TV, Mason City, IA…JJ MURRAY is leaving after two years as ND for this New Vision owned CBS station. He’ll become ND for KWWL-TV in Waterloo, IA. (More below.)
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
WNJT-TV, Trenton, NJ…MICHAEL ARON is the new ND for this operation also known as the New Jersey Network. (It’s a statewide network owned by the state and produces a nightly half hour newscast which also airs on WNET-TV in New York). Michael is also a political correspondent. He replaces BILL JOBES who retired.
WTVQ-TV, Lexington, KY…DOUG HOGAN will be the next ND for this Morris Network owned ABC affiliate. Doug’s a former ND in Evansville and Montgomery, and most recently has worked in government as communications director for the Governor of Kentucky. He replaces TAI TAKAHASHI who left the station after almost four years as ND.
KWWL-TV, Waterloo, IA…we told you a few paragraphs ago that JJ MURRAY is the new ND for this Quincy Newspaper owned NBC station, coming from KIMT-TV in Mason City. JJ’s also been an ND in Sioux Falls, SD, and has worked in Minneapolis, Tucson, Phoenix, Jefferson City, MO, and taught for four years at Brown College in Minneapolis. JJ will replace JON OKERSTROM who’s been named Senior Internet Director for Quincy Newspapers.
KYTV, Springfield, MO…as noted above, SCOTT BRADY stays with Schurz Broadcasting, stays with an NBC affiliate, but changes addresses as he’ll be the next ND for this powerhouse station. He replaces JEFF BENSCOTER who left in June to become the Assistant ND for WTHR-TV here in Indianapolis.
WEEK-TV, Peoria, IL…veteran news director DON SHAFER takes over as the ND for this Granite Broadcasting owned NBC station. Don’s been a news director in Colorado Springs, Denver, San Diego, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, and, most recently, in Flint/Saginaw, MI. He replaces JIM GARROTT who left the station in May after more than ten years as ND.
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HELP WANTED AD
EP of INVESTIGATIONS/SPECIAL PROJECTS
Want to be part of an exciting, growing, vibrant TV Station?
KSHB-TV, the NBC affiliate in Kansas City, market #31, is looking for an aggressive and creative Executive Producer of Investigations and Special Projects.
Prior EP experience or major market investigative producing experience is preferred. The qualified candidate will oversee the Emmy Award winning NBC Action News Investigators as well as Call for Action, the leading consumer unit in the city.
The successful candidate must be highly organized, and have strong people skills. He or she must be able to showcase using graphics and content. Your tape must speak for itself.
Interested and qualified candidates should send their resumes to:
Rick Iler
News Director
KSHB-TV
4720 Oak St.
Kansas City MO 64112
or via email to: iler@nbcactionews.com
Scripps Company/KSHB-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (new listing this week)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 6/6/08)
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 6/13/08)
WMTW-TV, Portland, ME (listed 6/6/08)
KVIA-TV, El Paso, TX (relisted 6/27/08)
KHBS/KHOG, Fort Smith, AR (listed 5/9/08)
KRCR-TV, Redding, CA (listed 7/10/08)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KTVU-TV, Oakland/San Francisco, CA (AM EP, relisted 7/10/08)
KPHO-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 6/20/08)
KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA (AM EP, listed 7/03/08)
KIRO-TV, Seattle, WA (relisted 7/25/08)
KDVR-TV, Denver, CO (Weekend EP, relisted 7/3/08)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (listed 6/20/08)
WSOC-TV, Charlotte, NC (Nightside EP, relisted 6/27/08)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (relisted this week)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (relisted 6/27/08)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (new listing this week)
WZTV, Nashville, TN (listed 6/20/08)
WSYX/WTTE, Columbus, OH (relisted 5/16/08)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Dayside EP, relisted 6/27/08)
WHP-TV, Harrisburg, PA (relisted 7/03/08)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (Dayside EP, listing revised 7/03/08)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (listed 7/03/08)
KVIA-TV, El Paso, TX (listed 6/27/08)
WGGB-TV, Springfield, MA (listed 6/20/08)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, SPECIAL PROJECTS:
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (listed 7/25/08)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (listed 7/25/08)
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OBITUARY:
TEDD O’CONNELL died Monday, August 4, after a long battle with cancer. He was 69 years old and died at his home in Green Bay. Tedd was a news director in several markets, including Green Bay, Cedar Rapids, and Sioux City, IA, and also worked for many years as the main anchor for WISC-TV in Madison, WI. Tedd is survived by his wife, Roseanne, who urged friends to make a donation in Tedd’s name to their local library.
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NAMES in the NEWS:
JOHN LANSING, who has ND stops in several markets on his resume, has been named Executive Vice President of Scripps Networks Interactive. He remains President of Scripps Networks. In addition to ND jobs in Chicago, Minneapolis and Kalamazoo, MI, John’s been a station manager in Detroit and a GM in Cleveland.
CHRIS PENA stays within the NBC family and moves from balmy Miami to wintry (it will be, soon enough!) Chicago as the new Assistant ND for WMAQ-TV. Chris has been the EP for the late news at NBC’s WTVJ-TV. He’s also been an ND for the Telemundo station in Houston. At WMAQ, he’ll oversee day-to-day coverage, replacing CAMILLE EDWARDS in that role. Camille left the station earlier this summer to become VP/News at NBC’s WRC-TV in Washington.
JEFF PARSONS has been promoted to Senior Director of Strategic Content for Internet Broadcasting. He’ll oversee development of new content and products for the websites IB builds and operates for a variety of media companies. Jeff’s a former ND in Atlanta and Norfolk, and has also worked in Columbus, OH, and Charleston, WV.
LESLIE GARCIA is the new EP for Newport TV’s WOAI-TV in San Antonio. She’s been a producer at WAGA-TV in Atlanta, and has also worked in Washington, DC, and Albuquerque. It’s a return to Texas for Leslie, who began her career in Weslaco, TX.
DON ENNIS returns to a newsroom as the Multimedia EP for Gannett’s WTLV/WJXX in Jacksonville, FL. He most recently has been working with WJLA-TV and politico.com, and previously has been a producer for The Today Show, This Week with George Stephanopoulos, and GMA. He’s also worked in Hartford. This move reunites him with WTLV’s ND MIKE GARBER: they worked together at WFTS-TV in Tampa.
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, August 8, 2008. If you know of any updates, corrections, or additions to this list, please let me know via email at: rick@rickgevers.com
KTLA-TV 5800 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90028
CLTV News 2000 York, Suite 114 Oak Brook IL 60523
WSNS-TV 430 W. Grant Place Chicago IL 60614 *
KIAH-TV 7700 Westpark Dr. Houston TX 77063
KPHO-TV 4016 N. Black Canyon Hwy. Phoenix AZ 85017
KTVK-TV 5555 N. 7th Avenue Phoenix AZ 85013
KMGH-TV 123 Speer Blvd, Denver CO 80203
WRTV 1330 N. Merdian St. Indianapolis IN 46202
KGTV 4600 Air Way San Diego CA 92102
KUTH-TV 525 South 300 West #1 Salt Lake City UT 84101 *
WPBF-TV 3970 RCA Blvd., Suite 7007 Palm Beach Gardens FL 33410
WGRZ-TV 259 Delaware Avenue Buffalo NY 14202
KMPH-TV 5111 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727
WTEN-TV 341 Northern Blvd. Albany NY 12204
WOWK-TV 555 Fifth Ave. Huntington WV 25701
KSNW-TV 833 N. Main Wichita KS 67203
KWCH-TV 2815 East 37th Street North Wichita KS 67219
WCSH/WLBZ-TV One Congress Square Portland ME 04101
WSTM-TV 1030 James St. Syracuse NY 13203
WIS-TV 1111 Bull St. Columbia SC 29201
WAAY-TV 1000 Monte Sano Boulevard Huntsville AL 35801
WAFF-TV 1414 N. Memorial Pkwy. Huntsville AL 35801
KVEO-TV 394 N. Expressway Brownsville TX 78521
WQAD-TV 3003 Park 16th St. Moline IL 61265
KDBC-TV 2201 E. Wyoming Ave. El Paso TX 79903
WAGT-Tv 905 Broad St. Augusta GA 30901
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 S. Beaumont TX 77701
KMIR-TV 72920 Parkview Dr. Palm Desert CA 92260
KTUU-TV 701 E. Tudor Rd. #220 Anchorage AK 99503
KIMT-TV 112 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Mason City IA 50401
KIDK-TV 1255 E.17th St. Idaho Falls ID 83404
# indicates Spanish language station
Rick Gevers
Rick Gevers & Associates
PO Box 577
Zionsville IN 46077
317-769-7900 (phone)
317-769-7910 (fax)
rick@rickgevers.com
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