August 14, 2009
Greetings:
A very surprising move tops this week’s list of news director and news management changes.
We told you about the move earlier this week that saw a longtime Gannett executive leave the company.
Another opening sees a longtime ND (try 28 years!) moving upstairs to the GM’s chair at a small market powerhouse.
Those are among the THREE new openings to tell you about, and there is only ONE new news director hire this week. That raises the number of openings to 24.
We have two paid ads (you may not care, but my wife does!) for interesting opportunities.
One of those paid ads is for an Executive Producer position at The Weather Channel, while the other is a blind box ad for a midwest duopoly looking for an Assistant News Director.
And we have one item to check out in Name in the News.
All that and more after this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
Todd Hauer
WYIN-TV, Merrillville, IN…TODD HAUER is leaving this PBS affiliate to become Associate Director of Media Relations for Valparaiso University. He’s been ND here for three years and previously worked as a reporter in the Carolinas. WYIN airs a nightly newscast at 9:00.
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC…we told you about this surprise move in an emailed UPDATE last Tuesday. LANE MICHAELSEN, a longtime news executive with Gannett, is leaving this CBS affiliate to become ND for WTVJ-TV in Miami. (More on that below.) Lane’s been ND here for just under a year. His replacement will be the fourth ND here in the last five years.
Dave Vincent
WLOX-TV, Biloxi, MS…congratulations to longtime ND (and even longer-time employee) DAVE VINCENT on his promotion to GM of this Raycom-owned ABC station. Dave’s been the ND here since 1981, and has worked at the station since 1977. During his tenure, the station has won a Peabody, a duPont, and a National Murrow Award for stories ranging from civil rights to coverage of Hurricane Katrina. Please join me in congratulating Dave via email at: dvincent@wlox.com
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
Michaelsen
WTVJ-TV, Miami, FL…as noted above, LANE MICHAELSEN will be the next ND for this NBC o-and-o. Lane is currently ND for Gannett’s WUSA-TV in Washington, and his move ends a long career with Gannett in which he worked as a photojournalist in Minneapolis, a news director in Little Rock and Tampa (in addition to Washington) and also served as VP/News for the company. At WTVJ, he replaces YVETTE MILEY who was promoted to Executive Editor for MSNBC earlier this year. Of note: WTVJ’s GM is ARDYTH DIERCKS, who had been a GM at Gannett stations earlier in her career.
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PAID ADS:
Executive Producer, The Weather Channel, Atlanta
We are searching for an Executive Producer to be responsible for all aspects of all weekday morning live programming.
Responsibilities include:
– Determining daily editorial content, overall production elements, graphic support and contributions from bureaus and affiliate partners.
– Producing in a control room, including multiple live shots from various locations. Consult with Meteorologists during daily briefings.
– Overseeing video acquisitions via satellite networks and other sources.
– Writing creative scripts and preparing video teases as needed
– Developing and maintaining a constructive relationship with show talent.
– Responsibility for planning and executing sponsorship components and ad integration
Qualifications include:
– 10-15 years experience in live television news production
– At least 6 years experience managing a staff
– Bachelor`s degree in communications, or related subject preferred.
– Control room experience producing live news programs that contain live remote elements.
– Must be able to work in a team environment with minimum supervision.
– Advanced knowledge of computer newsroom systems
Send your resume to: Rashida Jones at: rjones@weather.com
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Blind Box Ad, Assistant News Director, Midwest
Mid-size Midwestern duopoly on the rise, looking to continue redefining a market. After years of unprecedented growth, we need an Assistant News Director who is willing to take the reins and continue shaping our news product across multiple platforms.
Successful candidate needs an ability to multi-task, a willingness to get their hands dirty, and a desire to mold an improving newsroom. Must be willing to build news product focused on what the viewer wants to see, while working within the restraints of modern news budgets.
Strong news judgment, flexibility and focus are necessary.
Email your resume and cover letter to: NDad@rickgevers.com, or mail to:
Blind Box Ad
Rick Gevers & Associates
PO Box 577
Zionsville IN 46077
Please note: I have no role in the hiring process. All replies, both email and postal mail, are forwarded automatically to the hiring station.
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Other News Mgmt. Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WMUR-TV, Manchester, NH (listed 4/25/09)
KWWL-TV, Waterloo, IA (listed 7/31/09)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 8/7/09)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
Weather Channel, Atlanta, GA (new listing this week, see ad above)
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (PM EP, relisted 6/14/09)
KRIV-TV, Houston, TX (AM EP, listed 8/7/09)
KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA (PM EP, listed 7/31/09)
Northwest Cable News, Seattle, WA (PM EP, listed 8/7/09)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (Morning EP, relisted 6/19/09)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (AM EP, listed 7/31/09)
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (two jobs, AM & PM, new listing this week)
WPEC-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (new listing this week)
WZZM-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 8/7/09)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 7/24/09)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (relisted 6/19/09)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (listed 6/14/09)
WPTA/WISE, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 8/7/09)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (listed 5/22/09)
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NAME IN THE NEWS:
CHAD CURTIS has been named Manager, Broadcast News, Department of Communications, at Brigham Young University. Chad’s a BYU grad who is currently working for NBC NewsChannel. (You saw this position advertised in this newsletter a few weeks ago.) Chad will oversee the student newsroom that does a daily 30 minute live newscast on KBYU-TV (in the Salt Lake City DMA), as well as BYU’s online efforts, and a weekly 30 minute Spanish language news magazine that is broadcast by satellite to Mexico, Central and South America.
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, August 14, 2009. If you know of any updates, corrections, or additions to this list, please let me know via email at: rick@rickgevers.com
WYIN-TV 8625 Indiana Place Merrillville IN 46410 (PBS affiliate)
KNTV 2450 North First St. San Jose CA 95131
WUSA-TV 4100 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016
WDIV-TV 550 W. Lafayette Blvd Detroit MI 48231
KXLN-TV 9440 Kirby Dr. Houston TX 77054 (Spanish Language)
WLWT-TV 1700 Young St. Cincinnati OH 45210
WOOD-TV 120 College SE Grand Rapids MI 49503
KRQE-TV 13 Broadcast Plaza Albuquerque NM 87104
KSEE-TV 5035 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727
WKRG-TV 555 Broadcast Dr. Mobile AL 36606
WGBA-TV 1391 North Rd. Green Bay WI 54307
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
KITV-TV 801 South King St. Honolulu HI 96813
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur IL 62525
WFFF-TV 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester VT 05446
WLNS-TV 2820 E. Saginaw St. Lansing MI 48912
WNCT-TV 3221 S. Evans St. Greenville NC 27834
WPBN/WTOM-TV 8518 M 72 West Traverse City MI 49684
KBCI-TV 140 N. 16th St. Boise ID 83702
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
WEAU-TV 1907 S. Hastings Way Eau Claire WI 54701
WECT-TV 322 Shipyard Blvd. Wilmington NC 28412
WLOX-TV 208 DeBuys Road Biloxi MS 39531
KTVZ-TV 62990 O.B Riley Rd. Bend OR 97701