December 15, 2008
Greetings:
Despite the horrific layoff news that you’ve all read about this week in the trades, a number of people found new jobs this week as news directors.
In fact, FIVE new NDs were named this week, THREE of them in top 25 markets in Florida. And there are TWO new ND openings to share with you
By my count, there are still 25 stations with openings for a news director.
We’re re-running the ad for the VP of Content job for a duopoly in Denver. It’s essentially a new name for the news director’s job.
We also have a few new news management changes. In Names in the News, a former Denver ND lands on his feet and right down the street. And we have a profile of a former Indianapolis ND who’s found a new career after TV news. Sadly, we have two obituaries, but we do have more pleasant news..the wedding of a Texas ND.
That and more after this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA…we reported in an emailed UPDATE earlier this week that BOB LONGO was being promoted within Hearst to become ND for sister station WESH-TV in Orlando. Bob’s been the ND for this ABC affiliate since 1999. More on his move to Orlando below.
WYFF-TV, Burlington, VT…KATHLEEN HARRINGTON is leaving this FOX affiliate as of today. She’s the first ND in the station’s history, having started here in April, 2007
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL…in another move we told you about via a mid-week emailed UPDATE, DOUG CULVER will be the new ND for this Scripps owned ABC affiliate. Doug most recently worked on election coverage for WJLA-TV in Washington. He’s a former Assistant ND/Managing Editor in Seattle, and an EP in Los Angeles. Doug replaces CHRIS JADICK who left the station to take a job with a local company.
WSFL-TV, Ft. Lauderdale, FL…JOSE SUAREZ has been named Director of Local Programming for this Tribune owned independent which is starting a new morning program. Jose most recently has been with WTVJ/WSCV in Miami. And he’s a former ND at WUPW-TV in Toledo. At WSFL, he replaces SUE KAVALERSKI.
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL…as noted above, BOB LONGO will be the next ND for this Hearst owned NBC affiliate. Bob’s been the ND for sister Hearst station WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh since 1999, and previously was an ND in Buffalo. He replaces BARB MAUSHARD who’s moving to New York as VP/News for Hearst-Argyle.
WNEG-TV, Toccoa, Ga…JEFF DANTRE, a former reporter and editor for WSB Radio in Atlanta, will be the next ND for this University of Georgia owned commercial independent station.
WSTM-TV, Syracuse, NY…RAE FULKERSON has been promoted to ND for this Barrington owned NBC affiliate. She had been the Assistant ND, and replaces PEGGY PHILIP who left in June after 14 months as ND to become ND for WMAR-TV in Baltimore.
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HELP WANTED AD
VP of Content, KDVR/KWGN-TV, Denver, CO
BLOCKBUSTER DUOPOLY SEEKS M/F VP of Content FOR LONG TERM Relationship.
Denver, CO. FOX/CW duopoly. 12 hours of live news a day. Largest news staff in Colorado. February 09 HD conversion. Increasing ratings and headed for the top.
Are you up for the challenge
Send multiple DVD s of your current newscasts, a complete resume and qualified references to:
Mercedes Romero
Administrative Assistant
FOX 31 KDVR and KWGN 2
100 E. Speer Blvd.
Denver CO 80203
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OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KOCO-TV, Oklahoma City, OK (listed 10/3/08)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 11/21/08)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KPHO-TV, Phoenix, AZ (relisted 8/29/08)
KIRO-TV, Seattle, WA (relisted 9/26/08)
WFOR-TV, Miami, FL (Nightside EP, listed 9/26/08)
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (AM EP, listed 9/19/08)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (Nightside EP, new listing this week)
WSOC-TV, Charlotte, NC (Nightside EP, relisted 9/19/08)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (relisted 11/21/08)
WZTV, Nashville, TN (relisted 9/26/08)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 11/21/08)
WHP-TV, Harrisburg, PA (relisted 9/26/08)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (Dayside EP, relisted this week)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 11/21/08)
KOLD-TV, Tucson, AZ (AM EP, relisted 11/21/08)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 10/03/08)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (relisted 11/21/08)
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OBITUARIES:
One time KPAX-TV (Missoula, MT) ND and anchor BILL DAVEY died this week at the age of 54. He had been battling cancer. Bill moved to Florida a few years ago. Earlier in his career he worked in Minot, ND.
Retired Indiana newsman HARRY FREY died earlier this month at the age of 94. He worked WTHI-TV in Terre Haute for 20 years, and spent some of that time as the ND there. He retired from the station in 1982 and later worked for the city of Terre Haute. He was inducted into the Indiana Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2006.
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NAMES in the NEWS:
One time KWGN-TV (Denver) ND CARL BILEK moves across town to become EP of News Gathering for KMGH-TV. Carl’s position at KWGN was eliminated earlier this year when that Tribune newsroom was merged with LocalTV’s KDVR-TV. At KMGH, he’ll oversee news gathering and news content on a daily basis.
KATHY CLARK returns to TV news and to KPHO-TV as Executive Producer. She had earlier worked at that CBS affiliate, and in Tucson, as well. Most recently she’s been working outside of TV news on a program called Arizona Highways.
Proving there is life after TV news is former Indianapolis/WTHR-TV news director BOB CAMPBELL, who continues his real estate career in Washington State. Bob…who works with his wife Maureen…was recently interviewed about his recent move to RE/Max. Click here to read the article. To re-connect with Bob, shoot an email to: reliablerobert@gmail.com (Full disclosure: Bob and I attended the University of Missouri School of Journalism at the same time.)
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WEDDING in the NEWS:
Congratulations to KHOU-TV (Houston, TX) ND KEITH CONNORS, who married KARLA BARGUIARENA late last month at a resort in Karla’s native Mexico. She is a former reporter in Houston who is now taking care of her ailing family member. You can congratulate Keith via email: kconnors@khou.com (Full disclosure: Keith worked for me when I was ND for WTOL-TV in Toledo.)
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, December 12, 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
WBBM-TV 22 W. Washington Chicago IL 60602
WWSB-TV 1477 10th St. Sarasota FL 34236
KDVR/KWGN-TV 100 Speer Blvd. Denver CO 80203
WTAE-TV 400 Ardmore Blvd. Pittsburgh PA 15221
WXIN-TV 6910 Network Place Indianapolis IN 46278
KGTV 4600 Air Way San Diego CA 92102
KUTV 299 S. Main St. #150 Salt Lake City UT 84111
WKBW-TV 7 Broadcast Plaza Buffalo NY 14202
WPMT-TV 2005 S. Queen Street York PA 17403
KMPH-TV 5111 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727
WEYI-TV 2225 West Willard Road Clio MI 48420
WFTX-TV 621 SW Pine Island Rd. Cape Coral FL 33991
WFFF-TV 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester VT 05446
KDBC-TV 2201 E. Wyoming Ave. El Paso TX 79903
WTXL-TV 1620 Commerce Blvd. Midway FL 32343
KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa (Boise) ID 83687
WTVA-TV PO Box 350 Tupelo MS 38802
KNOE-TV 1400 Oliver Rd. Monroe LA 71211
KRCG-TV Highway 54 Nortn Holts Summit MO 65043
KMID-TV 3200 LaForce Blvd. Midland TX 79711
KIDK-TV 1255 E.17th St. Idaho Falls ID 83404
WGEM-TV 513 Hampshire St. Quincy IL 62306
WCAV/WVAW 999 2nd St. SE Charlottesville VA 22902
Rick Gevers
Rick Gevers & Associates
PO Box 577
Zionsville IN 46077
317-769-7900
317-769-7910 (fax)
rick@rickgevers.com
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