January 17, 2016
Tuesday, January 19, 2016 UPDATE:
Greetings:
A veteran news director will leave her post at the end of February.
Bongiorno
ALEX BONGIORNO, who’s been the ND for Scripps’ WCPO-TV in Cincinnati since July, 2013, is stepping down. That’s the ABC affiliate. Click here to read her memo to the newsroom, as well as GM JEFF BROGAN’s email to the station.
Alex is a former ND in Pittsburgh and Spartanburg, SC, and has also worked in Tampa, Las Vegas, and Charleston, SC.
This change means the “Dean” of Cincinnati news directors will be TIM GERAGHTY at WKRC-TV. He’s been there since August.
STEVE HYVONEN was hired at WXIX-TV in September, while JEFF BENSCOTER was named ND for WLWT-TV two weeks ago today.
We’ll have more on this story…and all the rest of the latest news…in our full newsletter later this week.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
The biggest news of the week did not involve a news director change but an affiliation swap in Raleigh, where WRAL-TV is moving to NBC at the end of February. Current NBC affiliate WNCN-TV will become the CBS affiliate. Our early report incorrectly characterized the move as CBS ‘dumping’ WRAL. GM STEVE HAMMEL tells me that’s NOT the case, saying that the Capitol Broadcasting Company station signed with NBC on Wednesday and notified CBS the next day. Here’s the local newspaper’s take on the change, while WRAL’s news release is here.
Moving to news director changes, there were several this week, with TWO stations hiring new NDs while TWO others are now looking. Our count of openings remains at 17.
Sadly, we have an update from former ND FORREST CARR on his health, and it is not good. That’s below, in Names in the News. Also, a new Managing Editor in New York, a former three time ND is recovering from open heart surgery with an interesting tale about how his illness was discovered, and we’ll tell you what former news director a CNN anchor chose as the person who most impacted her life.
Finally, we’re delighted to welcome STEPHEN ARNOLD MUSIC as a new advertiser. Be sure to click on their debut ad below!
New News Director Openings:
Sabato
WWSB-TV, Sarasota, FL…STEVE SABATO is transitioning to a new role for this Calkins media owned ABC affiliate, part of the Tampa market. This memo from GM JEFF BENNINGHOFF explains the new job and how it came about. Steve’s been ND here for about four years, and has held news director or general manager jobs in a variety of markets. Click here for his entire background.
Koutsky
WJZY/WMYT-TV, Charlotte, NC…we reported earlier this week that KAREN KOUTSKY has left this FOX o-and-o after just a year as ND. She’d spent the previous 14 years as ND for WGHP-TV in Greensboro-High Point, NC, which was a FOX owned station for part of her time there. (Our report earlier this week said that KAREN ADAMS…who was Koutsky’s GM at WGHP…was the GM at WJYZ. While Adams did hire Karen in Charlotte, she left for another position within Fox a few months later). Karen (Koutsky) has also worked in Atlanta, Toledo, Indianapolis, Wilmington, NC, and Raleigh-Durham.
Newly Named News Director:
Campagna
WSYR-TV, Syracuse , NY…JIM CAMPAGNA has been promoted to News Director for this Nexstar owned ABC affiliate. He’s worked at the station for more than 20 years, and has also worked for WHEN-AM in Syracuse. Jim replaces PHIL RANKIN who left the station last October after just six months as news director. Rankin took a job at KDVR/KWGN-TV in Denver as Digital Content Manager.
Tortora
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY…veteran upstate New York newsman JIM TORTORA has been hired as ND for this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate. Jim spent the last 3+ years as VP/News and Station Manager for WGGB-TV in Springfield, MA before leaving that station in March. Before that, he spent 13 years as ND for WSYR-TV in Syracuse and also worked for another station in that market. At WROC, he replaces CONNIE HOWARD who left in November to become an EP for WRC-TV in Washington.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
Executive Producer, WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI:
CBS-58 News seeks an Assistant News Director ready to take a creative multi-platform driven approach to managing and leading the day to day operation of our newsroom. Must bring a passion for advocacy and enterprise journalism , a desire to win breaking news and a clear understanding of how stories, technology and people come together.
Individual needs 3-5 years of professional journalism experience with at least 3 years in a progressive management capacity with experience managing in a multiplatform environment. Candidate must have excellent news judgment and a clear understanding of journalistic ethics and laws that impact all of our platforms for delivering news to our viewers and users. Must also have high standards for quality work, the ability to problem solve, to communicate and to work well under pressure.
Must have demonstrated strong communication skills and a commitment to serving diverse audiences. To apply please visit our Job Openings on the Inside CBS tab on our website www.cbs58.com.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 12/13/15)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (new listing this week)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 11/15/15)
WDJT-TV, Milwaukee, WI (listed 1/10/16, see ad above!)
WTKR-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 12/20/15)
KFSN-TV, Fresno, CA (listed 1/10/16)
KWWL-TV, Waterloo/Cedar Rapids, IA (relisted 12/6/15)
WCYB-TV, Tri-Cities, TN (relisted 12/20/15)
WTVM-TV, Columbus, GA (listed 12/6/15)
KRCR-TV, Redding, CA (relisted 12/20/15)
KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA (relisted 1/10/16)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KNTV, San Jose/San Francisco, CA (AM EP, listed 11/1/15)
WFXT-TV, Boston, MA (AM EP, listed 12/6/15)
KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA (Digital EP, listed revised 1/10/16)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (relisted 1/10/16)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (Investigative EP, listing revised 11/8/15)
XETV, San Diego, CA (Supervising Producer Mornings, relisted 11/22/15)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (PM EP, relisted 1/10/16
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 12/20/15)
KSNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (2 openings, AM & PM, listing revised 12/6/15)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (AM EP, relisted 1/10/16)
KWTV, Oklahoma City, OK (PM EP, listed 12/27/15
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (AM EP, listed 12/20/15)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (Morning EP, listed 11/22/15)
WAAY-TV, Huntsville, AL (PM EP, listed 12/13/15)
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA (relisted this week)
WPTA-TV, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 1/3/16)
WAOW-TV, Wausau, WI (relisted 12/13/15)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WHIO-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 12/13/15)
Obituary:
Swaney
ANNE SWANEY, an executive producer for Chicago’s WLS-TV, was murdered this week while on vacation in Belize. She was 39 years old. The station reported on her death here.
Situations Wanted:
We offer a free situations wanted ad to news managers who are looking for a new opportunity. If you’d like to state your case to a well targeted audience, email me an item (max. 150 words). You may include a link to a website, an email address, and a photo. You must include your name. I’ll run it for one week. I don’t represent or endorse those listed, but merely trying to help.
Names in the News…and other things:
SAUL ADAMS has returned to WPIX-TV in New York as Managing Editor. He worked there for 12 years before leaving three years ago to be an Executive Producer at WNBC-TV.
CNN anchor CAROL COSTELLO chose a well-known former news director when asked to pick the person who most impacted her life.
Petrovich
Former News Director (Saginaw, Indianapolis, and Milwaukee) turned health care PR guy RON PETROVICH is on the mend after open heart surgery a little over a month ago. Ron details the entire story in this post called The Flu, a Grocery Store Clinic and a Mayo Clinic Nurse May Have Saved My Life.
Finally, I’m sorry to report that in his latest blog, former ND turned author FORREST CARR reports that his health has taken a turn for the worse.
General Manager News:
Suarez
JOSE SUAREZ, a former news director in Toledo and San Angelo, TX, and a longtime news executive in South Florida, is the new GM for KVDA-TV in San Antonio, TX. His full resume is on his Linkedin page.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here is my list of stations with open ND jobs, as of Sunday, January 17, 2016.
If you know of any additions/deletions/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com
KHOU-TV 1945 Allen Parkway Houston TX 77019
KING-TV 333 Dexter Avenue N. Seattle WA 98109
WWSB-TV 1477 10th St, Sarasota, FL 34236
Northwest Cable News, 333 Dexter Avenue N. Seattle, WA 98109
KCEC-TV 777 Grant St. #110 Denver CO 80203 *
WJZY/WMYT-TV 3501 Performance Road Charlotte, NC 28214
XETV 8253 Ronson Rd. San Diego 92111
WPTV 1100 Banyan Blvd. W. Palm Beach, FL 33401
WZDX-TV 1309 Memorial Parkway NW Huntsville AL 35801
KADN/KLAF-TV 123 Easy St. Lafayette LA 70506
KIMA/KEPR-TV 2801 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima,WA 98901
KSBY-TV 1772 Calle Joaquin San Luis Obispo, CA 93405
KBAK-TV1901 Westward Drive Bakersfield, CA 93301
WAOW-TV 1908 Grand Ave. Wausau WI 54403
KTVE/KARD-TV 200 Pavilion Rd, West Monroe, LA 71292
KAUZ-TV 3601 Seymour Highway Wichita Falls, TX 76309
KTIV-TV 3135 Floyd Blvd. Sioux City, IA 51108
* Spanish language stations