January 9, 2011
Greetings:
Apologies for the delay, but a busy weekend and a lot of changes to share with you.
We have FOUR new NDs named this week…with THREE new openings. My count of open ND jobs stands at 23.
Also this week, repeats of ads for news managers in Alabama and Virginia, and some updates to our list of Other News Management Jobs.
There are some moves among news managers in Names in the News as well as an obituary for a longtime Alabama broadcaster and one-time ND. And we’ll share details about four local stations who scored a huge honor, and tell you about wedding bells in the future for a industry veteran.
That’s all below, after this week’s changes:
Newly Named News Directors:
Central Florida News 13, Orlando, FL…STEPHEN CHAVARIE has been promoted to ND for this Bright House Network’s cable news channel. It’s his second stint in the job, if my records are correct…having been ND there ten years ago. He replaces SEAN McNAMARA who left the station last week after four years as news director there.
Connors
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN…we told you in a Friday UPDATE that KEITH CONNORS had been named ND here. He’ll join this Dispatch Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate this week. Keith’s a veteran ND, having spent the last 5+ years as Executive ND for Belo’s KHOU-TV in Houston. He also worked as an ND for Belo stations in Charlotte and Norfolk. His first ND job was in Rochester, NY. Earlier in his career, Keithworked in Nashville and in Toledo, where (full disclosure) we worked together when I was the ND for WTOL-TV. He replaces CAROLYN WILLIAMS who requested to return to her old job as Assistant ND after 2+ years as news director.
KSL-TV, Salt Lake City, UT…longtime Salt Lake City newswoman TANYA VEA has been named (deep breath here) Executive Vice President of News and Cross-Platform Development. Tanya has been working for the parent company as Director of Program Development, but she spent three years as ND for KUTV in Salt Lake City before taking a job with an advertising agency. She joined KSL last year. CON PSARRAS, who’s been ND for this NBC affiliate since 2004, was promoted to VP of Editorials and Special Projects.
WJXT-TV, Jacksonville, FL…KATHRYN BONFIELD is moving across Florida to become the next ND for this Post-Newsweek owned independent station. She is currently Assistant ND-Content for WFLA-TV in Tampa. That’s her second stint there…in between she was ND for Media General’s WCBD-TV in Charleston, SC. She replaces MAUREEN “MO” RUDDY-BAKER who stepped down to pursue other opportunities after more than nine years as ND. Mo also worked as an EP for Post-Newsweek’s KPRC-TV in Houston on between two stints at WJXT.
New News Director Openings:
KTAL-TV, Shreveport, LA…veteran newswoman WILLY WALKER has left this Nexstar-owned NBC affiliate after just more than two years as ND. Willy’s also been an ND in Birmingham and Huntsville, AL, and spent more than eight years as a news manager in Houston.
Lezette
WSHM-TV, Springfield, MA…ND and anchor DOUG LEZETTE is leaving this Meredith-owned CBS affiliate to become the Assistant ND at WJAR-TV in Providence. Doug started the news department here in 2005. It’s a return to Providence for Doug: earlier in his career he worked as a reporter and anchor for WPRI-TV there. He’s also worked in Albany, NY, Binghamton, and Savannah.
Berry
KIMT-TV, Mason City, IA…GREG BERRY is leaving one New Vision TV owned CBS affiliate for another. He’s joining sister station WIAT-TV in Birmingham, AL, as Assistant ND. Greg has been ND at KIMT since October, 2008.
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Help Wanted Ads:
Assistant News Director, WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL
Are you seeking a challenge? Do you know how to win?
WBRC, the No. 1 Fox affiliate in the nation, seeks an assistant news director to help lead a large staff and nearly 50 hours of news per week.
Here’s what we need: The successful candidate must be a master of content, havingat least three years of experience as a small market news director or three years as a major market assistant news director or executive producer; must have proven motivation, delegation and people management skills; must be able to create compelling stories and promotion for TV, web and mobile; must be a great writer; must be an outstanding communicator; must be an excellent strategic planner.
The assistant ND will evaluate and critique employees and use research to build new strategies. A background in producing and/or reporting is a plus. Knowledge of ENPS and server-based workflow is a plus.
Successful candidate must have a valid driver license; must be able to work nights, weekends, holidays, extra hours, etc.
Send resumes and cover letters to:
News Director
PO Box 6
Birmingham AL 35201
or via email to: jfinch@wbrc.com
No phone calls. EOE-M/F/D/V
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Executive Producer, WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA
Come work for the dominant television station in Virginia. WDBJ in Roanoke, Virginia is looking for an executive producer. Successful candidate must be willing to collaborate with a group of successful journalists and provide an energetic vision for the future of local news and the web.
Must have the ethical and production skills to make newscasts interesting, visual and relevant to viewers. Expect to help manage daily content, coach producers and reporters, as well as line produce when necessary. The ideal candidate must juggle the daily news flow as well as work on special projects. Experience in multiple markets a plus.
Send cover letter, resume and non-returnable DVD or VHS tape to:
News Director
ATTN: Executive Producer Position
WDBJ
2807 Hershberger Road
Roanoke, VA 24017
or email: amorris@wdbj7.com
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Other News Management Openings:
Assistant News Director:
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (relisted 11/28/10)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 12/10/10)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 12/10/10)
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (listed 1/1/11)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (listed 10/3/10)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 12/10/10)
WBMA-TV, Birmingham, AL (listed 10/22/10)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (relisted 1/1/11, see ad above)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (listed 10/29/10)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (relisted 1/1/11)
KHBS/KHOG, Ft. Smith/Fayetteville, AR (listed 12/10/10)
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC (listed 10/22/10)
Executive News Producer:
KIRO-TV, Seattle, WA (PM EP, listed 12/18/10)
WMAR-TV, Baltimore, MD (Nightside EP, listed 10/15/10)
WTVD-TV, Raleigh/Durham, NC (new listing this week)
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (PM EP, listed 1/1/11)
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 12/10/10)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Morning EP, listed 12/18/10)
WXIX-TV, Cincinnati, OH (PM EP, listed 11/5/10)
WSYX/WTTE-TV, Columbus, OH (listed 10/29/10)
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (Special Projects EP, listing revised this week)
WBRC-TV, Birmingham, AL (listed 11/14/10)
KGPE-TV, Fresno, CA (listed 12/3/10)
KOKI-TV, Tulsa, OK (AM EP, relisted 12/3/10)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 1/1/11, see ad above)
KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (Morning EP, relisted 12/3/10)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (listed 12/10/10)
Special Projects Producer:
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 10/10/10)
Managing Editor:
KTVU-TV, Oakland/San Francisco, CA (listed 12/10/10)
WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (listed 11/21/10)
Assignment Manager:
WTVD-TV, Raleigh/Durham, NC (new listing this week)
KHBS/KHOG, Ft. Smith/Fayetteville, AR (listed 12/10/10)
Digital Media Manager:
KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA (relisted 12/10/10)
Senior Manager News Operations:
Source Media Group, Cedar Rapids, IA (listed 9/10/10)
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Names in the News:
ALAN WAGMEISTER is the new morning EP for WRNN-TV in suburban New York. Alan’s been working for WFMY-TV in Greensboro, NC. He’s also worked as a producer for both NBC News and ABC News.
Former ABC NewsOne Producer ROD JACKSON is returning to a local newsroom as Managing Editor for KGAN/KFXA in Cedar Rapids, IA, late last month. Rod spent 12 years working for NewsOne in Los Angeles. He’s also worked in Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, and Billings, MT.
Congratulations to MACKIE MORRIS, a one-time Magid consultant and faculty member at the University of Missouri, on his recent engagement to KATHY CLEMENTS, Senior VP/TV Operations for Belo. They met when Mackie consulted Belo’s WFAA-TV in Dallas, where Kathy was GM. Mackie continues his consulting work, both with TV stations, groups, and organizations, and also works with corporations and executives. Wish him well via email at: MackieM333@aol.com
Congratulations to four local commercial stations who were among the winners of this year’s Alfred I. duPont-Columbia awards: KING-TV in Seattle, Denver’s KUSA-TV, WTHR-TV here in Indianapolis, and WKOW-TV in Madison, WI. A complete list of the winners…and a brief description of the great work that helped them garner the honor, can be found here.
Finally, our condolences to the family and friends of longtime Dothan, AL broadcaster AL ROBERTS who died in late December of a heart attack, shortly after a round of golf. He was 69. Mr. Roberts was a longtime sportscaster for WTVY-TV in Dothan, but served a stint as the station’s news director, as well. The Dothan Eagle pays tribute here, while his former station remembered him as well.
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The Full List:
To the best of my knowledge, here is the list of stations with open news director jobs, as of Sunday, January 9, 2011.
If you know of any additions/deletions/changes/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com
KMEX-TV 5999 Center Dr. Los Angeles CA 90045 **
KHOU-TV 1945 Allen Parkway Houston TX 77019
KTVW-TV 6006 South 30th St. Phoenix AZ 85040 **
WCCO-TV 90 S. 11th St. Minneapolis MN 55403
KOIN-TV 222 SW Columbia St. Portland OR 97201
WTNH/WCTX-TV 8 Elm St. New Haven CT 06510
News 8 Austin 1708 Colorado St. Austin TX 78701
WWL-TV 1024 N. Rampart St. New Orleans LA 70116
WTEN-TV 341 Northern Blvd. Albany NY 12204
KMSB-TV 1855 N. 6th Ave. Tucson AZ 85705
KVOA-TV 209 W. Elm St. Tucson AZ 85705
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
KTAL-TV 3150 N. Market Shreveport LA 71107
KVEO-TV 349 N. Expressway Brownsville TX 78521
WJAC-TV 49 Old Hickory Lane Johnstown PA 15905
WSHM-TV One Monarch Place #300 Springfield MA 01144
KVAL-TV 4575 Blanton Road Eugene OR 97405
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
KTKA-TV 2121 SW Chelsea Dr. Topeka KS 66614
KIMT-TV 112 N. Pennsylvania Ave. Mason City IA 50401
KTEN-TV 10 High Point Circle Denison TX 75020
KGNS-TV 120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KFBB-TV 3012 Highwoods Blvd. Great Falls MT 59403
** Spanish language statiom