July 28, 2008

Greetings:

It was great to see many of you at this week’s Unity Convention in Chicago. And that’s why the emailed version of our newsletter is a few hours late.

This week’s headline involves a veteran ND who’s returning to Florida for a new ND job. His move fills one open job, and creates another one.

In all, there are TWO new ND openings to tell you about and TWO new ND hires to report.

By my count, 31 stations are looking for a new ND.

Also this week…we’re re-running an ad for an Illinois ND job. We have a few news management openings we learned about at Unity, as well as some Names in the News.

All that and more after this week’s changes:

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NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:

KUTH-TV, Salt Lake City, UT…this newly acquired Univision station is looking for a News Director/Anchor.

KMIR-TV, Palm Desert, CA…RUSS KILGORE heads east to become ND for WINK-TV in Ft. Myers, FL. More on that move below. Russ has been ND for this Journal Broadcasting-owned NBC affiliate for almost three years. His replacement will be the fourth ND here in five years.

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NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:

WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL…as noted above, RUSS KILGORE returns to Florida as the next ND for this Fort Myers Broadcasting owned CBS affiliate. Russ has been ND at KMIR-TV in Palm Desert, but earlier in his career he spent eight years as ND for WESH-TV in Orlando. He’s also been an ND for WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge, LA. He replaces BRUCE KIRK who resigned last month after just more than a year as news director.

KBTV, Beaumont, TX…this Nexstar owned NBC affiliate has named ANGEL SAN JUAN as News Director. He’s been the morning anchor here, and previously worked at cross-town rival KFDM-TV as a reporter/weekend anchor. He’s also worked in Lufkin, TX. Angel replaces PAUL BERGEN who left the station in March after six years as ND. Paul was promoted to be ND for sister-Nexstar station KTAL-TV in Shreveport, LA.

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HELP WANTED ADS

NEWS DIRECTOR, WQAD-TV, MOLINE, IL

We have a dynamic News Department and are looking for a News Director who is innovative, creative, and likes to have fun while providing great content to our current and future viewers. If you re afraid of leading this dynamic team into the HD era, you need not apply.

Responsibilities to accomplish this includes managing the news operation, directing staff, direction of all station newscasts, and setting and achieving budgets within established guidelines.

If you possess these qualities we want to talk to you!!!

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Establishes content philosophy and direction.
2. Develops long-range plans for news department
. 3. Handles performance issues of News Personnel at WQAD-TV including job evaluations and training, and leads in editing, writing, reporting, on air quality and develops news stories.
4. Hires News personnel.
5. Serves as a leader in the newsroom offering advice in editing, writing, reporting, on air quality and develops news stories, series and special assignments.
6. Oversees day-to-day budget controls, approving expenses and controlling and monitoring overtime and other costs.
7. Performs other duties as required for the News Director of WQAD-TV.

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE REQUIREMENTS:

Understanding of what constitutes news and how news is put together for a broadcast. Previous experience in TV news management. Flexibility regarding work hours a must. Ability to type, use computers, and other such equipment. Command of the language. This is not an entry-level position.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Dexterity to operate typewriter, computer, editing equipment and other such equipment. Communication skills used in office setting to producenews. Vision to review and approve news scripts, view news, etc.

RELATIONSHIPS:
INTERNAL CONTACTS
Assistant News Director
News Staff
Station Senior Management.

EXTERNAL CONTACTS

Business, Government, Community and Civic Leaders

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THIS POSITION:
Send a resume to:
Cindy Parchert
Controller
WQAD-TV
3003 Park 16th Street
Moline IL 61265-6061

This is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with the job.

While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job, management reserves the right to revise the job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change, e.g., emergencies, changes in personnel, work load, rush jobs, special projects, technological developments, etc.

Local TV, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

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OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WMAQ-TV, Chicago, IL (listed 5/16/08)
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:

KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (2 Openings, AM and PM, listed 4/18/08)
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 this week)
KSTP-TV, Minneapolis, MN (listing revised 5/2/08)
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 5/9/08)
WVIT-TV, Hartford, CT (relisted 6/27/08)
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)
WOAI-TV, San Antonio, TX (listed 6/20/08)
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 (new listing this week)

MANAGING EDITOR:

KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (new listing this week)

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NAMES in the NEWS:

WTXF-TV in Philadelphia has hired SARAH GRAHAM to be the next Assistant ND for this Fox o-and-o. She’s currently working at another FOX o-and-o, WNYW-TV in New York.

There’s a promotion to tell you about at WCCO-TV in Minneapolis. ANGELA BENSON, currently the Dayside EP here, is moving up to become Managing Editor. WCCO, of course, is a CBS o-and-o.

There are also promotions involving news directors…or former news directors…at Granite Broadcasting. JERRY GIELSER, GM at Granite’s Ft. Wayne, IN, duopoly, adds the title of VP/Platform Integration and management. Jerry’s a former longtime Magid Consultant and a one-time ND in Phoenix and Peoria. And Jerry’s ND in Ft. Wayne, PETER NEUMANN, adds the title of Director of Content Strategy and News Operations. Peter spent more than 20 years as ND for WEAR-TV in Pensacola before moving to Ft. Wayne in 2006.

THOMAS BONIFIELD is leaving NBC News to become Chief Operating Officer for IHA, an international news gathering agency based in Istanbul and Frankfurt. Tom’s the Deputy Director of Foreign News Coverage at NBC, was previously Moscow Bureau Chief for NBC and has also worked at ABC News, Fox News Channel, and KSAZ-TV Phoenix. IHA has SNG trucks in Iraq, Afghanistan, and throughout the Middle East and Europe serving clients worldwide.

Finally, the latest RTNDA survey shows an increase in the percentage of journalists of color and women working in local newsrooms during 2007. The news release, which has links to the date, can be found here.

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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, July 25, 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
WSNS-TV   430 W. Grant Place              Chicago IL 60614 *
WXIA-TV   1611 W. Peachtree St.           Atlanta GA 30309
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
WEWS-TV   3001 Euclid Ave.                Cleveland OH 44115
KMGH-TV   123 Speer Blvd,                 Denver CO 80203
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
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
KYTV      999 W. Sunshine                 Springfield MO 65807
WSTM-TV   1030 James St.                  Syracuse NY 13203
WAAY-TV   1000 Monte Sano Boulevard       Huntsville AL 35801
WAFF-TV   1414 N. Memorial Pkwy.          Huntsville AL 35801
WIS-TV    1111 Bull St.                   Columbia SC 29201
KWWL-TV   500 East Fourth St.             Waterloo IA 50703
WQAD-TV   3003 Park 16th St.              Moline IL 61265 see ad above!
KFSM-TV   318 N. 13th St.                 Ft. Smith AR 72901
WEEK-TV   2907 Springfield Rd.            E. Peoria, IL 61611
KBMT-TV   525 Interstate 10 S.            Beaumont TX 77701
KOBI-TV   125 South Fir St.               Medford OR 97501
KMIR-TV   72920 Parkview Dr.              Palm Desert CA 92260
KTUU-TV   701 E. Tudor Rd. #220           Anchorage AK 99503
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
317-769-7910 (fax)
rick@rickgevers.com
www.rickgevers.com

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