June 12, 2016
Thursday, June 16, 2016 UPDATE:
A transfer between two Media General-soon-to-be-Nexstar stations fills one of the larger market news director openings on our list.
Carl
AL CARL is leaving KSNT-TV (NBC) in Topeka after 16 months to go to sister station WISH-TV (a CW affiliate) in Indianapolis as ND. It’s actually the third time Al’s been an ND for the company: he ran the newsroom at WTNH-TV in New Haven/Hartford, CT, before a family matter took him to Topeka.
Here’s the note from WISH-TV General Manager LES VANN announcing Al’s hire.
He’s also been an ND in Omaha, for two stations in Huntsville, and in Savannah, and worked for two stations in Kansas City as well as in Saginaw and Albany, NY.
Al replaces ELBERT TUCKER who started earlier this month as the news director of another Media General station, WKRN-TV, the ABC affiliate in Nashville. Elbert and his wife are both from Tennessee so the move brings them closer to their families there.
I’m in New Orleans at the IRE Conference. It’s been great to see a few of you here, and hope to connect with others before I leave on Sunday.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
It’s been a busy week!
We have FIVE new news directors to introduce you to, and we’ll also tell you about FOUR new news director openings. That leaves our list of open news director jobs at 26.
TWO of those 26 openings are among the SIX Paid Help Waned ads in this week’s edition.
We also have news of a new executive at CBS that those of you at CBS affiliate will be dealing with. And news management moves in markets of all sizes.
And Tegna had a bunch of GM changes this week, with THREE new GM’s and the departure of ONE who only held the job for 14 months.
All that…and much more…as you read on.
New News Director Openings:
KPRC-TV, Houston, TX…we first told you earlier this week that RHONDA LAVELLE is returning to Detroit as ND for WXYZ-TV after almost two years as ND for this Graham Media NBC affiliate. Much more on her move below. You can learn more about this opportunity in the Paid Help Wanted ad below.
Bothwell
WHP-TV, Harrisburg, PA…we’re a little tardy in reporting the news that MIKE BOTHWELL is leaving to become an agent for Napoli Management Group. He’ll start there in August and will leave this Sinclair owned CBS affiliate after almost two years as ND. He’s also been an ND in Steubenville, OH, and Bend, OR, and worked for two stations in Pittsburgh and one in Palm Desert, CA.
Woodard
WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, NY…JEFF WOODARD is leaving this Tegna owned NBC affiliate to return to school…sort of. Jeff’s been named director of marketing and communications at Fredonia State College, his alma mater. He was ND here for almost eight years, and spent a total of 18 years at WGRZ. He’s also worked in Syracuse where he worked as a radio reporter before moving to TV.
Schieferstein
WEEK/WHOI-TV, Peoria, IL…GREG SCHIEFERSTEIN told his staff that he’s leaving after almost three years as ND. Here’s his brief note:
I want to take a moment to let you know I’ve decided to leave WEEK & WHOI as News Director. Thank you for all of your hard work, drive and commitment over the past few years.
I wish all the best for you here and in your future endeavors.
My last day at the station will be Wednesday, July 6th.
Greg told me he new job will be announced soon. WEEK and WHOI are an NBC/ABC duopoly whose ownership and operations are so dang complex I’m not even going to try. So here’s Wikipedia! Greg’s also been an ND in Augusta, GA, Missoula, MT and Pocatello, ID. He’s also worked in Seattle, Toledo and Rockford, IL.
Newly Named News Directors:
LaVelle
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI…as noted above, RHONDA LAVELLE returns to her native Michigan as ND for this Scripps’ owned ABC affiliate. She’s been the ND for KPRC-TV in Houston for almost two years and was the Assistant ND for a few months before that. Rhonda went to Houston from Detroit where she worked for 16 years, leaving as the EP. She’s also worked for another Detroit station and in Saginaw. Here’s both her memo to her newsroom and the note from the GM to the WXZY staff
Hughes
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA…DAVID HUGHES will be the next news director for this CBS affiliate owned by Gray Television. He’s worked for WFLA-TV in Tampa for the past nine years, the last five as executive producer. He’s also worked in Raleigh and Macon, GA. At WDBJ, he replaces KELLY ZUBER who was the ND there the last 2 1/2 years and worked for 34 years at the station. We told you earlier this year that Kelly took early retirement to help her husband with a dental lab that they own.
Padorr
WAAY-TV, Huntsville, AL…SARI PADORR returns to this ABC affiliate as interim ND pending the sale of the station by current owner Calkins Media. She also served as interim ND before JENNIFER HARDY was hired two years ago. We told you last month that Jennifer was headed to sister station WWSB-TV in Sarasota as ND. WAAY General Manager PAUL DUGHI explains Sari’s remarkable background in this note to his staff.
Flesch
WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL…RICH FLESCH has been promoted to news director for this Nexstar owned NBC station. He’s been the Assistant ND there for almost ten years and has spent his entire career in the market. Rich replaces ANDY MILLER who was promoted to become Midwest Director of Local Content Development for Nexstar. Andy was ND here for more than eleven years and spent 20 years at the station.
Davis
WTVY-TV, Dothan, AL…APRIL DAVIS is the new ND for this Gray TV owned CBS affiliate. She’s been working in Colorado Springs as an EP and Anchor of a morning newscast aired by Gray TV stations in Colorado Springs and Grand Junction, CO. April has also worked in Anchorage, Savannah, Jacksonville, NC, and Greenville, SC. At WTVY, she replaces KIM ALLEN who left after three years as ND to return to Ohio as the Morning EP for WDTN-TV in Dayton.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, KPRC-TV, Houston, TX:
KPRC-TV seeks an innovative “hands on” News Director with a proven ability to grow audiences through story selection and marketing; converting audience research into attainable and measurable results.
The successful candidate will lead, manage, hire, train, supervise and motivate News department personnel. They should be experienced in preparing operating budgets and be prepared to be involved in News department capital planning. Any candidate must have excellent news judgment, be thoroughly versed in digital and social media, have a passion for breaking news and strong organizational and leadership skills.
Qualifications include five years’ experience in news department management, preferable News Director in a top 25 Television Market. Strong Journalist with proven management skills; and thorough knowledge of national and international news issues demonstrating sound news judgment.
To apply please send resume via email to jobs@kprc.com
Executive Producer, WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH:
WBNS-TV, Central Ohio’s News Leader, seeks a dynamic Executive Producer with a proven track record. The successful candidate will be responsible for the production, execution and overall presentation of our daily newscasts, while providing leadership in the newsroom, managing producers and associate producers, ensuring writing meets station standards, coordinating with other departments for daily multiplatform news production and assisting in development of news department strategy.
10TV strives to succeed and is looking for someone with passion and enthusiasm to join our strong team! This position requires at least six years’ experience in local television news as a Producer and Executive Producer (with at least two years as EP or similar). The candidate must have excellent news judgment and communication skills, proficient comprehension of digital and social platforms and above average writing and storytelling skills. The ideal candidate should have the ability to manage and influence a large group and to work effectively in often stressful situations required. Experience in investigative journalism and digital platforms are a plus.
Please apply by clicking here and please be sure to include your news philosophy and link to a recent newscast in your cover letter or resume.
WBNS 10TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Assistant News Director, WJXT-TV, Jacksonville, FL:
Job Description:
WJXT-TV in Jacksonville, Florida is looking for an aggressive team leader with a proven track record for achieving outstanding results. Must be able to lead a strong newsroom in a fast-paced competitive environment. Excellent news judgment, storytelling and showcasing skills required. The ideal candidate will be able to direct, motivate and develop a successful team. You will help supervise anchors, reporters and producers. You will also work closely with Creative Services to make sure there is promotable content in the newscasts. We are looking for someone who can execute strategic plans while leading the presentation of content on air, online and in the world of evolving media. Note: All essential functions of this position are not necessarily described in this posting.
Qualifications:
This is an ideal position for an Executive Producer who is looking to make that next move. We are looking for someone with a producing background who also has at least five years of experience in a supervisory role. Must be able to perform well under pressure, meet deadlines and communicate thoroughly with all levels of management and staff. We want someone with a passion for breaking news, weather, innovative storytelling and digital coverage. Must be able to work a flexible schedule which could include days, nights, weekends and holidays as needed. Degree in communications or related field desired.
Location:
WJXT-TV
4 Broadcast Place
Jacksonville, FL 32207
Email resumes and links to: kbonfield@wjxt.com
No phone calls.
Executive Producer, WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL:
A WINK Executive Producer will oversee the production of Southwest Florida’s leading newscasts. WINK is looking for a creative news junkie with a passion for leading a team of producers to build exceptional newscasts. Our EPs manage a team of experienced journalists that produce 65 hours of local news a week.
The EP helps producers shape and create newscasts with exceptional writing and story flow. The ability to mentor and teach is a must. The EP oversees all activities that go into the creation of the on-air product.
Specifically, the EP guides producers with lead story showcasing, story treatment, flow, story count, strategic story positioning for quarter-hour meter management, graphics production and headline and tease strategies. Integrating social media into the newscasts is an emerging growth area in which the EP must embrace and lead. The EP is the chief advocate for the practical execution of research strategies designed to meet audience expectations.
Leading candidates must be hands on managers who inspire their teams every newscast, every day. Every so often, EPs will be asked to lead by example and produce in the event of absences or illness. This is not a role for an “administrator.”
EPs will be held responsible for all aspects of the newscasts each oversees. That means leading and managing all aspects of the broadcasts, such as, working with production and engineering on technical operations, scheduling, and setting performance expectations with each member of the team.
Send resumes and links to: tom.doerr@winknews.com
Tom Doerr
News Director
WINK News
824 Palm Beach Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33916
No phone calls, please.
News Director, WHEC-TV, Rochester, NY:
WHEC-TV (News10NBC), Rochester, NY a Hubbard Broadcasting station, is seeking a dynamic News Director who is a strong leader with a clear vision and the ability to communicate that vision to the staff. You must be passionate, realizing we make a HUGE difference every day in our community, and you must have a strong desire to teach, lead and learn with our award winning News Team.
Our TEAM has won many awards including several regional Murrow awards and a national Murrow Award over the past several years. We have built a team that is driven by excellence in journalism across all platforms.
We produce 5 hours of news each weekday and quarterly hour-long specials tackling issues which are vital to the welfare of our community. We are an advocate for the community and we look to hold those that abuse their powers accountable. We have a top notch digital team that has consistently ranked #1 in viewer engagement due to the strong story-telling we produce every day.
Our culture is one of service; service to our community and to one-another. You should know how to listen, learn, assess challenges and opportunities, collaborate to find solutions, and implement change. You should be open to finding new solutions and taking risks. You must be good with multitasking and prioritization in order to meet deadlines. On our side, we will work very hard as a station and company to help you grow as a person and news professional.
To view the detailed posting and apply, click here:
No phone calls please. EOE
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 6/5/16)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 4/16/16)
WJXT-TV, Jacksonville, FL (relisted this week, see ad above!)
WVLT-TV, Knoxville, TN (relisted this week)
KOB-TV, Albuquerque, NM (relisted 5/15/16)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (relisted 4/24/16)
KEZI-TV, Eugene, OR (new listing this week)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KIRO-TV, Seattle, WA (AM EP, listed 5/1/16)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (Dayside EP, listed 6/5/16)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (PM EP, relisted 5/22/16)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (AM EP, listed 4/16/16)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (listing modified this week, see ad above!)
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (AM EP, listing revised 5/27/16)
KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (PM EP, listing revised this week, see ad above!)
KOKI-TV, Tulsa, OK (AM EP, listed 4/10/16)
WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (new listing this week, see ad above!)
WVLT-TV, Knoxville, TN (relisted this week)
WOWK-TV, Charleston/Huntington, WV (relisted 5/1/16)
WAAY-TV, Huntsville, AL (PM EP, relisted 5/8/16)
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA (relisted 5/22/16)
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC (relisted 5/22/16)
WEEK-TV, Peoria, IL (listed 5/22/16)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WHIO-TV, Dayton, OH (relisted 4/24/16)
Names in the News:
Cooke
MARSHA COOKE will be the next Vice President, News Services for CBS News. She’s a 23 year veteran of the network. Most recently she’s been executive editor of content for CBSN, the network’s streaming newscast. Marsha replaces KURT DAVIS who was bumped up to Executive Vice President of Affiliate Relations for the CBS Television Network. More in the network’s news release.
MARYANNE HUBBARD joins KPRC-TV in Houston as Managing Editor. She’s been working at KUSA-TV in Denver, and has earlier worked for a number of stations in Sacramento and Fresno.
RUSS WALKER has been named Assistant News Director at Tegna’s KING-TV in Seattle. He’s been the EP of the investigative unit there.
Some management changes at WPMT-TV in York, PA. ALLISON OSKIN departed this FOX affiliate for a similar job at another FOX station, WZTV in Nashville. And ROSHA MACALUSO returns as an EP. She’s been a producer at WBAL-TV in Baltimore but earlier in her career worked at WPMT as a producer.
Pando
Onetime XETV (San Diego) News Director ALBERTO PANDO is leaving his most recent job as General Manager of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which oversees Radio and Television Martí. He’s also been an Executive Producer for Telemundo and Univision stations in Los Angeles and Miami. More on his move…and his future plans…in this story from Media Moves.
Shafer
Another former XETV news director has a new gig. We told you in December that DON SHAFER was leaving XETV in after two years as ND to move back to Colorado. Don advises that he’s now the new Supervisor of Video Production at Pueblo City Schools. He’s in charge of purchasing equipment and working on a Broadcast curriculum for next school year for the district. In addition to XETV, Don was an ND for another San Diego station and has worked Colorado Springs, Denver, Green Bay, Milwaukee, Oklahoma City, Flint/Saginaw, MI, and Tallahassee, FL. You can congratulate him via an email to: donald.shafer@pueblocityschools.us
General Manager News:
Easterly
Former News Director GREG EASTERLY continues his move up the corporate ladder at Tribune. He’s been the GM for WGN-TV in Chicago for the last two years and was once ND…and then GM…for WJW-TV in Cleveland. Greg’s been upped to Senior VP/Group Operations for Tribune stations and interim GM of WPIX-TV in New York. He’ll serve there until a replacement is named for RICH GRAZIANO who resigned this week, effective immediately. Chicago media reporter ROBERT FEDER has more.
Lots of General Manager movement at Tegna this week: There are new General Managers at KING-TV in Seattle, KVUE-TV in Austin, TX, and WCHS-TV in Portland, ME. Here’s the company news release on those changes. But the company is losing a GM at KSDK-TV in St. Louis. MARV DANIELSKI is leaving that NBC affiliate after just 14 months as GM, as you’ll learn here.
JULIA WALLACE is stepping down as head of Cox Media Group Ohio at the end of the year. She oversees WHIO-TV as well as the company’s radio and newspaper holdings. More in this article from one of those holdings, the Dayton Daily News.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here is my list of stations with open ND jobs, as of Sunday, June 12, 2016:
KPRC-TV 8181 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 (see ad above!)
KRIV-TV 4261 Southwest Fwy, Houston, TX 77027
KPNX-TV 200 E Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ 85004
KTAZ-TV 4625 S 33rd Pl, Phoenix, AZ 85040 **
KXTV 400 Broadway Sacramento, CA 95818
WISH-TV 1950 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis IN 46202
WCPO-TV 1720 Gilbert Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45202
KVUE-TV 3201 Steck Ave. Austin, TX 78757
WHP-TV 3300 N 6th St, Harrisburg, PA 17110
WGRZ-TV 259 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, NY 14202
WHEC-TV 191 East Avenue Rochester, NY 14604 (see ad above!)
KFVS-TV 310 Broadway Cape Girardeau MO 63701
WAND-TV 904 South Side Drive Decatur, IL 62521
WVNY/WFFF 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester, VT 05446
KRNV-TV 1790 Vassar St. Reno, NV 89502
KBOI-TV 140 N 16th St, Boise, ID 83702
WEEK/WHOI-TV 2907 Springfield Road. East Peoria, IL 61611
WWTV/WWUP 22320 130th Ave, Tustin, MI 49688
KIMA/KEPR-TV 2801 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima,WA 98901
KIII-TV 5002 S Padre Island Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78411
KRCG-TV 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
KMID/KPEJ-TV 3200 LaForce Boulevard Midland, TX 79711
KAUZ/KSWO-TV 3601 Seymour Highway Wichita Falls, TX 76309
KPVI-TV 902 E Sherman St, Pocatello, ID 83201
KYOU-TV 820 W Second St. Ottumwa IA 52501
KQTV 4000 Faraon St. Joseph, MO 64506
* Spanish language station