May 24, 2009
Greetings:
Welcome to the Indy 500 edition of your weekly newsletter.
Lots to tell you about this week.
There are THREE new NDs to tell you about, and we answer the question of where Fresno ND JIM HOLLAND is headed. You’ll remember we told you last week that Jim was leaving KGPE-TV but couldn’t yet say where he was headed. Now we know, and you’ll find that below.
Our infrequent category: Same Old News Director Named makes its second appearance. We’ll explain.
And there are NO new ND openings that I am aware of, leaving the number of open news director jobs at 19.
We do have a new ad this week: for an EP in “The Biggest Little City in the World”. And we’re repeating last week’s ad for a company whose product can help you automate some of your news production needs.
Also this week:
I’m sorry to share an obituary of a Grand Rapids (MI) producer who died last Friday after a long cancer fight.
On the bright side, one former and one current ND are headed to their state Broadcaster Halls of Fame. And we have a few new news management hires to tell you about.
All that and more following this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
None that I know of.
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
KWWL-TV, Waterloo, IA…NATE LEDING has been promoted to News Director for this Quincy Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate. Nate’s been the EP there since last August, and has served as the interim ND since J.J. MURRAY left the station in February after eight months as ND. Nate’s a former ND in Alexandria, MN, and has also worked in Columbia, SC, Minneapolis, Phoenix, and for ESPN. He becomes the fourth ND in three years at KWWL.
KCEN-TV, Waco/Temple, TX…we told you last week that JIM HOLLAND was leaving KGPE-TV in Fresno for a job-to-be-announced-later. Well, later is now. Jim will be the next ND for this NBC affiliate, newly acquired by London Broadcasting. And that’s the connection: London Broadcasting is owned by Terry London, who ran Gaylord Broadcasting when Jim was ND for then-Gaylord-owned CBS affiliate KTVT-TV in Dallas/Ft. Worth. Jim replaces DON BRADLEY who has left the station after two years as ND.
KWQC-TV, Davenport, IA…DENISE KILLIAN is the new ND for this Young Broadcasting-owned NBC affiliate. She’s been the Interim ND there since MIKE WRIGHT left the station in March after less than a year as ND. Denise had been the Assistant ND for Young’s WTEN-TV in Albany, NY and also was the EP for Young’s WKRN-TV in Nashville. She becomes the fourth ND in five years here, and the third in 18 months.
SAME OLD NEWS DIRECTOR NAMED:
WOI-TV, Des Moines/Ames, IA…we’re happy to tell you that SCOTT FREDERICK will continue as ND for this Citadel Communications owned ABC affiliate. We told you in March that, due to financial considerations, Scott would be replaced by Citadel’s VP/News, AL SANDUBRAE. Now Al passes along the good news that Scott will remain on the job, and Al will continue as VP of News.
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PAID ADS:
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, KRNV-TV, Reno, NV
Northern Nevada’s first fully high definition television station seeks a creative, energetic individual to join its team. We have earned a reputation as the market’s technological and news coverage leader by presenting well-balanced, informative newscasts.
If you seek an opportunity with a progressive news station dedicated to providing useful, timely information, while refining your own skills with the cutting edge of technology, then apply immediately.
Typical Duties:
Supervise newscast producers, reporters, assignment editors and photographers;
Direct the focus of news stories;
Participate in daily news editorial meeting;
Understand and implement the news philosophy of the news director;
Work closely with the News Director to make news judgments on coverage and presentation of the day’s news events;
Make contacts and gather information about news issues and events in Northern Nevada and the West;
Work with producers, reporters, assignment editors and photographers to make sure KRNV completely, accurately and fairly covers news
events; Oversee all graphic and visual elements of the newscasts;
Establish a good working relationship with the engineering, production, sales, programming and operation departments;
Assist in ratings and long-range planning for the News Department;
Write interesting news stories from wire copy, field reports and telephone interviews;
Line produce newscasts when necessary to cover shifts;
Produce interesting, viewer friendly newscasts, and Perform other tasks related to the position as assigned, which may include website contribution.
Requirements:
Be a take charge person with leadership skills;
Passion for news;
High level of creativity;
Three to five years experience as a television news producer;
Thorough understanding of SNG and ENG;
Must be able to find creative and unique ways to make the news interesting and understandable;
Ability to meet daily deadlines, work cooperatively with and motivate other staff members;
Newsroom computer experience (iNews preferred);
Good phone etiquette;
Pass pre-employment drug test and have a valid driver’s license.
Contact:
Human Resources
Sierra Broadcasting Company
1790 Vassar Street
Reno NV 89502
Fax: 775-785-1208
Email: cwalker@krnv.com
SIERRA BROADCASTING COMPANY: AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER This employer does not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, marital or veteran’s status.
NEWSCHIEF automates lower-third ticker and branding!
Since 1996 CGS has provided turn key ticker and branding systems for the broadcast television industry, including interfaces to CHYRON, VIZRT, and AVID.
The NEWSCHIEF HD Display Suite provides one solution for stations looking to display news headlines, weather forecasts and conditions, weather alerts, financials, phone and web automated school closings, elections, sports scores, lottery, and snype animations.
CGS also provides a central source for all your wire feed needs, including automated news headlines, weather, financials, lottery, sports scores, day in history, famous birthdays, and fuel prices.
For more information, visit our website at: http://www.cgsautomation.com
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OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WMUR-TV, Manchester, NH (listed 4/25/09)
WBTV, Charlotte, NC (relisted 5/15/09)
WNEM-TV, Saginaw, MI (listed 3/8/09)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (PM EP, listed 2/13/09)
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (relisted 5/15/09)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (Morning EP, listed 1/30/09)
WZTV, Nashville, TN (relisted 1/23/09)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (relisted 1/16/09)
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV (new listing this week, see ad above!)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 5/15/09)
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OBITUARY:
I’m particularly sorry to report the death of WOOD-TV (Grand Rapids, MI) Special Projects Producer DAN LIMBAUGH. Dan produced Live at 5:00 when I was the ND there from 1993-1995. Dan was a terrific producer, a wonderful person, a mentor to many, and a devoted father. Dan died last Friday after a long battle with a rare form of cancer. He was only 52, and leaves behind his wife, Janice and two sons. More information on Dan, including information on memorial contributions to an educational fun for his youngest son Nicholas, can be found in this report that the station aired.
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NAMES in the NEWS:
Congratulations to one former and one current ND for their inductions into two different state broadcasters Halls of Fame. SPENCE KENARD, former ND at KSL-TV in Salt Lake City, was inducted into the Utah Broadcasters Hall of Fame. In addition to his long tenure at KSL, Spence was also the longtime voice (or narrator) of the Morgan Tabernacle Choir and a past RTNDA chair.
Congrats, also, to KVVU-TV ND ADAM P. BRADSHAW who will be inducted into the Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame. Adam’s been the ND at KVVU for three years: an earlier stint at KVBC-TV in Las Vegas helped him meet the minimum five years of service in Nevada to be eligible. Adam’s been an ND in Salt Lake City and Rochester, NY, and has also worked in San Diego and Los Angeles.
Longtime Ohio newsman STEW HIRSCH is back in the Buckeye State and back on an Assignment Desk. Stew’s the new Assignment Manager at WLWT-TV in Cincinnati. That reunites him with station ND BRENNAN DONNELLAN: they worked together at WBNS-TV about 20 years ago. Stew is a former ND for WAFF-TV in Huntsville, and also worked in Raleigh in addition to three different Columbus stations.
ROB MACHADO heads west…WAY west…to become EP for KITV, the Hearst-Argyle owned ABC affiliate in Honolulu. Rob had been the morning EP for Belo’s KMOV-TV in St. Louis. He’s also worked in Orlando, Miami, Tampa, and Raleigh.
Apologies to HELEN SWENSON, whose title I botched last week in reporting her new job at The Weather Channel. The correct title is VP of Live Programming. Helen, of course, is a former ND in Seattle and West Palm Beach who most recently worked as a consultant for Frank N. Magid Associates.
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, May 22, 2009. If you know of any updates, corrections, or additions to this list, please let me know via email at: rick@rickgevers.com
WDIV-TV 550 W. Lafayette Blvd Detroit MI 48231
KRIV-TV 4261 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77027
WTVJ-TV 15000 SW 27th Ave. Miramar FL 33027
KDKA-TV One Gateway Center Pittsburgh PA 15222
KPTV/KPDX 14975 NW Greenbrier Parkway Beaverton OR 97006
KSHB-TV 4720 Oak Street Kansas City MO 64112
WZZM-TV 645 Three Mile Road NW Grand Rapids MI 49504
WGNO-TV One Galleria Blvd, #850 Metairie, LA 70001
WJAR-TV 23 Kenney Dr. Cranston RI 02920
KGPE-TV 4800 N. First St. Fresno CA 93726
WKRG-TV 555 Broadcast Dr. Mobile AL 36606
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur IL 62525
WAFF-TV 1414 N. Memorial Pkwy. Huntsville AL 35801
WFFF-TV 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester VT 05446
WPBN/WTOM-TV 8518 M 72 West Traverse City MI 49684
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
KOBI-TV 125 South Fir St. Medford OR 97501
KAVU-TV 3808 N. Navarro Victoria TX 77901
KSAX-TV PO Box 189 Alexandria MN 56308
Rick Gevers
Rick Gevers & Associates
PO Box 577
Zionsville IN 46077
317-769-7900 (phone)
317-769-7910 (fax)
rick@rickgevers.com
www.rickgevers.com
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