November 10, 2008
Greetings:
We don’t have a lot of news director changes to tell you about, but we do have a lot of interesting news in our “Names in the News” section for this week’s newsletter, including the retirements of three veteran NDs who have moved on to other positions.
There is, I believe, ONE new opening and ONE new ND to tell you about this week. I say “I believe” because the official announcement(s) have not been made, but the changes have been reported on line.
Those changes, if and when they occur, will still leave my unofficial count of open News Director positions now stands at 27.
Also this week, another blind box ad, this one for a medium market network affiliate. And we do have the above-teased items in Names in the News, as well as an obituary for a former Raleigh news director.
That and much more after this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN…Newsblues is reporting that GAVIN MALISKA is leaving this Tribune owned FOX affiliate to rejoin FOX as ND for WOFL-TV in Orlando. However, as of this writing, there’s been no announcement at either station. Gavin has previously worked at two different FOX o-and-o’s in news management positions, so he’s no stranger to the company. He’s been the ND at WXIN since March, 2006.
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL…as we mentioned above, Newsblues is reporting that GAVIN MALISKA will be the next ND for this FOX o-and-o. He’s currently ND for WXIN-TV here in Indianapolis, but previously worked for two FOX o-and-o’s (WJBK-TV in Detroit and WFLD-TV in Chicago) in news management roles. If/when this comes true, he’ll replace BOB CLINKINGBEARD who left the station in August after 3+ years as ND there.
CORRECTION: We made two mistakes in last week’s report on JEREMY SETTLE who’s been named ND for Albritton’s cable news operation in Washington, DC. Jeremy is currently ND for WCAV-TV in Charlottesville, VA, which we managed to move to West Virginia. And he previously worked for WUSA-TV in Washington, not WJLA. Apologies.
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HELP WANTED AD
BLIND BOX AD, MEDIUM MARKET NEWS DIRECTOR OPENING
Successful network affiliate with a rich and proud history of achievement in a very competitive medium market has a place for an experienced, tech savvy, hands-on, motivational News Director to help write our future.
The successful candidate will lead an outstanding group of journalists by using modern technologies – while ensuring the traditional standards of journalistic excellence that have brought us respect and success in our community.
Working side by side with your team, you’ll oversee daily coverage on air and on the web. You’ll develop and execute long-term strategies in a team environment, finding great talent behind and in front of the camera, and discovering innovative ways to be successful.
If you’re interested, please send resumes and letters to: NDad@rickgevers.com or you can mail your application to:
News Director Opening
Rick Gevers & Associates
PO Box 577
Zionsville IN 46077
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OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (relisted 10/31/08)
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (relisted 9/26/08)
KOCO-TV, Oklahoma City, OK (listed 10/3/08)
KHBS/KHOG, Fort Smith, AR (relisted 8/15/08)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KPHO-TV, Phoenix, AZ (relisted 8/29/08)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (Nightside EP, listed 9/14/08)
KIRO-TV, Seattle, WA (relisted 9/26/08)
WFOR-TV, Miami, FL (Nightside EP, listed 9/26/08)
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (AM EP, listed 9/19/08)
WSOC-TV, Charlotte, NC (Nightside EP, relisted 9/19/08)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 8/8/08)
WZTV, Nashville, TN (relisted 9/26/08)
WHP-TV, Harrisburg, PA (relisted 9/26/08)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (Dayside EP, relisted 9/26/08)
KOLD-TV, Tucson, AZ (AM EP, listed 8/22/08)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 10/03/08)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, SPECIAL PROJECTS:
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (relisted 10/31/08)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, INVESTIGATIONS/SPECIAL PROJ.
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 8/8/08)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (listed 7/25/08)
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OBITUARY:
I’m sorry to report the death of BEN WATERS, a former news director for WRAL-TV in Raleigh and WTOL-TV in Toledo. He died earlier this week in Raleigh after a short illness. Ben was 73, and had also worked in New Orleans, Charlotte, High Point, NC, and his hometown of Washington, NC. There’s a nice tribute to him in this obituary from the Raleigh News & Observer.
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NAMES in the NEWS:
Former news director (Miami and Des Moines) BRIAN GREIF is the new GM for Young Broadcasting’s KRON-TV. He’ll continue to serve the company as VP/News. Brian’s a former Magid consultant, and has also worked in Richmond, VA. As we told you last week, he replaces another former ND, MARK ANTONITIS.
Several veteran newsmen who’ve moved on to other jobs are retiring:
ANDY FISHER is retiring as President of Cox TV at the end of the year. Andy began in the business as a reporter, later served as an ND in Providence, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, and joined Cox in 1984 as GM of WSB-TV in Atlanta. He’ll be replaced by BRUCE BAKER, the company’s Executive Vice President.
BILL PETERSON is also retiring as head of the Scripps TV group at the end of the year. Bill’s a former ND in Cleveland, San Diego, Miami, Los Angeles, and Toledo and had been a GM for Scripps’ WPTV in West Palm Beach as well as a GM for WPEC-TV in West Palm Beach and WRAL-TV in Raleigh. He’ll be replaced by BRIAN LAWLOR, currently Corporate VP/Sales for the company.
Best wishes to TOM ROSENBAUM who has retired after nine years as a consultant for Frank N. Magid Associates. Tom’s a former ND (Mobile, New Orleans, Raleigh and Detroit) and has also worked in New York, Chicago, and Bakersfield. Tom tells me he’s going to take some time off but may hang out his own consultant shingle. You can wish him well at: tomrnews@gmail.com
CATHERINE SNYDER is moving across town in Washington, DC, to become Senior Manager of News Content for WRC-TV. She has been the Assistant ND for WUSA-TV there, in this, her third stint at the station. Catherine also worked at CNBC-TV. She’s the daughter of the late JIM SNYDER, himself a former news director and longtime executive for Post-Newsweek.
KCPQ-TV, Tribune’s FOX station in Seattle, has promoted ERIK VAN SANT to be Morning Executive Producer. Erik has been a producer there. And, yes, he is the son of CBS correspondent PETER VAN SANT.
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, November 7, 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
CLTV News 2000 York, Suite 114 Oak Brook IL 60523
KTVK-TV 5555 N. 7th Avenue Phoenix AZ 85013
WWSB-TV 1477 10th St. Sarasota FL 34236
WESH-TV 1021 N. Wymore Rd. Winter Park FL 32789
WRTV 1330 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis IN 46202
WXIN-TV 6910 Network Place Indianapolis IN 46278
KGTV 4600 Air Way San Diego CA 92102
KUTH-TV 525 South 300 West #1 Salt Lake City UT 84101 *
KUTV 299 S. Main St. #150 Salt Lake City UT 84111
WVUE-TV 1025 S. Jefferson Davis Pkwy. New Orleans LA 70125
KMPH-TV 5111 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727
WFTX-TV 621 SW Pine Island Rd. Cape Coral FL 33991
KMTV 10714 Mockingbird Dr. Omaha NE 68127
WSTM-TV 1030 James St. Syracuse NY 13203
KTAL-TV 3150 N. Market Shreveport LA 71107
KDBC-TV 2201 E. Wyoming Ave. El Paso TX 79903
WTXL-TV 1620 Commerce Blvd. Midway FL 32343
KDLT-TV 3600 S. Westport Ave. Sioux Falls SD 57106
KOLO-TV 4850 Ampere Dr. Reno NV 89502
KBAK/KBFX 1901 Westwind Dr. Bakersfield CA 93301
WTVA-TV PO Box 350 Tupelo MS 38802
KNOE-TV 1400 Oliver Rd. Monroe LA 71211
KTUU-TV 701 E. Tudor Rd. #220 Anchorage AK 99503
WTHI-TV 918 Ohio St. Terre Haute IN 47808
KIDK-TV 1255 E.17th St. Idaho Falls ID 83404
WCAV/WVAW 999 2nd St. SE Charlottesville VA 22902
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