November 3, 2008
Greetings:
No tricks and no treats on this Halloween, unless you are intrigued by some of the interesting items in Names in the News, where you’ll find some news about THREE well known former NDs who are changing jobs….names like HAMMEL, PERRET and ANTONITIS.
And we have some ND movement to tell you about as well. There are TWO new ND’s to share with you, with ONE new opening.
My unofficial count of open News Director positions now stands at 27 jobs.
Also this week, we have an obituary for a veteran Canadian news director, and, as teased above, news about several news directors embarking on new challenges.
That and much more after this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
WCAV/WVAW, Charlottesville, WV…JEREMY SETTLE is leaving this Gray-owned CBS/ABC duopoly to return to Washington, DC, as ND for Albritton’s Newschannel 8. More on that below. Jeremy’s been the ND here for more than three years.
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
Newschannel 8, Washington, DC…as noted above, JEREMY SETTLE returns as ND for this Albritton-owned cable news operation. Jeremy has been ND for WCAV-TV in Charlottesville, WV, but he previously worked for Albritton’s WJLA-TV in Washington. He’ll report to the company’s VP/News, BILL LORD.
WPMI-TV, Mobile, AL…WES FINLEY is the new ND for this Newport TV-owned NBC affiliate. Wes had been the Assistant ND for Newport’s WHP-TV in Harrisburg, PA. He’s also worked in Lexington and Louisville. Wes replaces MIKE McCORMICK who was also promoted by Newport: he’s now the ND for the company’s duopoly in Jacksonville, FL: WTEV/WAWS.
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OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (relisted this week)
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)
KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA (AM EP, relisted 9/19/08)
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 this week)
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
We’re a little late in reporting the death of longtime Canadian newsman RON LAIDLAW who died in August at the age of 88. Ron was a longtime ND in London, Ontario, one of the founding members of RTNDA-Canada, and the second President of that group. More on his life and contributions to our industry in this tribute.
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NAMES in the NEWS:
Congratulations to former-ND-turned-GM STEVE HAMMEL who’s been named GM for Raleigh’s WRAL-TV. Steve most recently was GM for KPHO-TV in Phoenix. Earlier in his career, he served as ND in Washington, DC, St. Louis, Rochester, NY, Syracuse, and Harrisburg, PA.
Today was LARRY PERRET’s last day as Senior Consultant at the Frank N. Magid consulting firm. Larry tells me he misses being, as he put it, “in the game” and is now looking for something that would give him that opportunity. He’s been with Magid for six years, and before that has worked as an ND for two stations in Los Angeles. He’s also worked in Chicago, Boston, St. Louis, Denver, San Francisco, Greensboro, and Colorado Springs.
And today was also MARK ANTONITIS’s final days as General Manager for Young Broadcasting’s KRON-TV in San Francisco. Mark’s a former ND at WMAQ-TV in Chicago, and later served as GM for Young’s KELO-TV in Sioux Falls, SD. He’s also worked in St. Louis, Denver, and New York. Mark also worked as a consultant for Magid, and began his career as a news photographer.
HELGA SILVA is stepping down as VP/News for Univision’s WLTV-TV in Miami. She’s been with the company for 18 years and worked in New York as well as Miami. Her note to the staff said she’ll work as a media consultant as well as returning to the academic as both student and mentor. EMILIO MARRERO continues as ND for WLTV.
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, October 31, 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
WOFL-TV 35 Skyline Dr. Lake Mary FL 32746
WRTV 1330 N. Meridian St. Indianapolis IN 46202
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
* 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
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