November 8, 2015
Wednesday, November 11, 2015 UDPATE:
Happy Veteran’s Day.
Retherford
We have now have details on arrangements for former news director DOUG RETHERFORD whose death we reported to you earlier this week. Doug died unexpectedly last Sunday at the age of 65. He spent 15 years as a ND in Davenport, IA, and also served as a news director in Topeka and Ft. Smith, AR.
A memorial service will be held this Friday evening, November 13, at 7:00 PM at the Runge Mortuary Chapel in Davenport, IA. He will be buried in his native Kansas City.
This obituary from the funeral home website has more on Doug’s life and career, with one interesting fact I’d didn’t know. He served as part of the Honor Guard for the funeral for President HARRY S. TRUMAN.
We’ll be back later this week with our full newsletter.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Tuesday, November 10, 2015 UPDATE:
There’s a news director change in market 12 to share with you this morning.
Wood
LEONA WOOD, who’s spent the last two years as news director of Meredith’s KPHO/KTVK-TV in Phoenix, will leave this Meredith owned duopoly at the end of the month. She told her staff that she wants to spend more time with her family.
Leona was the Assistant ND for KPHO before being promoted to ND, and worked as an EP for KTVK before that, and is a former news director for KXLY-TV in Spokane. There’s more on her background on her Linkedin page.
More on this story…and all the latest developments…in our full newsletter later this week.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Monday, November 9, 2015 UPDATE:
Retherford
I’m sorry to report the death of long time news director DOUG RETHERFORD. Doug died Sunday in Davenport, IA, where he’d lived for the last 25 or so years. He was 65. I’ve not yet seen any additional details.
The local newspaper remembers Doug here.
Doug was the ND for KWQC-TV in Davenport from 1989 to 2004 before becoming the station’s public affairs director for a year. He later went on to be the news director for the Independent News Network which was headquartered in Davenport.
Earlier in his career, he was a news director for six years in Topeka and (briefly) in Ft. Smith, AR. He also worked in Joplin, MO, as an anchor and executive producer.
I hope to find more details, and, when I do, I’ll update this site.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
An exciting Colts-Broncos game (sorry, Holly!) has delayed our weekly report, and it’s a lengthy one.
And it’s another week with a lot of open ND jobs being filled, with FOUR new hires to share with you, and just ONE new opening. That drops our list of open jobs to just 20!
THREE of those open jobs are featured among our NINE help wanted ads this week.
You’ll find the names of TEN news managers, past and present, in our Names in the News segment. And there’s one GM change…an unusual story where someone is replacing the person who replaced him!
And we have details about the death of a long-ago New York City news director in our one obituary.
Get a fresh cup of coffee (or whatever your beverage of choice is) and read on!
New News Director Openings:
Howard
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY…CONNIE HOWARD is leaving this Nexstar owned CBS affiliate after three years at the station (and two as news director) to become an Executive Producer for WRC-TV, the NBC o-and-o in Washington. Connie’s been an ND in Baltimore, Raleigh, and Birmingham, and worked in New York City, Dallas, and Pittsburgh. Earlier in her career, Connie reported for WROC. You can learn more about this opening in the paid help wanted ad below.
Newly Named News Directors:
Henriquez
KINC-TV, Las Vegas, NV…RAFAEL HENRIQUEZ has been named ND for this Univision affiliate. He had been the ND for KLUZ-TV in Albuquerque until Entravision eliminated local production of newscasts there at the end of October. He’d been ND at KLUZ since April. He’s also worked in Los Angeles, Denver, and Laredo. At KINC, Rafael replaces ADRIAN AREVALO. We told you last week that she was leaving KINC after nine years as ND.
BTW, Entravision is also dismantling local newscast production in Tampa. More in this story from Media Moves.
Minnaugh
WTKR/WGNT-TV, Norfolk, VA…a promotion within Tribune sends RYAN MINNAUGH here as as News Director. (WTKR/WGNT also got a new GM last week…more on that in GM news below.) Ryan’s been the Assistant ND for WXIN/WTTV in Indianapolis for more than three years. Click here to read the memo from ND KERRI CAVANAUGH. Ryan previously served as an EP for Tribune’s Denver duopoly, KDVR/KWGN-TV, and has also worked in Cleveland, Syracuse, and for CNBC. He replaces TINA LUQUE (BLACKLOCKE) who left the station last month after seven years as ND.
Heverling
WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY…congratulations to ROB HEVERLING who’s returning to the news director chair for this Scripps owned ABC affiliate. Rob’s been the Assistant ND for WOIO/WUAB-TV in Cleveland for almost four years. He’s a former ND in Little Rock, Fayetteville, AR, and Duluth. He’s also worked in Denver and for other stations in Little Rock and Cleveland. Rob replaces LISA POLSTER who left in June to become an EP at WIVB-TV in Buffalo after 18 months as ND.
Tegels
WVNS-TV, Beckley, WV…LON TEGELS is already on the job as the next ND for this West Virginia Media Holdings CBS/FOX operation. He most recently served as the Assistant ND for WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge. Lon’s also been a news director in Gulfport, MS, Lima, OH, Rockford, IL, Des Moines. He’s also worked in Hartford and San Diego. At WVNS, Lon replaces MARK DURHAM who left the station recently (when his contract expired) after three years as ND.
Also, to clarify an earlier story: We told you that JENNA HUFF was the new ND for Sinclair’s FOX affiliate in Macon, GA (WGXA-TV) and that she had been the ND for sister-Sinclair & Fox station WFXL-TV in Albany, GA. We were wrong on the verb tense there: she is ND for both stations, and oversees WFXL with the help of an onsite manager, BRIAN PERKINS.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, WROC-TV, Rochester, NY:
WROC (CBS) and RochesterFirst.com in Rochester, NY are seeking an experienced journalist to lead our team and serve as the next News Director. This is a unique opening at the fastest growing news operation in the Rochester market (DMA #78).
Our next News Director must be committed to exceptional local storytelling. We need a hands on “teacher” who understands how to showcase the news events through graphics, video, writing and sound. The successful candidate must be well organized and able to clearly communicate a vision to be successful on all platforms. Digital and social media will be a significant focus for the next News Director. You must be able to demonstrate a strategy to produce relevant and unique content for traditional websites, mobile, apps and more. This includes social media where we need a candidate who can increase engagement with our digital users.
Rochester is located on the shores of Lake Ontario to the north and the Finger Lakes to the south which includes some of New York State’s best wineries. Educational opportunities abound at all levels from excellent public and private elementary and secondary schools, to colleges and universities, including the University of Rochester and the Rochester Institute of Technology. This is truly a great place to raise a family. The region is also the summer home of the Buffalo Bills and will host the 2023 PGA Championship. Cultural amenities include the Rochester Philharmonic, Broadway theater performances, museums and public parks including Letchworth State Park, recently named by USA Today as the nation’s #1 state park.
Please apply by clicking here.
WROC-TV8 is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Morning Executive Producer, WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX:
We are seeking an Executive Producer who will take the editorial lead each day and develop multi-platform content that succeeds on air and on digital. This individual will manage, coach, and motivate a team of producers, writers, reporters, anchors, and photojournalists who are among the best in the business.
The Executive Producer is responsible for the overall content of assigned newscasts, manages all aspects of breaking news, social engagement, and ensures the product stays on brand. Effective communication and decision making under daily deadline pressure are a must. The Executive Producer must have strong ethics, a solid producing background, a desire and ability to win the day, and be an exceptional troubleshooter. This individual must be able to generate unique content, and develop and produce specials as required. The EP will also work closely with other news managers and the News Director to implement winning strategies for each newscast.
We are seeking a candidate with the following:
- Bachelor’s degree in journalism or related field.
Must have five or more years producing experience in a major television market.
Must be able to effectively manage people & act decisively under pressure.
Must know news and what is important to the community.
Must have social media knowledge and a digital footprint.
Must have technical expertise to booth live newscasts and troubleshoot problems
Click here to apply!
Senior Executive Producer, WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH:
WBNS-TV, Central Ohio’s News Leader, seeks a dynamic Senior Executive Producer with a proven track record. WBNS is the #1 station in Columbus, Ohio. 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 newscast production and assisting in development of news department strategy.
This position requires at least eight years experience in local television news as a Producer and Executive Producer (with at least three years as EP or similar). The candidate must have excellent news judgment and communication skills, and above average writing and storytelling skills. 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 be sure to include your news philosophy and link to a recent newscast in your cover letter or resume when you click here to apply.
Morning Executive Producer, KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV:
Employment Category: Full Time
Division: The E.W. Scripps Company
Work Schedule: Holidays, Week Day (M-F), Week Day Variable, Weekends
Responsibilities: Responsible for managing the content, and showcasing across multiple platforms, ensuring that the station is competitive within the market. Key duties include coordinating content and presentations across multiple platforms, create tactics and strategies to increase demo performance in key target areas for multiple platforms, and manage schedules, overtime and performance for assigned direct reports.
Education Requirements: College Degree.
Relevant Experience: At least 5 years’ newsroom management experience preferred; must have previous experience as a newscast producer.
Additional Skills: Managing other people, maintaining steady workflow and productivity, and resolving operational problems and making difficult decisions.
To apply for this position visit this site and create a candidate profile.
KTNV-TV, an E.W. Scripps Company, is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
11:00 Producer, WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH:
WBNS-10TV, Central Ohio’s News Leader, seeks a Late-night Producer to oversee the production, execution, and overall presentation of its award-winning 11pm newscast.
WBNS is the #1 station in Columbus, Ohio. The successful candidate must have a proven track record of producing compelling newscasts with high production standards. Will be responsible for crafting creative newscasts that are clear, concise and memorable. Great producing skills needed with an emphasis on showcasing.
Must be able to produce newscasts that reinforce our position as Central Ohio’s News Leader.
Producer will be responsible for multi-platform content including but not limited to social media and 10TV.com. Must have editorial and production skills to own big story/breaking news coverage by utilizing all resources including dejero, satellite trucks, multiple live trucks, helicopter, social media and digital assets.
Please be sure to include your news philosophy and link to a recent newscast in your cover letter or resume when you click here to apply.
News Director, KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV:
A rare, senior management opportunity has opened in the News Department of Southern Nevada’s “Local. Las Vegas,” News Team – KVVU/FOX5 LAS VEGAS!
News Director Position Summary:
The News Director develops newscasts that attract the largest available audience and generate the highest ratings possible. This position manages departmental budgets to control costs; manages vendor and service contracts. The News Director negotiates talent contracts and manages news employee retention and recruitment. In addition, this position seeks out profitable non-traditional revenue opportunities.
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism or related field, or equivalent training and/or experience.
Experience:
Five years minimum experience in television news management.
Skills and Abilities:
Thorough understanding of television news operations, possesses Leadership skills, understands promoting and branding a newscast, excellent verbal/written communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously and meet deadlines
To apply online for this exciting opportunity in the “Entertainment Capital of the World,” just click here.
Meredith/KVVU Broadcasting provides equal employment opportunity to all people.
News Director, KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA:
Emmy award winning; dominant NBC affiliate KTIV, Sioux City, Iowa is seeking an energized, caring, competitive, take charge newsroom leader. This is not a sit behind a desk job. As the News Director, you are coaching, guiding and mentoring on a continuous level. KTIV is one of the top 10 NBC affiliates in the country.
KTIV News Four is a continuous local news source with an immediate deadline mentality. The News Director directly oversees all involved in our news gathering and distributionprocesses. This manager directs the development of our content,weighs the full editorial possibility of every story, and makes immediate decisions on how it will be disseminated on the appropriate platforms.
A minimum of 6 years television news management experience and a college degree in broadcast journalism is preferred. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate strong working knowledge of community issues and needs, as well as sound journalistic principles, and must have the ability to make fast, accurate journalistic and logistical judgments.
If you have a passion for excellence and a burning desire to lead the best local broadcast news operation in Sioux City, Iowa we want to hear from you.
Please send your resume, reel and references to:
Bridget Breen
Station Manager
KTIV Television
2929 Signal Hill Drive
Sioux City, IA 51108
Email: bbreen@ktiv.com
EOE – No phone calls please.
Morning Executive Producer, KNTV, San Jose/San Francisco, CA:
NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBC Bay Area – KNTV is the NBC owned television station serving San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose and ten Bay Area counties.
Job Purpose:
The Morning News Executive Producer is a leadership position overseeing the editorial, production and promotion components of the morning newscast. The Executive Producer’s role is to oversee production of news content on multi-platforms, provide guidance and direction to news employees and perform as a member of the news management team.
Responsibilities Include:
* Conceive and execute daily programs incorporating top news stories and live reports (hard and feature)
* Direct and deliver production elements on a deadline. Manage and supervise On-Air Talent, Content Producers and Production team.
* Review daily line-up of stories and segments; develop future segments, stories and interviews for all platforms
* Collaborate with Creative Services Department on daily topical promotions
* Cooperate and interact with NBC News and assure compliance with all relevant laws and company policy on broadcasts and news operations
Basic Qualifications:
* Minimum of five years’ experience as a television Executive Producer in a medium or large market
* Bachelor’s Degree
Interested Candidates may apply by clicking here:
Assistant News Director/Content Manager, KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA:
Are you an aggressive, seasoned producer with an unending passion for news, ready to be #2 in the newsroom?
KTIV, the #1 Station in Sioux City seeks a career-minded journalist with strong leadership skills to join our winning team as Assistant News Director/Content Manager. You will drive News4’s editorial process, constantly guiding our multi-media journalists and producers to develop news content on all platforms; managing a continuous flow of information to website, mobile devices, social networking sites and local news broadcasts.
We are looking for a proactive person who shines at showcasing our content, whether it’s a special project or daily breaking news. You must have excellent writing skills and news judgement in producing our top newscast. You will also work closely with the News Director and Internet Director to ensure comprehensive coverage on all platforms.
This is a senior newsroom position, perfect for the aspiring news director. The successful candidate will have a four-year degree, preferably in broadcast news/journalism or related field and significant producing, writing and newsgathering experience in a commercial newsroom.
KTIV is an Emmy award winning team that works hard and is committed to excellence.
Send resume, news philosophy, cover letter and references to:
Bridget Breen
Station Manager
2929 Signal Hill Drive
Sioux City, IA 51108
Email: bbreen@ktiv.com
EOE
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (relisted 10/18/15)
KSNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 9/27/15)
WCYB-TV, Tri-Cities, TN (relisted 10/18/15)
KRCR-TV, Redding, CA (relisted 10/18/15)
KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA (relisted 11/1/15, see ad above!)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX (AM EP, new listing this week, see ad above!)
KNTV, San Jose/San Francisco, CA (AM EP, listed 11/1/15, see ad above!)
KPIX-TV, San Francisco, CA (relisted 10/18/15)
New England Cable News, Boston, MA (Dayside EP, listed 9/20/15)
KOMO-TV (AM EP, new listing this week)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (Nightside EP, relisted 10/18/15)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (relisted 10/25/15)
KOIN-TV, Portland, OR (Investigative EP, listing revised this week)
WTVD-TV, Raleigh/Durham, NC (listed 10/4/15)
XETV, San Diego, CA (Supervising Producer Mornings, listed 9/20/15)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (Senior EP, new listing this week, see ad above!)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (Dayside EP, relisted 10/18/15)
KSNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 9/27/15)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (AM EP, listed 11/1/15, see ad above!)
KWCH-TV, Wichita, KS (Nightside EP, relisted 10/11/15)
WMTW-TV, Portland, ME (AM EP, relisted 10/11/15)
KWWL-TV, Waterloo, IA (listed 10/4/15)
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA (relisted this week)
WTVM-TV, Columbus, GA (relisted 9/13/15)
WAOW-TV, Wausau, WI (listed 10/11/15)
ASSIGNMENT MANAGER:
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 9/20/15)
WLBT-TV, Jackson, MS (listed 10/18/15)
NEWS OPERATIONS MANAGER:
WBZ-TV, Boston, MA (listed 10/25/15)
Obituary:
JIM CUSICK, who was served as news director of WCBS-TV in New York, died this week of lung cancer. His Linkedin bio outlines his career which included author and playwright. His former co-worker at WCBS, ROLLAND SMITH, remembers his friend here.
Names in the News…and other things:
Hume
Veteran newsman CRAIG HUME heads to Raleigh as Senior Director, News for Time Warner Cable. Craig will oversee TWC’s four news channels in North Carolina. Here’s the memo sent to the staff. Craig’s helped launch Central Florida News 13 in Orlando, so he has cable experience. He’s also been an ND in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, Las Vegas (two stations) and Harrisburg, PA.
SARAH GARZA is the new manager of the NBC Telemundo Consumer response unit based in Dallas. She will be working with all the NBC and Telemundo owned stations. Sarah moved to Dallas when her husband, MARK GINTHER, was named VP/News for NBC’s KXAS-TV. She had been the Assistant ND at KOMO-TV in Seattle.
RICK MARTIN joins WGCL-TV in Atlanta as Assignment Manager. He didn’t have to move, presumably. He’s spent the last 12 years as a Senior News Editor at CNN, and has also worked in Washington, DC, Baltimore, and Philadelphia.
KIRK GORDON has been named News Operations Manager for KPRC-TV in Houston. He won’t have to move, either, since he’s worked there for the past three years as a director. He earlier worked for another Graham Media station in Jacksonville as a director.
KSTP-TV has reached into the newspaper ranks to hire its new EP of its investigative unit. PAUL McENROE joins that Hubbard-owned ABC station from the Star Tribune.
We have news of two former NDs and changes in their roles with public broadcasters. Congratulations to ROGER LaMAY, a former ND and GM in Philadelphia, who has been elected Chairman of the Board of the NPR Board of Directors. And MICHELLE GORS is stepping down as President and CEO of Wichita’s KPTS-TV after nine years in that role. She’d earlier been the ND for KWCH-TV there.
FRANK WHITAKER, station manager and VP/News for WMAQ-TV in Chicago, was one of six broadcasters selected for the Silver Circle of the Chicago Television Academy. Three others were honored posthumously.
We like to pay tribute in this space to those that went before us. In that light, we’ll share with you details of a new scholarship honoring BOS JOHNSON, the longtime ND for WSAZ-TV in Charleston/Huntington, WV. Bos and NICK BASSO, who Bos replaced, were honored at a memorial service a few weeks ago in Huntington. This video shows highlights of their careers.
Finally, as you likely know, a crowd estimated at 800,000 turned out in Kansas City to cheer on the World Champion Kansas City Royals. You saw that, but you may not have been this 23 second long time lapse video of the celebration captured by a Weather Metrics camera and sent to us by friend PETER LEVY of Weather Metrics.
Situations Wanted:
We offer a free situations wanted ad to news managers who are looking for a new opportunity. If you’d like to state your case to a well targeted audience, email me an item (max. 150 words). You may include a link to a website, an email address, and a photo. You must include your name. I’ll run it for one week. I don’t represent or endorse those listed, but merely trying to help.
General Manager News:
Valet
SKIP VALET will be the next GM for Tribune’s WTKR/WGNT-TV in Norfolk, where he’ll replace the man who replaced him as GM of WKMG-TV in Orlando, JEFF HOFFMAN. Both men are former news directors turned general managers. Skip was an ND in Jacksonville, Orlando, and Houston before returning to Orlando as GM. Full disclosure: I hired Skip as a production assistant in Jacksonville, where he worked his way up to news director.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here is my list of stations with open ND jobs, as of Sunday, November 8, 2015.
If you know of any additions/deletions/updates, please email me at: rick@rickgevers.com
KING-TV 333 Dexter Avenue N. Seattle WA 98109
Northwest Cable News, 333 Dexter Avenue N. Seattle, WA 98109
KCEC-TV 777 Grant St. #110 Denver CO 80203 *’
KVVU-TV 25 TV 5 Drive Las Vegas NV 89014 (see ad above!)
WPMT-TV 2005 South Queen Street York PA 17403
WFMY-TV 1615 Phillips Ave., Greensboro, NC 27405
WBRE/WYOU-TV 62 S. Franklin St. Wilkes-Barre PA 16701
WCHS-TV 1301 Piedmont Rd. Charleston, WV 25301
KTAL/KMSS-TV 3150 N. Market Shreveport LA 71107
WSYR-TV 5904 Bridge St. East Syracuse, NY 13057
WROC-TV 201 Humboldt St. Rochester, NY 14610 (see ad above!)
KVEO-TV 394 North Expressway Brownsville TX 78521
WCSC-TV 2126 Charlie Hall Blvd. Charleston SC 29414
KHBS/KHOG-TV 2415 North Albert Pike, Fort Smith, AR 72904
KIMA/KEPR-TV 2801 Terrace Heights Dr. Yakima,WA 98901
WAOW-TV 1908 Grand Ave. Wausau WI 54403
KTIV-TV 3135 Floyd Blvd. Sioux City, IA 51108 (see ad above!)
KALB-TV 605 Washington St. Alexandria LA 71301
KGNS-TV 120 W. Delmar Blvd. Laredo TX 78045
KTVH-TV 100 W. Lyndale Ave. Suite A Helena MT 59601
* Spanish language station