October 17, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009 UPDATE:
D'Ambrosi
Another veteran ND returns to the newsroom, as FRED D’AMBROSI has been named ND for WUSA-TV, the Gannett-owned CBS affiliate in Washington, DC. Fred’s a former ND in San Diego and Milwaukee, and has also worked in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, and Columbia, MO. He replaces LANE MICHAELSEN who left the station in August to become ND for WTVJ-TV, the NBC o-and-o in Miami.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 UPDATE:
Criag Hume
A veteran news director is returning to the ND chair. CRAIG HUME has been named ND for Newport TV’s WHP/WLYH-TV in Harrisburg, PA. Craig’s a former ND in Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego, Orlando and Las Vegas. At WHY/WLYH, he replaces CAROLINE IMLER who’s leaving the station to return to the Carolinas for family reasons.
Monday, October 19, 2009 UPDATE:
There are two ND changes to report today.
AARON RAMEY has left WOAI-TV in San Antonio, TX, after two years as ND. Aaron’s a former ND in Louisville and Knoxville. WOAI is owned by Newport Television and is an ABC affiliate.
MARK NEERMAN returns to the ND chair as he’ll become the next ND for WHAS-TV in Louisville. That’s the Belo-owned ABC affiliate. Mark is currently the Assistant ND for KNTV, the NBC o-and-o in San Jose/San Francisco. He’s previously been an ND in Las Vegas and Richmond, VA. The move reunites him with MARK PIMENTEL, the GM at WHAS, who hired him in Richmond.
More in our regular weekly update later this week.
Greetings:
Apologies for a slightly delayed edition of your weekly report on news director and news management changes. And a heads-up that we may be delayed next week as well.
We have a little more activity this week than in the past few weeks. There are TWO new openings, and ONE new ND.
We’re removing an opening from a top ten market from the list, and we have details about a New York City ND being laid off. We’ll explain right after we tell you about the one new ND.
All these changes mean our list of open ND jobs remains at 33.
If you’re looking for a new challenge, check out the paid ad for an ND opening in a top 20 market.
And we have lots of items in Names in the News.
All that and more, below.
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
KUVS-TV, Sacramento, CA…congratulations to ISABEL GONZALEZ who is being promoted to ND for sister-Univision o-and-o KXLN-TV in Houston. (See below). She’s been the ND here for almost two years.
KHBS/KHOG-TV, Ft. Smith, AR…MIKE COURINGTON has resigned as ND for this Hearst owned ABC affiliate. He’s been the ND here since February 2003, when he was promoted.
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR NAMED:
KXLN-TV, Houston, TX…ISABEL GONZALEZ has been named ND for this Univision o-and-o. As we mentioned above, she has been the ND for sister-Univision o-and-o KUVS-TV in Sacramento. She replaces REY CHAVEZ who left the station in June after just more than one year as ND.
Hugo Balta
Two other notes. HUGO BALTA, ND for Telemundo’s WNJU-TV in Teterboro, NJ (the New York market) was laid off this week as part of NBC/Universal cutbacks. I am assuming (always dangerous) that he is not being replaced, so I have NOT listed that as an opening.
And please note that we have removed WDIV-TV in Detroit from the list of open ND positions. DEBORAH COLLURA, the VP/News for station owner Post-Newsweek, has been serving as ND here since BOB ELLIS was promoted to GM for the company’s WJXT-TV in Jacksonville. Deb tells me she’ll continue to do both jobs until at least the first of the year when the situation will be re-evalutated.
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PAID AD:
NEWS DIRECTOR, WWMT-TV, Kalamazoo, MI
WWMT-TV, the CBS affiliate in the Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo market is looking for a News Director to drive its innovative news operation. We are looking for someone with a strong emphasis in shaping daily coverage, who leads by example, and knows how to manage a quick paced newscast with breaking news, in-depth investigations, and severe weather.
The right person must be resourceful, and be able to coach and train reporters and producers. Candidates must be able to think “web first” with breaking news, create fresh content for the web, as well as handle user generated content and social media.
This is a great opportunity for an up and coming News Director or a strong #2 to grab the reins. The station assets include the strongest syndicated shows, a high market share with loyal viewers, an experienced anchor team, good technical equipment including two satellite trucks, and Barons radar.
This market is both a winter wonderland with plenty of skiing and a vacation hot spot adjacent to Lake Michigan, so check us out at wwmt.com.
Please email resume and send current newscasts on DVD and cover letter detailing your impact and strategic side to Vice President and General Manager Jim Lutton.
WWMT-TV
VP/GM Jim Lutton
590 W. Maple Street
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
jlutton@wwmt.com
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OTHER NEWS MGMT. OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WSJV-TV, South Bend/Elkhart, IN (listed 9/4/09)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 9/12/09)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (PM EP, relisted this week)
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Special Projects, listed 9/18/09)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 9/4/09)
WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL (listed 8/28/09)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (AM EP, relisted 9/25/09)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (AM EP, listed 7/31/09)
WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN (PM EP, listed 9/18/09)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
WPEC-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (relisted 9/18/09)
WZZM-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 8/7/09)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (PM EP, listed 9/4/09)
KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (listed 10/2/09)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL listed 8/28/09)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (relisted 9/18/09)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 9/18/09)
WPTA/WISE, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 8/14/09)
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NAMES IN THE NEWS and other stuff:
Many of you may already know that RTNDA is now RTDNA. The name change occurred last week as the organization honored 51 news organizations with Edward R. Murrow Awards. Read more about the honors and the name change here.
TAIRSA SWENSON returns to Seattle as Nightside Executive Producer for Belo’s Northwest Cable News. She’s been working for CNN in Atlanta, but previously was a producer for KIRO-TV in Seattle. I’m told she is NOT related to one-time KIRO-TV ND HELEN SWENSON, in case you were wondering.
Former ND BRAD GRANTHAM has been named Assistant ND for WBRZ-TV in Baton Rouge, LA. We told you last month that Brad leaving his job as ND FOR WBBJ-TV in Jackson, TN, and was returning to his native Louisiana for family reasons.
Maxwell
DANI MAXWELL assumes additional duties as Assistant ND for WREX-TV in Rockford, IL. She’ll continue to anchor the 5:00 and 6:00 PM newscasts for this NBC affiliate. Dani’s worked there since 2001.
Congratulations to BILL CUNNINGHAM who celebrates his 20th anniversary as West Coast Coordinating Producer for ABC’s Good Morning America. Bill’s a former producer for WMAQ-TV and WLS-TV in Chicago.
Parsons
Finally, best wishes to longtime ND and anchor MARSELIS ‘DIV’ PARSONS who retired from WCAX-TV in Burlington, VT. on Friday. We told you earlier this summer that he was stepping down as ND but would continue to anchor for a few months. But he still plans to do some reporting. I’ve gotten to know ‘Div’ a little at RTNDA (now RTDNA) conventions over the years, and there’s no finer gentleman in the business. Check out this profile.
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Saturday, October 17, 2009. If you know of any updates, corrections, or additions to this list, please let me know via email at: rick@rickgevers.com
WPIX-TV 220 E. 42nd Street New York NY 10017
KNBC-TV 3000 W. Alameda Ave. Burbank CA 91523
WYIN-TV 8625 Indiana Place Merrillville IN 46410 (PBS affiliate)
KNTV 2450 North First St. San Jose CA 95131
NewsChannel 8 1100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington VA 22209
WUSA-TV 4100 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016
WXYZ-TV 20777 W. 10 Mile Road Southfield MI 48037
WTSP-TV 11450 Gandy Boulevard St. Petersburg FL 33702
WSFL-TV 200 E. Las Olas Blvd. Fort Lauderdale FL 33301
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way Sacramento CA 95815
WPXI-TV 11 Television Hill Pittsburgh PA 15214
WCNC-TV 1001 Wood Ridge Center Dr. Charlotte ND 28217
WZTV-TV 631 Mainstream Drive Nashville TN 37228
WWMT-TV 590 W. Maple St. Kalamazoo MI 49008
WHP/WLYH-TV 3300 North 6th Street Harrisburg PA 17110
WHAS-TV 520 W. Chestnut St. Louisville KY 40203
WBRE-TV 62 S. Franklin Wilkes-Barre PA 18701
KSEE-TV 5035 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727
WNYT-TV 715 N. Pearl St. Albany NY 12204
WKRG-TV 555 Broadcast Dr. Mobile AL 36606
WSAZ-TV 645 Fifth Ave. Huntington WV 25701
WFTX-TV 621 SW Pine Island Rd. Cape Coral FL 33991
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur IL 62525
WFFF-TV 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester VT 05446
WNCT-TV 3221 S. Evans St. Greenville NC 27834
KRNV-TV 1790 Vassar St. Reno NV 89502
WPBN/WTOM-TV 8518 M 72 West Traverse City MI 49684
KHBS/KHOG-TV 2809 Ajax Avenue, # 200 Rogers AR 72758
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
WWAY-TV 615 N. Front St. Wilmington NC 28401
WBBJ-TV 346 Muse St. Jackson TN 38301
KALB-TV 605 Washington St. Alexandria LA 71301