October 24, 2009
Tuesday, October, 27, 2009 UPDATE:
The hits, they just keep on comin’! Today another veteran news director takes a new job.
TOM BELL, currently the ND for Newport’s KTVX-TV/ABC in Salt Lake City, will leave the station after the November rating period to take over as ND for Newport’s WOAI-TV/NBC in San Antonio. Tom’s been the ND at KTVX since the summer of 2008, and has previously been an ND in Phoenix (KPHO-TV) and Detroit (WKBD-TV). He also worked (twice) as an Assistant ND in St. Louis. At WOAI, he replaces AARON RAMEY who left the station earlier this month as two years as ND.
More on what’s shaping up to be a busy report later this week.
Monday, October 26, 2009 UPDATE:
There were two new news directors named today. Ironically, one once replaced the other as an EP at KOMO-TV in Seattle.
Goldrick
MIKE GOLDRICK will be the next ND for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh. That’s the Cox-owned NBC affiliate there, where he’ll replace CORRIE HARDING, who left the station in September after more than four years as ND. Mike has been the ND for WHEC-TV in Rochester, NY, for the last three years. He’s also worked in West Palm Beach, Charlotte, Tampa, Houston, Detroit and Seattle, where he was an EP at KOMO.
Takahashi
At KOMO, Mike replaced TAI TAKAHASHI who today was named ND for WAND-TV in Decatur, IL. When Tai left his EP gig at KOMO in 2004, he went to WTVQ-TV in Lexington, KY, as news director. He’s also worked in Atlanta, Jacksonville, Wichita, and Topeka. At WAND, he replaces JIM PLATZER who left the station in May to become ND for WFMY-TV in Greensboro, NC.
More later in our regular weekly update.
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Greetings:
On September 22, 2008, I wrote “If I didn’t know better, I’d swear a whole bunch of General Managers woke up recently and said “Geez. November’s almost here. I need a news director.”
Well, to use a quote often attributed to Yogi Berra, it’s Deja Vu all over again, except the GMs are cutting it a little close as far as the November book goes.
There are SIX new NDs in this week’s report, and four of those have been an ND for at least two other stations. And there are TWO new openings to share with you.
These changes bring our list of open ND positions to 29.
Speaking of veteran NDs, we have an ad for a terrific station that is looking for one. But not to be ND…to serve as Director of Station Operations. They’d like someone with five years ND experience. If that’s you, check out the ad for more details.
And we have more news of veteran NDs in Names in the News: two are retiring, and one is celebrating the birth of his seventh grandchild.
All that and more, below.
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
WOAI-TV, San Antonio, TX…AARON RAMEY has left this NBC affiliate after two years as ND. Aaron’s previously been an ND in Louisville and Knoxville. WOAI is owned by Newport Television.
KSPR-TV, Springfield, MO…BRAD BELOTE is returning to KYTV in Springfield as Director of Digital Content. KYTV is owned by Schurz Broadcasting which also operates KSPR. Brad was ND for KSPR for three years.
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
D'Ambrosi
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC…FRED D’AMBROSI becomes the fifth ND in five years for this Gannett-owned CBS affiliate. (His title will be Director of the News and Information Center.) Previously Fred spent 12 years as ND for KFMB-TV in San Diego before leaving in May, and he was the ND for WISN-TV in Milwaukee for seven years. He’s also worked in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Green Bay, and Columbia, MO. At WUSA, he replaces longtime Gannett newsman LANE MICHAELSEN who left in August to become VP/News for NBC’s WTVJ-TV in Miami.
Criag Hume
WHP/WLYH-TV, Harrisburg, PA…CRAIG HUME will be the next ND for this Newport TV owned CBS/CW duopoly. Craig’s a former ND in Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando San Diego, and Las Vegas. He replaces CAROLINE IMLER who is leaving the station to be closer to family in North Carolina.
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY…MARK NEERMAN is back in the ND office as he’ll take over at this Belo-owned ABC affiliate. Mark’s currently the Assistant ND at NBC’s KNTV in San Jose/San Francisco, but he’s previously been an ND in Las Vegas and Richmond. The move reunites him with GM MARK PIMENTEL, who hired him as ND at WTVR in Richmond. He replaces GENIE GARNER who left last month after two years as ND to take the ND job at KITV in Honolulu.
WNYT-TV, Albany, NY…ERIC HOPPEL has been promoted to ND at this Hubbard-owned NBC affiliate. He’s been the Assistant ND here and replaces PAUL LEWIS who left the station in August after three years as ND. Paul’s now enrolled in a master’s program at Quinnipiac University.
Ryan Priest
WYIN-TV, Merrilville, IN…RYAN PRIEST has been promoted to ND for this PBS station which airs a nightly newscast. He had been the Assistant ND, and has also worked in Evansville, IN, and Tampa. He replaces TODD HAUER who left the station in August to work in Media Relations for Valparaiso University.
WNCT-TV, Greenville, NC…MARTY VAN HOUSEN will be the next ND for this Media General owned CBS affiliate. Marty had been ND for WTLV/WJXX in Jacksonville, FL, until May, 2008, and previously spent six years as ND for KMOV-TV in St. Louis. Earlier he worked for KABC-TV in Los Angeles. He replaces ADAM HENNING who left last June to take an ND job at WAFF-TV in Huntsville, AL.
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PAID AD:
DIRECTOR OF STATION OPERATIONS, WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC
Must have well rounded skills: knowledge of Programming, News, Strategic Planning, Research, and FCC requirements. Successful candidate will have excellent organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills. Must be detail-oriented with strong project management skills. Will oversee non-news, local program production (including documentary unit).
Minimum of 5 years of News Director experience. Programming experience helpful; this person will report directly to Vice President & General Manager Steven D. Hammel.
Please do not mail or email resumes: All candidates must apply online at
www.cbc-raleigh.com
EOE M/F
All Capitol Broadcasting Company properties are tobacco free.
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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 10/17/09)
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)
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 (AM EP, listing revised this week)
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:
STEPHANIE IKEL can throw away her alarm clock…or at least turn it down. She’s moving from Morning EP at KVVU-TV in Las Vegas to Evening EP. That means the station is now looking for a morning EP to replace her, as the revised listing above indicates.
MARK FRIEDMAN has joined the staff of CNN’s American Morning. He most recently worked as a Senior Producer at CNBC. He’s also worked at News 12 Long Island, and in Detroit, Tampa, and Salt Lake City.
John Harris
JOHN HARRIS is taking advantage of an early retirement offer and will soon be leaving WRAL-TV in Raleigh. (Please note the ad above as the station looks for his replacement.) John is currently Director of Programming for WRAL, but earlier served as the station’s ND (twice), and ND for WESH-TV in Orlando and WYFF-TV in Greenville, SC. John tells me he and his wife will continue to work on a 27 acre organic farm they own, and he’ll also continue playing in a band with friends. He welcomes your note at: jharris@wral.com
Al Buch
AL BUCH is retiring as GM of KSNW-TV in Wichita, KS. Al’s been the GM here for more than 15 years in two different stints. He’s a former ND who’s worked in Miami, Phoenix, Fresno, Boise, and Ames, IA, in addition to Wichita.
Congratulations to former Champaign, IL, Chicago, and Boston ND (and past RTNDA chairman) PAUL DAVIS on the birth of his seventh grandchild. ELLA MARIA CROSON was born Wednesday in Oregon to Paul’s daughter, MARINELL CROSON, a veterinarian, and her husband BILL, a doctor. Wish Paul well via email at: pmdpmd2@aol.com
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have an ND opening, as of Saturday, October 24, 2009. If you know of 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
KNTV 2450 North First St. San Jose CA 95131
NewsChannel 8 1100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington VA 22209
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
WOAI-TV 1031 Navarro St. San Antonio TX 78205
WWMT-TV 590 W. Maple St. Kalamazoo MI 49008
WBRE-TV 62 S. Franklin Wilkes-Barre PA 18701
KSEE-TV 5035 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727
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
KSPR-TV 999 W. Sunshine St. Springfield MO 65807
WAND-TV 904 South Side Dr. Decatur IL 62525
WFFF-TV 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester VT 05446
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
*** (Spanish language)