October 27, 2008
Greetings:
The number keeps dropping.
My VERY unofficial count of open News Director positions now stands at 28 as THREE jobs were filled this week. And, to my knowledge, there were NO openings created.
We’ll introduce you to those new NDs below. There are also two obituaries of veteran TV newsmen, details about a serious stroke suffered by a former Chicago and Washington news director, and also tell you about an Ohio station who’s hired a new Assistant News Director.
That and much more after this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
None! (At least that I know of….)
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, NY…JEFF WOODARD has been promoted to ND for this Gannett-owned NBC affiliate. He had been the EP there, and has worked at the station for more than ten years. He’s also worked in Syracuse. Jeff replaces ELLEN CROOKE who was promoted in August to be ND of another Gannett station, WXIA-TV in Atlanta after more than six years as ND here.
WCTI-TV, New Bern, NC…SHANE MORELAND has been named ND for this ABC affiliate. Shane most recently was ND at WTKR-TV in Norfolk and before that spent nine years as ND for WSLS-TV in Roanoke, VA. At WCTI, he replaces INGRID JOHANSEN who left this Bonten Media owned station last month after six years as ND.
KMIR-TV, Palm Desert, CA…JON FISCHER is the new ND for this Journal Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate. Jon most recently spent six years as ND for KTVX-TV in Salt Lake City. At KMIR, he replaces RUSS KILGORE who left the station after three years there this summer to return to Florida as ND for WINK-TV.
*** ***** ****
OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (listed 8/8/08)
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)
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 (listed 7/25/08)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, INVESTIGATIONS/SPECIAL PROJ.
KSHB-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 8/8/08)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (listed 7/25/08)
**** ***** ****
OBITUARIES
We have two obituaries of two broadcasting veterans this week.
Veteran Iowa news director GRANT PRICE died last week at a Waterloo, IA, hospital at the age of 85. He worked at both WMT (now KGAN-TV) and KWWL-TV, where he worked for more than 17 years. The Cedar Rapids Gazette provides more details about his life and career in this article.
I’m sorry to report the death of BILL HEADLINE, a former CBS and CNN executive who died earlier this week after a fall at his Maryland home. He was 76. Bill also once headed the Voter News Services. More about his career in this obituary from The Washington Post.
*** ***** ****
NAMES in the NEWS:
We told those of you on our mailing list earlier this week that MIKE WARD had suffered a serious stroke. Mike just left WUSA-TV in Washington as ND last month. His condition is apparently not life threatening, but the prognosis for his recovery is described as difficult. Mike spent much of his career with NBC owned stations, as ND for WMAQ-TV in Chicago, VP/Creative Services for WCAU-TV in Philadelphia, and GM for WNCN-TV in Raleigh when NBC owned that station. He began his career as a news photographer in Sioux Falls and later worked in Cleveland.
As we told you in our emailed update, Mike’s wife MAUREEN is with him, as has WUSA GM ALLAN HORLICK and his wife. (Mike and Allan worked together at WMAQ, in addition to WUSA.)
Anyone wishing to send a card may do so by sending it to:
Mike Ward
c/o Allan Horlick
WUSA-TV
4100 Wisconsin Ave. NW
Washington DC 20016
You could also send Mike’s wife a note at: maureen@suddenlysouthern.com
RICH SABREEN has joined the Institute for Media and Entertainment as its Managing Editor. According to the note he sent me, IME offers world-class programs in media-oriented branding, finance and accounting, business strategy, and human resources – including custom programs for companies and Short Focused Programs for groups and individuals. Rich is a former head of the old Group W News Services, GM of Bloomberg’s TV and Radio operation and was also VP and Global Head of Media for Reuters. He also once worked for Frank N. Magid Associates. Friends can reach him at rsabreen@ime.edu
WBNS-TV in Columbus has hired TONYA McCLEARY as Assistant ND. She most recently worked at WTEV/WAWS in Jacksonville as the Assistant ND. She’s also worked in Houston, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, and as a reporter in Amarillo, TX.
**** ***** ****
Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, October 24, 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
NewsChannel 8 1100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington VA 22209
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
WPMI-TV 661 Azalea Road Mobile AL 36609
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
* indicates Spanish language station
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