October 29, 2017

Sunday Oct 29, 2017

Greetings:

We love firsts here.

We love being first with stories when we can.

And we love the first time we get to do something different.

This week, we have the first chance in 20 years of producing this newsletter to use the words “former news director” and “accused bank robber” in the same sentence.

That’s below, in Names in the News.

But first, read about THREE new news directors named this week, TWO at Telemundo stations. And we have TWO newly vacated ND jobs.

Those changes leave our count of open ND jobs at 22.

ONE of those ND openings is among our TWO Paid Help Wanted Ads.

We also have an obituary for a 10 year Mississippi news director.

In Names in the News, an EP move in New York, a reunion lunch in Indianapolis, and a report that women are being passed over for chief meteorologist jobs at local stations.

And TWO General Manager moves, one in a very large market with a veteran GM headed for retirement, and one in a very small market.

All that and more below.

Newly Named News Directors:

Rodriguez

WNJU-TV, New York, NY…ENDY RODRIGUEZ has been promoted to news director for this Telemundo o-and-o. He’s been the Assistant ND here and first joined the station as in intern in 2001. He worked his way up from intern to assignment editor to executive producer. Endy replaces KAREN MENDEZ who left in August to return to Florida after two years as ND.

Luviano

WZDC-TV, Washington, DC…JANETTE LUVIANO has been hired to launch newscasts for this Telemundo owned station. This story from the Washington Business Journal explains the chain of events that will result in this new news operation. Janette comes from sister Telemundo station WNJU-TV in New York, where she had been the executive producer.

Turner

WJTV/WHLT-TV, Jackson and Hattiesburg, MS…CHRIS TURNER will be the next news director for these Nexstar owned CBS affiliates which are expanding newscasts. He’s a former ND in Cheyenne, WY, who also spent more than 20 years at CNN in a variety of roles. At WJTV, he replaces JASON PUMO who left in late July after more than two years as ND.

New News Director Openings:

Korioth

WVVA-TV, Bluefield, WV…STEVE KORIOTH is leaving TV and this Quincy owned NBC affiliate after 3 1/2 years as ND here and 32 years in the business. He’s returning to his native Texas and has taken a new job out of TV which we’ll tell you about in a few weeks. Steve’s been an ND in different markets, and has worked in a handful of others, as you’ll learn on his Linkedin page. Learn more about this job in the Paid Help Wanted Ad below.

Weindel

KECI-TV, Missoula, MT…this NBC affiliate, part of a group of Montana stations that brand themselves as NBC Montana, is looking for a news director following the departure of JULIE WEINDEL. Julie’d been the ND here since April, 2015, and had been the Assistant ND for six months before that. She’s a former ND in Boise and Dayton.

Paid Help Wanted Ad:

News Director, WVVA-TV, Bluefield, WV:

WVVA TV, West Virginia Broadcasters Associations’ 2017 Station of the Year and dominant NBC affiliate in Bluefield, WV, is seeking an energized, caring, competitive, take charge newsroom leader.

Situated in southern WV in Nature’s Air Conditioned City enjoy year round outdoor activities including golfing, hiking, white water rafting, ATV trails and skiing within minutes of your door. Great communities in which to live and work.

As WVVA’s News Director you are coaching, guiding and mentoring on a continuous basis. Are you someone that has heart, wants to make a difference and grow beyond traditional broadcast news? An excellent opportunity to join our award winning team, if you have a passion for excellence, and a burning desire to lead the number one television news team in the Bluefield/Beckley WV market we want to hear from you.

A minimum of 5 years television news management experience and a college degree in broadcast journalism preferred. Successful candidate must be able to demonstrate strong working knowledge of community issues and needs, as well as sound journalistic principles. Must have the ability to make fast, accurate journalistic and logistical judgments.

WVVA, is part of Quincy Media, Inc., a family owned company operating television stations in 15 markets. This means internal opportunities and professional growth. Visit us at www.wvva.com

Please send your resume, reel and references to WVVA TV, Human Resources, 3052 Big Laurel Highway, Bluefield, WV 24701 or email hr@wvva.com.

WVVA is an equal opportunity employer.

Executive Producer, KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA:

If you are a hands-on leader with a passion for quality journalism, great storytelling, and an eye for compelling showcasing we have a great job for you!

KOMO-TV in Seattle, Washington (market #12) is looking for an Executive Producer of our award winning newscasts. The ideal candidate has a passion for news, a strong background in television news production, and a vision for how to provide viewers with fresh, interesting, relevant content every day.

We expect our EP’s to find cool new ways of incorporating digital content into our daily coverage. Duties include providing input and constructive oversight for our team on story selection and presentation, reviewing reporter scripts for creativity and accuracy, and coaching the team on owning coverage of breaking news, telling compelling stories, implementing strategic initiatives, managing measurement metrics, showcasing weather, and creating an energetic newscast.

The ideal candidate is a supportive leader who will help grow our competitive and innovative culture.

We are located in one of America’s most livable cities, and if this seems like a good fit please apply by clicking here.

Other News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA (listed 9/17/17)
KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA (new listing this week)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 9/24/17)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 10/15/17)
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (listed 9/3/17)
WRGB-TV, Albany/Schenectady, NY (listed 9/10/17)
KVRR-TV, Fargo, ND (new listing this week)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

KRIV-TV, Houston, TX (Evening EP, relisted 9/24/17)
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (AM EP, listing revised 10/15/17)
KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 10/22/17, see paid help wanted ad above!)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (Senior EP, listing revised this week)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (AM EP, listing revised 10/22/17)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (AM & Dayside, listing revised 10/8/17)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (Weekend EP, listed 9/24/17)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (listing modified 9/24/17)
WIVB-TV, Buffalo, NY (Nightside EP, listing revised this week)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (relisted 9/3/17)
KWCH-TV, Wichita, KS (AM EP, relisted 9/17/17)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 10/8/17)
WISC-TV, Madison, WI (AM EP, listed 8/20/17)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 9/10/17)

MANAGING EDITOR:

KDVR/KWGN-TV, Denver, CO (listed 9/24/17)

ASSIGNMENT MANAGER:

WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (listed 10/22/17)

Obituary:

Russell

I’m sorry to report the death of former Mississippi news director RICK RUSSELL. Rick died Tuesday, October 17th, at the age of 56. Many more details in this obituary. Rick spent ten years as the news director for WJTV, the CBS affiliate in Jackson, a position he left in 2013. Rick apparently was running an eponymous media consulting firm when he died. He was an Army veteran.

Names in the News (and other items):

I’ve written this newsletter for more than 20 years, and, until today, never got to use the words “news director” and “accused bank robber” in the same sentence. Let’s go to Canada for the full story.

Media Moves reports that ALEXA RODRIGUEZ joins Telemundo’s WNJU-TV in New York as an executive producer. She’s spent the last 20 years as a producer for WXTV, the Univision station in New York.

The Washington Post says women are being passed over for chief meteorologist jobs at local stations at an ‘alarming’ rate. Its story is here.

THREE past RTDNA chairs/presidents were among a group of (mostly) former news directors who gathered for lunch in Indianapolis last Wednesday. It’s the third time we’ve gotten together and would welcome others. The date of our next gathering is TBA. But as I said last year, if you’ve been in the business very long, chance are good that you’ve met one or more of the people pictured below. (If you’d like to join us next time, please let me know.)

Rtdna Lunch L-R: Ken Kurtz, Tom Becherer, Marci Burdick, Al Carl
Paul Davis, Ray Depa, Lee Giles, Ed Godfrey, Rick Gevers

General Manager News and Notes:

TIM McVAY, who’s been the GM for Cox Media’s WSB-TV (ABC/Atlanta) for the last six years, is retiring after 39 years in the business, all working for Cox. More here.

TONY HOFFMAN will be the next GM for WNBJ-TV, the NBC affiliate in Jackson, TN.

Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, October 29, 2017:

It’s unofficial, there may be others that are open, and some of these may have been filled. If you know of any in either category, please let me know: rick@rickgevers.com

Verizon Fios 1 News 800 Westchester Avenue Rye Brook, NY 10573
KYW-TV 1555 Hamilton Street Philadelphia, PA 19130
KUVN-TV 2323 Bryan St Ste 1900. Dallas TX 75201 **
WUSA-TV 4100 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
WTSP-TV 11450 Gandy Blvd, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
WCCO-TV 90 S 11th St., Minneapolis, MN 55403
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way Sacramento CA 95815 **
Spectrum News 2505 Atlantic Ave. #102 Raleigh, NC 27604
WZZM-TV 645 Three Mile Grand Rapids, MI 49544
KWCH-TV 2815 E. 37th Street North, Wichita, KS 67219
KOAA-TV 2200 7th Ave. Pueblo, CO 81003
KWWL-TV 500 East Fourth St. Waterloo, IA 50703
WCSC-TV 2126 Charlie Hall Blvd, Charleston, SC 29414
WNDU-TV 54516 IN-933, South Bend, IN 46637
KLFY-TV 1808 Eraste Landry Rd, Lafayette, LA 70506
WSAW-TV, 1114 Grand Ave, Wausau, WI 54403
WVVA-TV 3052 Big Laurel Highway, Bluefield WV 24701 (see ad above!)
KECI-TV 340 W. Main St. Missoula, MT 59802
WTVY-TV 285 N Foster St, Dothan, AL 36303
KFBB-TV P.O. Box 1139. Great Falls MT 59403
KRTV P.O. Box 2989, Great Falls, MT, 59403

**: Spanish language station
src=”http://www.rickgevers.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Rtdna-Lunch-600×450.jpg” alt=”Rtdna Lunch” width=”600″ height=”450″ /> L-R: Ken Kurtz, Tom Becherer, Marci Burdick, Al Carl
Paul Davis, Ray Depa, Lee Giles, Ed Godfrey, Rick Gevers