September 23, 2018
Wednesday, September 26, 2018 UPDATE:
We have the first news director opening here in Indianapolis today in more than two years.
Cavanaugh
KERRI CAVANAUGH is leaving Tribune’s FOX/CBS duopoly (WXIN/WTTV) after more than five years as ND to become a Senior Consultant for Magid. The move allows her to move to Florida to be closer to family there.
We have the staff emails from both Kerri and General Manager JAMIE AITKEN. You can read them with one easy click here.
(An Alabama alum, she is SUCH a fan she even quoted BEAR BRYANT in her email!)
Kerri joined WXIN (WTTV did not do news until January, 2015 when it gained the CBS affiliation) in 2013. She had previously been ND for Tribune’s WXMI-TV in Grand Rapids and had earlier worked for stations in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, and West Palm Beach.
I’m writing this at the Indianapolis Airport awaiting my flight to Baltimore, where I hope to see many of you at the EIJ/RTDNA convention.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
I hope to see many of you in Baltimore at the EIJ (sorry, I still call it the RTDNA) convention. I’ll be there from Wednesday afternoon until early Friday morning…a short trip but a commitment here requires a quick return.
In this week’s report, there are THREE newly named news directors and just ONE new opening. So, our count of open ND jobs drops to 31.
Our ONE paid help wanted ad this week is for one of those ND openings.
In our Names in the News section, an Alabama newspaper reports on layoffs at Raycom Media, but provides few details. We’ll link to the story. A handful of news managers are on the move in our Names in the News section. Plus we have details on a new GM for a CBS duopoly and a longtime GM retires in Portland, OR.
Read on for more, and see you in Baltimore!
Newly Named News Directors:
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ…we told you Thursday that MARK CASEY was returning to television as the next news director for this Scripps’ owned ABC affiliate. He’s a market veteran, having spent 17 years at KPNX-TV (NBC), 13 as ND and four as station manager before taking the Tegna buyout in 2016. He then served as Director of Public Information for the Maricopa County (Phoenix) Sheriff’s Department. Lots of ways to learn more:
Here’s the memo from KNXV General Manager ANITA HELT.
Here’s the news release from the station.
And here’s Mark’s Linkedin page, detailing his background.
Kline
The man he replaces at KNXV made news of his own his week. CHRIS KLINE was named President and CEO of the Arizona Broadcasters Association earlier this week. Here’s the news release on his hire. Chris spent eleven years at KNXV, the last 3 1/2 as news director.
Kaplar
WOWT-TV, Omaha, NE…DAVE KAPLAR will be the next ND for this Gray Television owned NBC affiliate. Here’s how General Manager ANDREW STEWART told his staff. Dave most recently was the Assistant ND for WEWS-TV in Cleveland. He’s a former ND in Altoona, PA, and Portland, ME, and has worked in Boston, Dallas, and Denver. At WOWT, Dave replaces AMY ADAMS who left the station in July after 11 years as ND and 26 years in all.
WABG/WXVT/WNBD/WABG-DT, Greenville, MS…MARK RIGSBY has been on the job since May as news director for this cluster of stations owned by Cala Broadcast Partners. Mark most recently was an EP for Mississippi Public Broadcasting in Jackson. He’s been a ND in Bluefield, WV, worked as an EP for WJTV in Jackson, and has worked in Cedar Rapids, IA, Charleston/Huntington, WV, Clarksburg, WV, and Wilmington, NC. Mark replaces GAVIN MALISKA who left the stations in March.
New News Director Openings:
Stewart
KJRH-TV, Tulsa, OK…WARREN STEWART has left this Scripps owned NBC affiliate after about a year and a half as news director. He was the interim ND there before the promotion, on assignment from Scripps’ WEWS-TV in Cleveland where he was an EP. Warren’s also worked in New Orleans and Orlando.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
News Director, WTVA-TV, Tupelo, MS:
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EOE
News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WSNS-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 8/19/18)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 8/12/18)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (relisted this week)
KOVR-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 9/3/18)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 8/26/18)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (relisted 9/3/18)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (listed 9/9/18)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (relisted 9/3/18)
KYTX-TV, Tyler, TX (relisted 9/9/18)
KION-TV, Salinas/Monterey, CA (listed 8/19/18)
WALB-TV, Albany, GA (listed 8/5/18)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KNBC-TV, Los Angeles, CA (listed 7/29/18)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (Dayside EP, listed 9/9/18)
KPNX-TV, Phoenix, AZ (AM EP, relisted 9/9/18)
KOMO-TV, Seattle, WA (PM EP, relisted 9/16/18)
KARE-TV, Minneapolis MN (listed 7/22/18)
WOIO-TV, Cleveland, OH (relisted 8/5/18)
WFTV, Orlando, FL (AM EP, listed 9/9/19)
WRTV, Indianapolis, IN (relisted 8/19/18)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, relisted this week)
WTMJ-TV, Milwaukee, WI (PM EP, new listing 8/26/18)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (TWO openings, AM & PM, listed 8/26/18)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (released 9/9/18)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (AM & PM EPs, relisted 8/19/18)
KOB-TV, Albuquerque, NM (relisted this week)
WINK-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (TWO EP openings, listing revised 9/9/18)
WJXT-TV, Jacksonville, FL (AM EP, listed 9/3/18)
WIS-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 8/19/18)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 7/22/18)
WCTV, Tallahassee, FL (relisted 8/12/18)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WMAQ-TV, Chicago, IL (relisted 8/19/18)
OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:
Listed 9/3/18:
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Senior Manager of Editorial Content)
Listed 8/26/18:
WBTV, Charlotte, NC (Digital Content Manager)
WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 8/19/18:
E.W. Scripps, Denver, CO (Director of National News Content)
WTTG-TV, Washington, DC (Senior Digital Producer)
WTTG-TV, Washington, DC (Planning Editor)
WMC-TV, Memphis, TN (Digital Content Manager)
Names in the News (and other items):
The Montgomery Advertiser, located in Raycom Media’s home town, reported last week that the company had told ‘some employees’ that they won’t have a job once the merger with Gray Television was complete. No names were revealed. Gray does not have a large corporate staff so it’s logical to assume that some of the cuts would come from those on the Raycom corporate team.
JODIE HEISNER has been promoted at Scripps’ WXYZ-TV in Detroit to Assistant ND. She’s been the Executive Producer of Special Projects there since January, 2017. She’s also worked in Phoenix and Lansing.
ERIK VAN SANT moves from one Meredith station to another as he joins WGCL-TV (CBS) in Atlanta as its new morning executive producer. He’s spent the last four years in the same role for the company’s KPHO-TV (CBS) in Phoenix. Eric’s also worked in Seattle.
Parker
JIM PARKER starts tomorrow at Tribune’s WXIN/WTTV (Fox/CBS) in Indianapolis as Digital Director. News Director KERRI CAVANAUGH announced his hire to the staff. He most recently was an ND in Sioux City, a position he left in February. Jim’s been an ND in Cedar Rapids, Rockford, IL, and Binghamton, NY, and worked in San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, Portland, OR, and Toledo, where I hired him as a producer for his first TV job.
Boughton
KEVIN BOUGHTON moves from on-air to management as he becomes the new Senior Executive Producer for Quincy’s WKOW-TV in Madison, WI. He’s been the weekend anchor/reporter at KGUN-TV in Tucson. He’s worked on air in Omaha, Topeka, and Minot, ND, and as a writer in San Francisco.
General Manager News and Notes:
Draper
The new General Manager at the CBS owned duopoly in Sacramento, KOVR/KMAX-TV will be JUSTIN DRAPER, who moves north from Los Angeles. More here. Justin’s been the Controller at KCBS/KCAL-TV since 2000. He’s made the rounds of the CBS owned stations, serving as controller at WBZ/WSBK-TV in Boston, WBBM-TV in Chicago, and WCCO-TV in Minneapolis-St. Paul. He first joined CBS in 1995 as the assistant controller at WCCO.
Wilson
DJ WILSON, who’s been the General Manager for Tegna’s KGW-TV in Portland, OR, for more than eleven years is retiring. She was honored by the Oregon Association of Broadcasters as Broadcaster of the Year in February. This article describes that honor and details her extensive career in our industry.
Our Full List of Open ND Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, September 23, 2018:
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
WGN-TV, 2501 West Bradley Place, Chicago, IL 60618
KXAS-TV 4805 Amon Carter Blvd. Fort Worth, TX 76155
WUSA-TV 4100 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016
WUVG-TV 3350 Peachtree Road #1250, Atlanta, GA 30326 **
KIRO-TV 2807 Third Ave., Seattle WA 98121
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way, Sacramento CA 95815 **
KDKA-TV 420 Fort Duquesne Blvd., #100 Pittsburgh, PA 15222
WTNH-TV 8 Elm St. New Haven CT 06510
KCTV 4500 Shawnee Mission Pkwy. Fairway, KS 66205
KBLR-TV 5000 West OakeySuite B2 Las Vegas, NV 89102 **
KSNV-TV 1500 Foremaster Lane Las Vegas, NV 89101
WTKR-TV 720 Boush Street Norfolk, VA 23510
KOTV 303 N. Boston Ave. Tulsa, OK 74103
KJRH-TV 3701 S. Peoria Tulsa, OK 74105
WHIO-TV 1611 S Main St, Dayton, OH 45409
KCCI-TV 888 9th St. Des Moines, Iowa 50309
WFRV-TV 1181 E Mason Street. Green Bay, WI 54301
KHQ-TV 1201 W. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99201
WACH-TV 1400 Pickens Street, Suite 600, Columbia, SC 29201
KKTV 520 E. Colorado Colorado Springs, CO 80903
KYTX-TV 2211 ESE Loop 323 Tyler, TX 75701
WFFT-TV 3707 Hillegas RD Ft. Wayne IN 46807
WRBL-TV 1350 13th Ave. Columbus, GA 31901
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Dr. Corpus Christi, TX 78411
KHSL/KNVN-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973
WTVA-TV P.O. Box 320 Tupelo, MS 38802 (see ad above!)
KRCG-TV, 10188 Old Highway 54 North. New Bloomfield, MO 65063
WTWO-TV PO Box 9268 Terre Haute, IN 47808
KPVI-TV 902 E Sherman St, Pocatello, ID 83201
KMVT-TV 1100 Blue Lakes Blvd N. Twin Falls, ID 83301
**: Spanish language station