September 4, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009 UPDATE:
Richards
DARREN RICHARDS, news director of WTSP-TV in Tampa/St. Petersburg, resigned this afternoon and has accepted a position as Vice President at Tucker/Hall, a major Tampa public relations firm. Darren’s been ND at this Gannett-owned CBS affiliate for four years, previously spent seven years as ND of the company’s CBS affiliate in Greensboro, NC, WFMY-TV. He’s also held news management positions at Gannett stations in Jacksonville, Phoenix, and Denver.
You can congratulate him via email at: drichards@tampabays10.com
More on this move in our complete newsletter later this week.
Greetings:
Lots of news this week. An opening in the number one market. Two news directors return to the ND office at stations where they earlier held that same job. And the eighth ND in eight years at one station.
Those are among the changes this week: THREE new openings, with FOUR new NDs named.
Our count of open ND jobs remains at 28.
Again this week, a handful of new news management openings. And in Names in the News, new roles at two stations for management types.
All that and more after this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
Karen Scott
WPIX-TV, New York City, NY…we reported this change in the number one market to you earlier this week in an emailed UPDATE. KAREN SCOTT is leaving this Tribune-owned station after ten years as ND and 16 years at the station. Today was her last day, and that departure comes just more than a week before the station launches a new 6:30 PM newscast.
Scott Saxton
WSAZ-TV, Huntington, WV…SCOTT SAXTON announced today he’s leaving this NBC affiliate to become ND for Raycom’s WECT-TV in Wilmington, NC (more on that below.) Scott’s been the ND here since 2006 when he was promoted from Assistant ND. He’s spent most (though not all) of his career here, working his way up from reporter to assignment manager to Assistant ND to ND. WSAZ is owned by Gray Television.
KRNV-TV, Reno, NV…KIRK FROSDICK has left this NBC affiliate after about 15 months as ND. Kirk’s a long time Reno newsman who had been the Assignment Manager here before he was promoted to ND. KRNV is owned by Sunbelt Communications.
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
Forrest Carr
KGUN-TV, Tucson, AZ…he’s BACK! FORREST CARR returns to this Journal owned ABC affiliate for his second stint as ND here, a job he held from until March, 2001. Since then, he’s been an ND in Tampa, Ft. Myers and Albuquerque. He replaces LENA SADIWSKYJ who left the station last month after more than three years as ND.
WECT-TV, Wilmington, NC…SCOTT SAXTON is the next ND for this Raycom-owned NBC affiliate. As noted above, Scott has been ND for WSAZ-TV in Huntington, WV for the past three years. At WECT he replaces RAEFORD BROWN who left the station in July after nine years as ND.
KDLT-TV, Sioux Falls, SD…the revolving door continues to spin at the Red River Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate. PAUL HEINERT has been promoted to ND. He had been a reporter. Paul replaces SETH OELTJENBRUNS who left after less than a year as ND. Paul’s the fourth ND in less than two years, and, if my figures are correct (and I’m not great with big numbers) he is the EIGHTH news director here in eight years.
Lee Anderson
KTVZ-TV, Bend, OR…congratulations to LEE ANDERSON who is giving up his role as anchor to become the ND for this News Press & Gazette Broadcasting owned NBC affiliate. Lee’s worked at the station since 1997 in a variety of anchor roles, including a stint as ND/anchor that ended in 2007. He’ll replace MIKE BOTHWELL as news director. Mike’s moving back east for family reasons.
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OTHER NEWS MGMT. OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WMUR-TV, Manchester, NH (listed 4/25/09)
KWWL-TV, Waterloo, IA (listed 7/31/09)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 8/7/09)
WSJV-TV, South Bend/Elkhart, IN (new listing this week)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (PM EP, relisted 6/14/09)
KCPQ-TV, Seattle, WA (PM EP, listed 7/31/09)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
Northwest Cable News, Seattle, WA (PM EP, listed 8/7/09)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (new listing this week)
WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL (listed 8/28/09)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (AM EP, relisted 6/19/09)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (AM EP, listed 7/31/09)
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (two jobs, AM & PM, listed 8/14/09)
KCTV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, new listing this week)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
WPEC-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 8/14/09)
WZZM-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 8/7/09)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 7/24/09)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (PM EP, new listing this week)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL listed 8/28/09)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (relisted 6/19/09)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (listed 6/14/09)
WPTA/WISE, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 8/14/09)
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NAMES IN THE NEWS:
Two moves to report at Meredith’s KVVU-TV in Las Vegas. JENNIFER HARDY has been promoted to Assistant ND from Nightside Executive Producer. And CAROLYN KRESSERrejoins this FOX affiliate as Assignment Manager. She was a producer there from 2004-2006.
Les Sachs
At WGEM-TV in Quincy, IL, longtime anchor and former ND LES SACHS becomes Managing Editor, while morning content producer NATHAN JONES has been promoted to the newly created job of Content Manager. ND CHAD MAHONEY tells me both will work with the station’s Internet Director in a newly created ‘content hub’.
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of September 4, 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
WUSA-TV 4100 Wisconsin Ave NW Washington DC 20016
KXLN-TV 9440 Kirby Dr. Houston TX 77054 (Spanish Language)
WDIV-TV 550 W. Lafayette Blvd Detroit MI 48231
WCNC-TV 1001 Wood Ridge Center Dr. Charlotte ND 28217
WZTV-TV 631 Mainstream Drive Nashville TN 37228
WPEC/WFLX 1100 Fairfield Dr. W. Palm Beach FL 33407
WOOD-TV 120 College SE Grand Rapids MI 49503
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
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
KITV-TV 801 South King St. Honolulu HI 96813
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
WLNS-TV 2820 E. Saginaw St. Lansing MI 48912
KBCI-TV 140 N. 16th St. Boise ID 83702
WPBN/WTOM-TV 8518 M 72 West Traverse City MI 49684
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
WEAU-TV 1907 S. Hastings Way Eau Claire WI 54701
WLOX-TV 208 DeBuys Road Biloxi MS 39531