January 26, 2009
Greetings:
A busy week leads to a VERY short list of open news director positions.
In all, SIX new NDs were named this week, filling five of the vacancies we’ve been reporting. And in Chicago, a new ND was named at a station where the incumbent was being promoted.
I’m not aware of any new openings, with an asterisk attached to that statement. I’ll explain THAT in Names in the News.
That means my count of open ND positions now stands at 16! I’ve been sending this list out for more than 12 years (in one form or another) and that’s the lowest number of open jobs that I can remember.
And be sure to check out Names in the News for a promotion for an ND turned GM.
That and more after this week’s changes:
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
None, that I am aware of (though you should read Names in the News for a full explanation.)
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
WFLD-TV, Chicago, IL…as we told you yesterday in an emailed UPDATE, CAROL FOWLER completes the Windy City hat trick as she becomes ND for this FOX o-and-o, her third such job in Chicago. Carol most recently spent six years as ND for CBS’s WBBM-TV and earlier had been ND for WGN-TV. She replaces current ND ANDREW FINLAYSON who has been named Director of Online Content and Business Development for the FOX station group. Andrew’s been ND here for three years after stints as an ND in Nashville and San Francisco/Oakland.
WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN…LEE ROSENTHAL has been named ND for this Tribune-owned FOX affiliate. Lee is currently the Nightside EP for WBNS-TV in Columbus, OH. He’s also worked in Tampa, Knoxville, and Binghamton, NY, where he began his career as an anchor/reporter. At WXIN, Lee replaces GAVIN MALISKA who became ND at WOFL-TV in Orlando last December after 2 1/2 years as ND at WXIN.
KGTV, San Diego, CA…JOEL DAVIS returns to California and to an ND position as he’s been named news director for this McGraw-Hill owned ABC affiliate. Joel is currently the Managing Editor for WFTV in Orlando, a job he’s held since 2006. Before that he spent six years as ND for KFSN-TV in Fresno. Joel’s also been an ND in Bakersfield, and worked on-air in Columbus, OH, and Waterloo, IA. At KGTV, he replaces GARY BROWN who left the station last March to become VP/News for Newport Television.
WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY…this Granite owned ABC affiliate promoted JOHN DiSCIULLO to news director. John has been the Director of Programming, Creative Services, Production, Graphic and Community Affairs here. He’ll still oversee Community Affairs. John replaces GLEN HORN who left the station at the end of 2008 after almost two years as ND.
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL…FRANK VERDEL is also moving back into the ND’s chair as he takes over the news department for this Journal Broadcasting owned FOX affiliate. Frank most recently has been working for a video production company in Sarasota, but has been an ND in Huntsville and West Palm Beach, as well as GM for SNN6, a cable news operation in Sarasota. He replaces FORREST CARR who left the station last fall after three years as ND to take the ND job at KRQE-TV in Albuquerque.
KION/KCBA, Salinas/Monterey, CA…TRACIANN ZERAVICA is the new ND for this Cowles California Media owned duopoly. She has been an EP at KHQ-TV in Spokane, concentrating on internet responsibilities. She’s also worked in Miami, Cleveland, Columbus, Orlando and Providence. Traciann replaces DENISE CLODJEAUX who left the station last month after almost five years as ND.
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OTHER NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 1/11/09)
WREG-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 1/16/09)
WTEN-TV, Albany, NY (listed 1/11/09)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
WGCL-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 12/28/08)
WFOR-TV, Miami, FL (Morning EP, relisted this week)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (Morning EP, listed 12/19/08)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (Nightside EP, listed 12/12/08)
WSOC-TV, Charlotte, NC (Nightside EP, relisted 1/16/09)
WZTV, Nashville, TN (relisted this week)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (Dayside EP, relisted 12/12/08)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (relisted 1/16/09)
MANAGING EDITOR:
KSLA-TV, Shreveport, LA (relisted 11/21/08)
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OBITUARY
A memorial service will be held this Sunday, 1/25/09, for STEVE BROCK, a longtime Columbus, OH, newsman. We told you last week that Steve had died suddenly of an enlarged heart at the age of 48. He’d worked for three stations in Columbus, and was employed at WBNS-TV at the time of his death. Sunday’s service will be held at Schoedinger Northwest Chapel, 1740 Zollinger Road in Columbus, from 2:00-4:00 PM. Steve was survived by his parents and a sister. In lieu of flowers, the family suggestions donations to the American Heart Association.
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NAMES in the NEWS:
Congratulations to WTHR-TV General Manager JIM TELLUS who’s been named President and GM of this Indianapolis NBC affiliate. Jim had been VP/GM there. He was promoted to GM one year ago, after serving just over a year as ND for this Dispatch Broadcasting owned station. Jim’s also been an ND in Seattle, Norfolk, and Wichita.
And here’s the asterisk behind the “No New Openings” statement above:
Spanish language broadcaster Entravision eliminated the jobs of two NDs recently: MARIA del PILAR ORTIZ in Tampa and WILMA COLON in Orlando. I’m told the company has no immediate plans to replace them, and is not planning to replace ALEX BOSSCHAERTS at KLUZ-TV in Albuquerque. I have removed KLUZ from what is now a VERY short list of open ND positions.
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have a current ND opening, as of Friday, January 23, 2009. 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
WCVB-TV 5 TV Place Needham MA 02194
WWSB-TV 1477 10th St. Sarasota FL 34236
KDKA-TV One Gateway Center Pittsburgh PA 15222
WTAE-TV 400 Ardmore Blvd. Pittsburgh PA 15221
WSYX/WTTE-TV 1261 Dublin Rd. Columbus OH 43215
KUTV 299 S. Main St. #150 Salt Lake City UT 84111
KMPH-TV 5111 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727
WFFF-TV 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester VT 05446
WTAJ-TV 5000 6th Ave. Altoona PA 16603
KDBC-TV 2201 E. Wyoming Ave. El Paso TX 79903
WTXL-TV 1620 Commerce Blvd. Midway FL 32343
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
WTVA-TV PO Box 350 Tupelo MS 38802
KNOE-TV 1400 Oliver Rd. Monroe LA 71211
* 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
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