October | 2026 | Rick Gevers & Associates

October 25, 2026

Greetings:

For the second straight week, there are THREE new news directors to tell you about. And this week we have ONE new opening.

Our list of open ND jobs drops to 22, in part because we removed ONE station from the list for reasons we’ll explain below.

There’s lots of news, much of it involving CBS.

CBS sells sponsorship of election coverage on its owned stations to a sports betting site.
CBS News has disbanded its dedicated climate reporting team with predictable results.
The former EP of CBS’s 60 Minutes has a new job.
As does the former President of CBS News and Stations.
An anchor at a California station gets a restraining order against a woman accused of TWICE shooting at his station.
We have THREE obituaries, including one for a two-time ND.
And a company that provided content to stations for more than 40 years has closed its doors. We have an exclusive note explaining why.

There’s more, of course, so read on!

Newly Named News Directors:

Chen

KSWB/KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA…Tuesday’s UPDATE told you that RUBY CHEN had been promoted to Director of Content and Innovation (aka News Director) for this Nexstar owned duopoly. GM SCOTT HEATH, dressed up the typical staff memo with a graphic! She began there as a producer and worked her way up. Ruby replaces RICH GOLDNER who left more than a year ago after 17 years as news director. KSWB is a FOX affiliate, and KUSI is an independent.

Van Vleck

KOLD-TV, Tucson, AZ…this Gray Media owned CBS affiliate has tapped KAREN VAN VLECK as its next news director. Thanks to general manager ROB BONEAU who passed along the station’s news release. Karen most recently served as the assistant ND for WEWS-TV (ABC) in Cleveland. She replaces JESSICA BOBULA who left after four months as news director.

Clouse

KNBN-TV, Rapid City, SD…DAN CLOUSE is the next ND for this Forum Communications NBC station. GM JIM BECK shared this about his new hire: He comes to us most recently from KAAL and before that had stints as a news director at KIMT, KQDS, and as a regional news director for KFFB . We are happy to have him join our team. Dan replaces CHRIS DANCY who retired after 10 years as ND.

One note: We have removed WSIL-TV in Harrisburg, IL, from our list of open news director positions. Gray Media bought the station earlier this year and combined its news operations with Gray owned KFVS-TV (CBS) in Cape Girardeau, MO.

New News Director Openings:

D’Astoli

Spectrum News 13, Orlando, FL…SUSAN D’ASTOLI has announced her retirement after more than ten years leading this cable news operation (formerly known as Central Florida News 13). Susan tells me she will retire in January after five decades in news…and 14 as a news director. She earlier spent 2 1/2 years as a news director for KJRH-TV in Tulsa. Here’s the rest of her career background.

Paid Help Wanted Ads:

No ads this week, but if you have a news management opening, there’s no better place to advertise it. Email me for details: rick@rickgevers.com

News Management Openings:

ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:

WUPA-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 8/30/26)
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (Morning AND, listing revised 9/27/26)
WEWS-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 10/25/26)
WLWT-TV, Cincinnati, OH (listed 9/13/26)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (listed 8/9/26)
WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 10/4/26)
WOWK-TV, Charleston/Huntington, WV (listed 10/25/26)

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:

WPIX-TV, New York, NY (Digital EP, relisted 9/13/26)
WSB-TV, Atlanta, GA (Digital EP, listed 9/27/26)
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 9/13/26)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 8/9/26)
KPNX-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 9/13/26)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (listed 9/13/26)
WFTV, Orlando, FL (relisted 9/27/26)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (Digital EP, relisted 10/4/26)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (listed 9/13/26)
WKRN-TV, Nashville, TN (Digital EP, listed 8/30/26)
KFMB-TV, San Diego, CA (listed 9/13/26)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (listed 9/13/26)
KTVX/KUCW-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (relisted 9/20/26)
KVUE-TV, Austin, TX (listed 9/13/26)
WPBF-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 9/13/26)
WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (AM EP, listed 9/13/26)
WVTM-TV, Birmingham, AL (Senior EP, listed 9/13/26)
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (relisted 7/26/26)
WHBQ-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 9/7/26)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Morning EP, relisted 9/13/26)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 9/13/26)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (listed 7/26/26)
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA (listed 9/13/26)
KFSM-TV, Fayetteville, AR (listed 9/7/26)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (relisted 9/27/26)
KWES-TV, Midland/Odessa, TX (listed 9/13/26)
WVNS-TV, Ghent, WV (Digital Content EP, listed 10/4/26)

MANAGING EDITOR:

WCBD-TV, Charleston, SC (relisted 8/30/26)

Other News Management Openings:

Listed 10/25/26:

KERO-TV, Bakersfield, CA (Executive Reporter)
WTKR-TV, Norfolk. VA (Executive Reporter)
KXXV-TV, Waco, TX (Executive Reporter)
KSTM-TV, El Paso, TX (Digital Media Manager)

Relisted 10/25/26:

KLBK-TV, Lubbock, TX (Digital Media Director)

Relisted 10/18/26:

WGN-TV, Chicago, IL (Digital Media Director)

Relisted 10/11/26:

KXRM-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (Director of Multiplatform Content)

Listed 10/11/26:

KVEO/KGBT-TV, Brownsville, TX (Digital Media Manager)

Listed 9/27/26:

KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (Story Desk Manager)
KING-TV, Seattle, TX (Story Desk Manager)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (Executive Reporter)
WBIR-TV, Knoxville, TN (Story Desk Manager)
WOI/KCWI-TV, Des Moines, IA (Story Desk Manager)
KNWA-TV, Fayetteville, AR (Digital Media Manager-Newsroom)

Relisted 9/20/26:

KSAT-TV, San Antonio, TX (Mgr. of Coverage and Content)

Obituaries:

Ryan H.

RYAN HAZELWOOD, a two time news director, lost his battle with cancer last Sunday. He was just 50 years old. He most recently was ND for KOAA-TV in Colorado Springs, a job he left last year to concentrate on his cancer battle. KOAA remembered him in this story. Ryan also ran the news department at KVII-TV in Amarillo, TX and began his career as a photographer. He’s survived by his wife and two children.

Lewis

CAROLYN BAILEY LEWIS died Wednesday at the age of 78. She was the first black woman to run a PBS station in the US, taking over at WNPB-TV in Morgantown, WV in 1993. Four years later she was tapped to run WOUB-TV, the PBS station at Ohio University. She retired from there in 2011. You can…and should…learn more about this trailblazing woman in this story from WOUB.

ALLISON ‘AL’ MARRA died October 1. Al was 77. He spent 48 years in broadcasting, including stints as GM for WOAY-TV in Oak Hill, WV, and WVVA-TV in Bluefield, WV. More details about his life…though few about his career…in this obituary.

Comings

More than 100 people attended a celebration of life for former ND RON COMINGS last night in Las Vegas. My wife and I were among those who honored the six time ND who died June 30th of bladder cancer. He was 77. Many who could not attend submitted videos which you can watch here. (You’ll see some familiar faces.) Ron was an ND in Las Vegas, Sacramento, Spokane, and Honolulu among other places, and began as a reporter. He’s survived by wife KERRI and four children.

Names in the News (and other stuff):

We start with a number of stories involving CBS News.

CBS News has eliminated its dedicated climate reporting team, which, not surprisingly, resulted in a big drop in coverage.

In, shall we say, an unusual move, CBS has sold sponsorship of election coverage on its owned stations to sports betting site Draftkings. More from Sports Business Journal.

Former 60 Minutes Executive Producer BILL OWENS has joined Newpress, which this New York Times article describes as a startup which publishes video journalism from independent creators. Owens left 60 Minutes last year after clashing with new management,

Roark

Former CBS News and Stations President ADRIENNE ROARK will work with Genna as a ‘strategic advisor’. Genna describes itself as an AI platform that transforms trusted data into broadcast-ready video at scale. Here’s what Adrienne posted on her Linkedin page about her new role. Adrienne’s a former Chief Content Officer for Tegna and served as a GM and ND at several local stations.

Veteran newsman GUSTAVO SERRANO joins Spectrum News as executive editor, based in New York.

KBAK-TV (Bakersfield, CA) anchor AARON PERLMAN obtained a restraining order against a woman accused of firing shots at the station’s studios on two separate times.

Finally, a company which provided segments to local stations for more than four decades has closed its doors. Ivanhoe Broadcast News produced more than 10,000 stories over the years. Thanks to Ivanhoe President MARJORIE BEKAERT THOMAS who provided this background on the move just for us. You can send her an email to wish her well, or to the person many of you dealt with, President/Sales JOHN CHERRY, by clicking here.

General Manager News and Notes:

I’m not aware of any GM changes this week. If you know otherwise, please let me know.

Our List of Open News Director Jobs:

Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, October 25, 2026:

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

KYW-TV 1555 Hamilton Street Philadelphia, PA 19130
WJBK-TV 16550 W 9 Mile Rd, Southfield, MI, 48075
Spectrum News 13 20 N. Orange Ave. Orlando, FL 32801
KTXL-TV 4655 Fruitridge Road Sacramento, CA 95820-5299
KTNV-TV 3355 S Valley View Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
WGAL-TV 1300 Columbia Avenue. Lancaster, PA 17603
WZZM-TV 645 3 Mile Rd NW, Grand Rapids, MI, 49544
KOKH/KOCB-TV 1228 E. Wilshire Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK 73111
WGNO-TV 1 Galleria Blvd, Suite 850 Metairie LA 70001
KSEE/KGPE-TV 5035 E. McKinley Ave., Fresno CA 93727
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WCHS-TV 1301 Piedmont Road, Charleston, WV 25301
KLKN-TV 3240 South Tenth Street, Lincoln NE 68502
KNDU-TV 3312 W. Kennewick Ave. Kennewick, WA 99336
WMAZ-TV 1314 Gray Highway, Macon, GA 31211
WCBI-TV 201 5th Street South Columbus, MS 39701
WQOW-TV 5545 State Highway 93, Eau Claire, WI 54701
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
WHSV-TV 50 North Main Street Harrisonburg, VA 22802
KAVU-TV. 3808 N Navarro St. Victoria, TX 77901

**: Spanish language station

October 18, 2026

Greetings:

It’s a busy news week, with THREE new news directors, including ONE in a top 20 market.

For the second consecutive week, I’m not aware of any new openings, so our list of open ND jobs drops to 24.

But LOTS of news. Lots.

Northwestern/Medill have a new report on the State of Local News.
We have a response from Nexstar to the jury award to two former news managers.
Tegna…quiet for a while…has a flurry of new executive moves, though no word on any developments on the Nexstar acquisition.
A woman charged with shooting…TWICE…into a California TV station.
A fire at a different California station disrupts the morning news.
There’s an obituary for a former ND who later turned to academia.
And a former news manager, GM and consultant is not doing well.

And there’s much more, but you’ll have to read on to find it!

Newly Named News Directors:

Roldan

WLTV, Miami, FL…LIZ ROLDAN returns to Miami and this Univision station where she began as an intern. Now she’s the ND. Details in this news release . Liz has been the ND at Nexstar’s KIAH-TV (CW) in Houston since January, 2025, and has also been an ND at KHOU-TV (CBS) in Houston and WFOR-TV (CBS) in Miami. She also worked for 13 years at WTVJ-TV (NBC) there. Liz replaces YOLANDA ZUGASTI who left in August just shy of three years as ND.

Townley

KNOE-TV, Monroe, LA…JENNIFER TOWNLEY will be the next ND for this Gray media owned CBS/ABC operation. Her somewhat sparse linkedin page tells us that she’s been working for Scripps’ KJRH-TV in Tulsa, apparently has a producer. She earlier worked at KOKI-TV in Tulsa. At KNOE, she replaces KRISTIN HODGES who left in July after just over three years as ND.

Baker

KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA…BRETT BAKER returns to Gray Media as ND for this NBC affiliate. He shared the news on his Linkedin page. Brett worked for Straight Arrow News, earlier worked at KOLN/KGIN-TV in Lincoln, NE, for more than 12 years at KSAT-TV in San Antonio, and as a broadcaster for more than eight years in the Air Force. He replaces LAWTON DODD who left last month after less than seven months as ND.

New News Director Openings:

Again, I am not aware of any news openings this week. If I’ve missed something, please let me know via email: rick@rickgevers.com

Help Wanted Ads:

No ads this week, but if you have a news management opening, there’s no better place to advertise it. Email me for details: rick@rickgevers.com