November 14, 2008
Friday, November 20, UPDATE:

Ray Gomez
1964-2009
Funeral services were held in Laredo, TX, this morning for RAY GOMEZ, the news director for KGNS-TV in Laredo, TX, who died Monday, November 16 of pneumonia after a brief illness. He was 45 years old.
Ray will be buried later today in Del Rio, TX.
Donations in Ray’s memory can be made to The Ray Gomez Scholarship Fund at The Kneeland Project. Ray was a 2005 Kneeland Fellow and had worked with Carole Kneeland at KVUE-TV in Austin. The fund will allow deserving news directors to attend training sessions.
Donations can be made online at www.KneelandProject.org or via mail to:
The Kneeland Project
PO Box 28012
Austin TX 78755
Ray had been the News Director for KGNS-TV since February, 2005, when he was promoted from Executive Producer.
He began his career in newspaper photography, moved to TV photography, then on to a career on the assignment desk in several Texas markets. Ray worked on the Assignment Desk at KENS-TV in San Antonio before moving to Laredo.
Ray is survived by his wife, DIANA “De De” FUENTES, who is the editor of The Laredo Morning Times.
Tuesday, November 17, UPDATE:
Carey
One time New York City ND BILL CAREY returns as ND for Tribune’s WPIX-TV. Bill’s a former ND for WCBS-TV in New York, and also worked at WABC-TV there. He’s previously worked in Chicago, served as an ND in Detroit, and a GM in Tampa. For the past year, he’s been the ND/Station Manager for WQAD-TV, the LocalTV owned ABC affiliate in Moline, IL. At WPIX-TV, Bill replaces KAREN SCOTT who left the station in September after ten years as ND.
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Greetings:
These four new NDs reduce the number of open ND jobs to 25.
We have a handful of new news management openings added to our list. And we have three Names in the News, two of which involve good news for two educators who’ve spent a lot of time in newsrooms.
All that and more, below.
NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS:
KSEE-TV, Fresno, CA…while this is technically not a new opening, we did want to call attention to this opportunity as the station is running a paid ad in this newsletter. The job has been vacant since August, when GEOFF ROTH left to pursue a teaching career at Hofstra Univeristy. KSEE is an NBC affiliate and is owned by Granite.
NEW NEWS DIRECTORS NAMED:
WSFL-TV, Ft. Lauderdale/Miami, FL…as we reported earlier this week, KERRI CAVANAUGH has been named ND for this Tribune-owned independent station here. Kerri has been an EP for WFTS-TV in Tampa and has also worked in West Palm Beach and Tuscaloosa, AL. At WSFL, she replaces JOSE SUAREZ who left the station in September after nine months as ND. WSFL airs a morning news program in conjunction with Tribune’s Sun-Sentinel newspaper.

Harding
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC…we also told you earlier this week that CORRIE HARDING will be the next ND for this Belo-owned NBC affiliate. Corrie’s spent the last 4+ years as ND for Cox’s WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh. He’s also worked in Washington, Dallas, Cleveland, and Columbus, OH. At WCNC, he replaces MARY ALVAREZ who was named EP of Local Programming at the station after four years as ND and more than nine at the station.

Rausch
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL…veteran ND MIKE RAUSCH will start next month as the new ND for this Media General-owned CBS affiliate. Mike’s been an ND in Portland, OR (twice), Orlando, Louisville, Rochester, NY. He’s also worked in Ft. Wayne, Nashville, Little Rock, and Buffalo. Mike’s been out of the TV business since 2006 when he started his own on-line training company. The move reunites him with GM JOE GOLENIOWSKI…they worked together at WHAS-TV in Louisville. At WKRG-TV, he replaces DAN CATES who left the station in May after 10 years as ND, when he was promoted to ND for sister-Media-General station WSPA-TV in Spartansburg, SC.
WBBJ-TV, Jackson, TN…we’re a little late in reporting that ROBERT DAVIDSON is the new ND for this Bahakel owned ABC affiliate. Robert is the former ND for WTVA-TV in Tupelo. He replaces BRAD GRANTHAM who left the station in September to return to Louisiana for personal reasons.
PAID ADS:
NEWS DIRECTOR, KSEE-TV, FRESNO, CA
You must indicate your referral source to be considered.
Successful network affiliate with a rich and proud history of achievement in a very competitive medium market has a place for an experienced, tech savvy, hands-on, motivational News Director to help write our digital future.
The successful candidate will lead an outstanding group of journalists by using modern technologies – while ensuring the traditional standards of journalistic excellence that have brought us respect and success in our community.
Working side by side with your team, you’ll oversee daily coverage on air and on the web. You’ll develop and execute long-term strategies in a team environment, finding great talent behind and in front of the camera, and discovering innovative ways to be successful while maintaining budget disciplines.
Send resume by e-mail or mail to:
KSEE Television, Inc.
Human Resources
5035 E McKinley Ave
Fresno, CA 93727
And via email to:
kseehr@ksee.com
MORNING EXECUTIVE PRODUCER, KOCO-TV, OKLAHOMA CITY
KOCO 5, Eyewitness News 5 in Oklahoma City, is looking for an aggressive and creative Executive Producer to manage our morning newscasts, digital efforts, special projects and wall to wall breaking news.
If you are highly organized, have great people skills, and can demonstrate you are one of the best show doctors in the country we want to hear from you. Your tape should speak for itself. We are interested in hearing from experienced Executive Producers, or line producers with at least 4 years experience.
KOCO is a Hearst-Argyle company with endless opportunities. Qualified candidates should send aircheck from past week, and news philosophy (no phone calls please) to:
Stephanie Croswait
News Director
KOCO-TV
1300 E. Britton Rd.
Oklahoma City OK 73131
KOCO-TV is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in the hiring, training or promotion of employees by reason of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. We are engaged in a continuing effort to seek out prospective applicants for employment with our company. We earnestly solicit your assistance in obtaining employees and request that you refer prospective applicants to us at the address above.
Resumes will be accepted until a qualified candidate is identified. Please note source of referral on all resumes/cover letters/applications.
NEWS DIRECTOR, WHAM-TV, Rochester, NY
A successful candidate must have well-rounded skills to oversee all aspects of news gathering, coverage,
and planning – being first and best with major news events and breaking news on a variety of platforms.
WHAM-TV is the market leader with strong, long-tenured talent. The candidate must have excellent
organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills to motivate both veteran employees and those
with limited experience.
Must be detail-oriented with strong project management skills. Hires, coaches, and evaluates employees.
Manages newsroom budget. Four-year college degree and several years of news management experience
preferred.
Please email cover letter and resume to: staffing@13wham.com
or mail to:
WHAM-TV Human Resources-News
4225 West Henrietta Road
Rochester NY 14623-5225
EOE M/F
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OTHER NEWS MGMT. OPENINGS:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (new listing this week)
WLWT-TV, Cincinnati, OH (new listing this week)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 9/12/09)
EXECUTIVE NEWS PRODUCER:
KIAH-TV, Houston, TX (PM EP, relisted 10/17/09)
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Special Projects, listed 9/18/09)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 9/4/09)
WOFL-TV, Orlando, FL (listed 8/28/09)
KXTV, Sacramento, CA (AM EP, relisted 9/25/09)
WTAE-TV, Pittsburgh, PA (new listing this week)
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, MO (AM EP, listed 8/28/09)
WPEC-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (relisted 9/18/09)
WZZM-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (listed 8/7/09)
KOCO-TV, Oklahoma City, OK (new listing, see ad above)
KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (listed 10/2/09)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL listed 8/28/09)
WLTX-TV, Columbia, SC (relisted 9/18/09)
WPTA/WISE, Ft. Wayne, IN (listed 8/14/09)
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NAMES IN THE NEWS:
KSDK-TV in St. Louis has named JULES BAILEY as its new Morning Executive Producer. She most recently has been field producing in the Midwest for CBS and other clients, but has also worked for CNN/SI, and in Dallas, Phoenix, and Sacramento. She’s from nearby Edwardsville, IL.

Utsler
Congratulations to Kansas University Journalism Professor MAX UTSLER who will be the next President of the Broadcast Education Association. Max has taught electronic journalism at KU for 25 years, and has also taught at Missouri, where we first met. But he has significant professional experience as well, including a stint as Assistant News Director at KSDK-TV in St. Louis and as EP/Sports at KPNX-TV in Phoenix. He’s also worked in Kansas City, Columbia, MO, and Peoria. If you’re one of his many former students (and even if you’re not) your note of congratulations would reach him at utsler@ku.edu. (Full disclosure: Max was best man at my wedding.)

Wasbotten
Speaking of newsmen-turned-educators, THOR WASBOTTEN (who was not the best man at my wedding) has earned a promotion at Penn State University. He’ll become Assistant Dean for Student Media and Online Operations in January. For the last five years, Thor has been GM of Television Operation and Senior Lecturer at Penn State. He’s a former ND in Tucson (KGUN-TV) and ND/Station Manager at KTRV in Boise, ID. You can wish him well via email at: tlw34@psu.edu
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Here’s a complete list of all stations that I believe have an ND opening, as of Saturday, November 13, 2009. If you know of 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
KNTV 2450 North First St. San Jose CA 95131
NewsChannel 8 1100 Wilson Blvd. Arlington VA 22209
WXYZ-TV 20777 W. 10 Mile Road Southfield MI 48037
WTSP-TV 11450 Gandy Boulevard St. Petersburg FL 33702
KUVS-TV 1710 Arden Way Sacramento CA 95815 ***
WZTV-TV 631 Mainstream Drive Nashville TN 37228
KTVX-TV 2175 W. 1700 South Salt Lake City UT 84104
WWMT-TV 590 W. Maple St. Kalamazoo MI 49008
WBRE-TV 62 S. Franklin Wilkes-Barre PA 18701
KSEE-TV 5035 E. McKinley Ave. Fresno CA 93727 (See ad above!)
WFTX-TV 621 SW Pine Island Rd. Cape Coral FL 33991
WNWO-TV 300 S. Byrne Rd. Toledo OH 43615
WHAM-TV 4225 W. Henrietta Rochester NY 14623 (See ad above!)
WHEC-TV, 191 East Ave, Rochester, NY 14604
KSPR-TV 999 W. Sunshine St. Springfield MO 65807
WFFF-TV 298 Mountain View Dr. Colchester VT 05446
KRNV-TV 1790 Vassar St. Reno NV 89502
WPBN/WTOM-TV 8518 M 72 West Traverse City MI 49684
KHBS/KHOG-TV 2809 Ajax Avenue, # 200 Rogers AR 72758
WMGT-TV PO Box 4328 Macon GA 31208
WWAY-TV 615 N. Front St. Wilmington NC 28401
KIDK-TV 1255 E.17th St. Idaho Falls ID 83404
KALB-TV 605 Washington St. Alexandria LA 71301
*** (Spanish language)