October 5, 2025
Tuesday, October 7, 2025 UPDATE:
A FOX o-and-o reached across the state to hire its next news director.
Blanton
WJBK-TV in Detroit named BROOKS BLANTON as its next VP/News Director. Here’s the news release. Brooks is currently the ND for Tegna’s WZZM-TV (ABC) in Grand Rapids, Earlier in his career he ran the news department at WXMI-TV (FOX) in Grand Rapids, with a brief stint as ND for WCCB-TV in Charlotte in between. He’s also worked as a producer for Fox News Channel. Brooks’ complete career history is here.
And two clarifications from Sunday’s newsletter.
Davis
Thanks to several readers who’d worked with her for pointing it out, but I had the wrong first name for BELVA DAVIS, a trail blazing reporter on the West Coast.
And several other readers wondered if WAYNE LYNCH‘s book about vampire hunters was really non-fiction, as his ad said.
This should not surprise you, but it is not non-fiction.
We’ll be back this weekend with our full report, or earlier if news warrants another UPDATE.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Monday, October 6, 2025 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Two items in this update.
Weiss
First, Paramount has purchased the news and opinion site The Free Press and is installing its co-founder, BARI WEISS, as Editor in Chief of CBS News. The move is likely to unnerve some of the old guard at CBS News. This Wall Street Journal story says the Free Press site is known for railing against so-called woke orthodoxy. Weiss started the site, along with her wife and sister, after leaving her job as an opinion columnist and editor at The New York Times, saying she was done with legacy media.
Second item: Due to my editing error, last night’s new ad from our friends at Barry Nash & Company contained a bad URL (emailed newsletter version only) which was unfortunate since it was a strong column. But you can click on the corrected ad below to read it. I hope you do.
We’ll see you next week with our full report, or earlier if news warrants an UPDATE.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
Twenty Five.
That’s the lowest in a long time count of open ND jobs according to our always unofficial figures.
That’s after FIVE new NDs were named this week, with NO new openings.
We have an ad for new book penned by a former news director. It sounds interesting…check it out below.
And we’re pleased to share that BARRY NASH & COMPANY has renewed its support for our efforts. That renewal comes with an interesting new post…it’s just below.
A former ND turned agent turned recruiter is recovering from surgery to remove a brain tumor…and he says his prognosis is good. That’s in Names in the News.
There’s ONE new GM as another former ND moves into the corner office.
And we have FOUR obituaries, including one for an Illinois GM who was once ND at his station.
All that and more as you read on.
Newly Named News Directors:
Abul-Ela
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC…SHAREEF ABUL-ELA is one of several new NDs this week who’s being promoted from Assistant ND. He’s been the AND here for two years. Details in this news release. Shareef’s also worked in several other markets and for Live Now, a FOX streaming service. He replaces TODD SPESSARD who was promoted to ND for sister Tegna station WXIA-TV in Atlanta.
Noschese
KDKA-TV, Pittsburgh, PA…congratulations to another Assistant ND who is moving up. CATHY NOSCHESE starts tomorrow as VP/News Director for this CBS o-and-o. This news release says Cathy has been there for has more than 35 years, though it omits a 15 months stint at NBC News Now that’s shared on her Linkedin page. She replaces SHAWN HODER who left in August to become ND for the startup news department at CBS owned WUPA-TV in Atlanta.
Ruefer
KWQC-TV, Davenport, IA…MAREAH RUEFER moves within Gray Media and returns to KWQC as news director. This NBC affiliate serves the Quad Cities in Illinois and Iowa. She’s been the Assistant ND at Gray’s WMTV in Madison, WI and replaces BETH MARSOUN who left this NBC affiliate…and the television news business…back in July.
Martinez
KRGV-TV, Weslaco, TX…yet ANOTHER Assistant ND moving up to the ND job at this Manship owned ABC affiliate. ANGIE MARTINEZ gets the promotion here. She’s been the AND for two years and has worked at KRGV since 2010. Details in this story posted on the station’s website. She replaces ZOLTAN CSANYI-SALCEDO who left in August after six years as ND.
Carly G.
WTOK-TV, Meridian, MS…CARLY GENSHEIMER returns to this Gray TV owned ABC affiliate as ND. She is currently the morning EP at sister Gray station WLBT-TV in Jackson, MS. Gray Regional VP TED FORTENBERRY shared the news via this email. Before WLBT, Carly was a producer for WTOK. She replaces LAUREN CARSON who left the station suddenly in the last week or two.
New News Director Openings:
Remarkably, despite FIVE new hires to fill open ND jobs, to my knowledge there are NO openings this week.
Paid Ad:
BLOOD STAINED PAPERS – A new book by Wayne Lynch
Wayne Lynch, a reader of this site, a friend and longtime broadcast and regional cable news director has written his first fiction novel, a Halloween thriller.
It’s about an aggressive TV reporter recruited by a secret society of vampire hunters to save three print reporters infected by a centuries-old demon.
The story mixes real-time crimes with abundant fantasy horror in a mid 1970s East Coast city where he actually worked. It features location photos to weave a tale of terror, where only love can save the reporters’ humanity and their futures, but only after a violent death match between two vampire rivals.
It’s called Blood Stained Papers, available as an eBook at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
No help wanted ads this week. If you have a news management opening, there is no more targeted place to advertise! Email me for details: rick@rickgevers.com
News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WPIX-TV, New York, NY (listed 10/5/25)
WCVB-TV, Boston, MA (listed 8/4/25)
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 9/21/25)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (listed 8/10/25)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 9/14/25)
WJCL-TV, Savannah, GA (listed 8/17/25)
KIII-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (listed 8/10/25)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
KTLA-TV, Los Angeles, CA (Digital EP, listed 9/21/25)
WMUR-TV, Manchester, NH (Boston market) (listed 8/4/25)
WMUR-TV, Manchester, NH (Boston market) (Chronicle EP, listed 8/4/25)
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (listed 8/24/25)
KPNX-TV, Phoenix, AZ (EP/Inv. & Special Projects, relisted 9/14/25)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (EP Evening Magazine, relisted 9/14/25)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (Streaming Content EP, listed 9/21/25)
WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (listed 8/24/25)
KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (listed 8/24/25)
KCRA-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 8/4/25)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (listed 8/10/25)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (relisted 9/21/25)
WYFF-TV, Greenville, SC (listed 8/4/25)
WFOR-TV, Oklahoma City, OK (listed 8/4/25)
WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY (Digital EP, listed 8/24/25)
WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, NY (relisted 9/14/25)
WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY (Digital EP, listing modified 9/21/25)
WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 9/14/25)
WBRE-TV, Wilkes-Barre, PA (Sr. EP of News & Streaming, listed 8/17/25)
KCCI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 8/4/25)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 9/14/25)
KHON-TV, Honolulu, HI (listed 10/5/25)
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (relisted 8/4/25)
KOLR-TV, Springfield, MO (Digital Content Director, listed 9/28/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (relisted 9/28/25)
WVNY-WFFF-TV, Burlington, VT (Digital EP, relisted 9/28/25)
WMAZ-TV, Macon, GA (listed 8/24/25)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (AM EP, listed 9/1/25)
Other News Management Openings:
Listed 10/5/25:
WDHN-TV, Dothan, AL (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 8/17/25:
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (GM and Department Head)
Obituaries:
Newell
SHAUN NEWELL, the GM at Nexstar’s WMBD-TV in Peoria, lost his battle with cancer this week, He was just 47 and had earlier been the ND at WMBD. The station reported his death here.
ROGER MANN, a former ND and anchor at Madison’s WKOW-TV, died at age 84 at his home in Florida.
JIM READER, who was ND at two Charleston, WV, stations and worked at a third, died this week of lymphoma. He was 81.
And while we normally restrict our coverage to management people, we have a soft spot for trail brazers. One such person was BELLA DAVIS, the first black woman to be hired as a TV journalist on the west coast. Bella died last week at the age of 82. Her obituary is as interesting as she must have been.
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Bothwell
MIKE BOTHWELL is recovering from surgery to remove a brain tumor! He sent me this note and says his prognosis is good. Mike is Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition for Spectrum. He’s a former news director in several markets and spent 4+ years as an agent. A kind note of well wishes can be sent here.
GREG YARBROUGH has been promoted to Multiplatform Content Manager at KARK/KLRT-TV in Little Rock.
General Manager News and Notes:
Quince
ALEXANDER QUINCE has been named GM for Gray’s WBNG-TV in Binghamton, NY. He’s currently the Senior Director of News and Content for Spectrum in Albany, NY. He’s worked in markets from New York (EP at WABC-TV) to Tulsa (ND at KJRH-TV). It’s all on his LinkedIn page. At WBNG, he replaces BOB KRUMMENACKER who retired last month after 44 years at the station.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, September 28, 2025:
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
WDCW/WDVM-TV 2121 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20007
WJBK-TV 16550 W Nine Mile Rd, Southfield, MI 48037
WTHR-TV 1000 N. Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46204
KSWB/KUSI-TV 7191 Engineer Rd., San Diego, CA 92111
WBNS-TV 770 Twin Rivers Dr., Columbus, OH 43215
KEYE-TV 10700 Metric Blvd, Austin, TX 78758
WKRC-TV 1906 Highland Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45219
WXMI-TV 3117 Plaza Drive NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525
WAVE-TV 725 S. Floyd St. Louisville KY 40203
WFTX-TV 621 SW Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral, FL 33991
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WPSD-TV, 408 Kentucky Ave, Paducah, KY 42003
WBTW-TV 101 McDonald Court Myrtle Beach SC 29588
WCTV 1801 Halstead Blvd. Tallahassee, FL 32309
WEAU-TV 1907 S. Hastings Way Eau Claire, WI 54701
WSAW-TV 1114 Grand Ave. Wausau, WI 54403
WCBI-TV 201 5th Street South Columbus, MS 39701
KXMB-TV 1811 N 15th St. Bismarck, ND 58501
KSWO-TV 1401 SE 60th St. Lawton, OK 73501
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
WBNG-TV 560 Columbia Dr. Johnson City, NY 13790
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
**: Spanish language station