February 1, 2026
Saturday, February 7, 2026 UPDATE:
Greetings:
A MASSIVE news management overhaul in Denver and an apparent flip-flop from the President.
McRae
MEGAN (JURGEMEYER) McRAE, who’s been the Senior Director of News for Scripps’ KMGH-TV (ABC) since August, 2023, has left the station. Also out the door were Assistant News Director OLIVIA DICKINSON and Digital Director LANDON HAAF. Here’s the memo GM BRIAN JOYCE sent to the staff after a newsroom meeting yesterday.
Megan had been the ND at KUSA-TV (Tegna/NBC) in Denver before returning to KMGH. Ironically her move to KMGH came in the same email that announced Brian’s return to the station as GM.
In other breaking news, President Trump has now endorsed the Nexstar-Tegna merger which he had earlier opposed.
We’ll hope to have more on these stories and the rest of the news this weekend.
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
THREE new (okay, one not so new) news directors to tell you about, with just ONE new opening. Our count of open ND jobs drops to 23.
We have an ad for an Assistant ND job in Minneapolis.
And, sadly, an obituary for a legendary Minneapolis broadcaster who many credit for building WCCO-TV.
A longtime broadcaster who’d been an ND in FOUR large markets and a GM in others is retiring. That’s below.
And in Names in the News, a lot of quick items…and AL TOMPKINS will tell you why some journalists educators are teaching things NO ONE every imagined they would.
Stay safe and warm!
Newly Named News Directors:
Truett
WISC-TV, Madison, WI…MIKE TRUETT has been bumped up to news director for this Morgan Murphy Media owned CBS affiliate. He’s been the Assistant ND since joining the station last summer. He’s a former ND in Wichita and Springfield, IL and has worked in other markets. At WISC, he replaces KYLE FOBE who left in October after 2 1/2 years as ND.
Diaz
KWES-TV, Midland-Odessa, TX…JOHN DIAZ moves within Tegna to become the next news director for this NBC affiliate. He’s been the Texas Digital Content Director for Tegna, a job he started last May. He’s also worked for Tegna stations in Houston and Austin. He replaces NATASHA WILLIAMS who left late last year after just a few months on the job.
Cole
WWNY-TV, Watertown, NY…there’s behind, and then there is WAY behind. That’s the situation here where we are tardy in telling you that JEFF COLE was promoted to news director.
In 2022.
Apologies. Jeff also anchors at this Gray owned CBS affiliate. More on Jeff and his background via his station profile.
New News Director Openings:
Travinski
KTHV-TV, Little Rock, AR…DEAN TRAVINSKI has left this Tegna owned CBS affiliate after about eight months as news director. He spent the previous six years as the Assistant News Director for cross-town rival KARK-TV, and has also worked in Dallas (two stations), Kansas City and Oklahoma City.
Eller
Last week’s report on KIMBERLY ELLER leaving WJCL-TV in Savannah to teach at Washington and Lee University was correct…except for the part where I moved Washington and Lee to Lexington, KY. It was, is, and I am guessing always will be in Lexington, VA. New this edition: Kimberly will replace another former ND, KEVIN FINCH who is retiring after 13 years at W&L.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
Assistant News Director, KSTP-TV, Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN:
KSTP 5 Eyewitness News is looking for an Assistant News Director to help direct and manage overall efforts for the news department.
KSTP-TV is the award-winning ABC network affiliate for the Twin Cities, part of Hubbard Broadcasting. KSTP-TV is a longtime market leader, and is committed to excellence in all that it does-broadcast news with hyper-local coverage, important public service that deals powerfully with today’s issues, and now, more than ever, top-notch digital content, to reach our viewers and followers with information the way they want to receive it.
When you work for KSTP, or our other local, independently operated station KSTC, Channel 45, you will find yourself among dedicated, passionate people who work hard every day to improve our product and our community.
Minneapolis-St. Paul is known for its abundance of lakes, rivers and endless nature and park systems. One of the most highly educated metros in the world, The Twin Cities boasts a huge arts and theatre scene, world-class restaurants and the friendliest people around-known for being ‘Minnesota Nice’.
If you have the qualifications, and you are a person of talent and integrity, we invite you to apply!
For the complete application and job description, please click here:
News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WMUR-TV, Manchester, NH (Boston market), listed 1/11/26)
KSTP-TV, Minneapolis, MN (listed 1/25/26, see ad above!)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (listed 1/11/26)
WPTV, West Palm Beach, FL (relisted 1/25/26)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 11/2/25)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (relisted 11/16/25)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WDCW/WDVM-TV, Washington, DC (listed 1/18/26)
WCVB-TV, Boston, MA (listed 1/11/26)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (Streaming Content EP/Host, relisted 1/11/26)
KAZT-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Digital EP, listed 1/18/26)
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (listed 12/7/25)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (AM EP, listed 12/21/25)
WBAL-TV, Baltimore, MD (listed 1/11/26)
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (Nightside EP, listed revised 1/25/26)
WPBF-TV, West Palm Beach, FL (listed 1/11/26)
WOOD-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (Cable stations EP, listed 1/18/26)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (listed 1/11/26)
WFTX-TV, Ft. Myers, FL (relisted 1/11/26)
WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY (listing modified 12/7/25)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Morning EP, listed 1/25/26)
WBRE-TV, Wilkes-Barre, PA (listed 1/11/26)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (Morning EP, listing revised 11/16/25)
WDBJ-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 11/30/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (relisted 12/7/25)
KELO-TV, Sioux Falls, SD (listed 1/18/26)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (AM EP, relisted 1/25/26)
KXMB-TV, Bismarck, ND (Digital EP, listed 12/14/25)
WETM-TV, Elmira, NY (Digital EP, relisted 1/11/26)
Other News Management Openings:
Relisted 1/25/26:
WCPO-TV, Cincinnati, OH (Senior Manager of Digital Content)
KRIS-TV, Corpus Christi, TX (Executive Reporter)
Listed 1/11/26:
KXAN-TV, Austin, TX (Digital Director)
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (Real Time Desk Manager)
Listed 12/7/25:
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (Story Desk Manager)
WGBA-TV, Green Bay, WI (Executive Reporter)
Obituary:
Handberg
RON HANDBERG, a legendary broadcaster in Minneapolis-St. Paul, died in his sleep last Sunday at the age of 87. He became news director for WCCO-TV in 1971 and eventually served as GM before leaving in 1989. He is credited with launching an award winning investigative unit among many other things. To my surprise, I could find no mention of his passing on the WCCO website, but did find this obituary and a profile from the Minnesota Broadcasting Hall of Fame.
Names in the News (and other stuff):
In a sad sign of the times, AL TOMPKINS shares that some Minneapolis educators are teaching their students new skills. Among them: how to treat bullet wounds. His report is here.
Lots of quick items this week:
Longtime Minneapolis newsman JOHN DAENZER is retiring.
So is KEVIN BEATTIE, who spent his career at WLOS-TV in Asheville.
And so is JOHN MOORE, a former ND at WWNY-TV in Watertown, NY.
NOT retiring: TOM PLANCHET, returning to New Orleans as the new Assistant ND at Tegna’s WWL-TV. He worked there before becoming digital director at Tegna’s KSDK-TV in St. Louis.
RICK BOONE has a new job.
The Kneeland Project has two new board members with impressive backgrounds.
And WAYNE LYNCH, longtime TV news director who wrote a new horror fiction book advertised on these pages last fall, was interviewed about the book – which feature newspaper and TV reporters in a vampire story – on the Speaking of Writers podcast.
General Manager News and Notes:
Reingold
Veteran broadcaster DICK REINGOLD is retiring later this spring. For almost eight years, he’s been the GM for Hubbard’s WHEC-TV (NBC) in Rochester, NY. Dick sent this note to the staff there, which details his next move. His impressive background includes multiple GM and ND stops, and it’s all detailed on his LinkedIn page. Friends can send him a note via an email here.
In our report last week of MARCI DANIELS‘ move to GM for Nexstar’s WOOD-TV (NBC) in Grand Rapids, MI, we told you she was leaving WSYM-TV in Lansing. In fact, she’s been the GM for Nexstar’s WLNS-TV in Lansing and will continue to oversee that station until her replacement is found.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 1, 2026:
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
KHOU-TV 5718 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77057
KDEN-TV 4100 East Dry Creek Rd. Centennial, CO 80122 **
KOVR/KMAX-TV 2713 KOVR Dr. W. Sacramento, CA 95605
WBFF-TV 2000 W 41st St Baltimore, MD 21211
WITI-TV 9001 N Green Bay Rd. Milwaukee, WI 53209
KVVU-TV 25 TV5 Dr. Henderson, NV 89014
WAVE-TV 725 S. Floyd St. Louisville KY 40203
KTHV-TV 720 Izard Street Little Rock, AR 72201
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WJCL-TV 1375 Chatham Parkway, Savannah, GA 31405
WTVC-TV 4279 Benton Dr, Chattanooga, TN 37406
KKTV 3100 N Nevada Ave, Ste B, Colorado Springs, CO 80907
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WCBI-TV 201 5th Street South Columbus, MS 39701
KSNT/KTKA-TV 6835 NW HWY 24 Topeka, Kansas 66618
KSWO-TV 1401 SE 60th St. Lawton, OK 73501
KBMT-TV 525 Interstate 10 South, Beaumont, TX 77701
KAAL TV 1320 Salem Road SW Rochester, MN 55902
WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850
KALB-TV 605 Washington Street, Alexandria, LA 71301
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
KAVU-TV. 3808 N Navarro St. Victoria, TX 77901
**: Spanish language station