February 15, 2026
Greetings:
While I hope it’s not the case. I may have overlooked an item or two this week for reasons that will be clear when you read this week’s only obituary.
There are THREE new news directors in this week’s report, and no new openings…at least that I know of. That moves our list of open ND jobs to 23.
No GM changes this week. If I missed something, let me know.
Lots of stories in Names in the News:
- Scripps announces a new ‘transformation’
- Is Nexstar’s News Nation programming for an audience of one?
- NBCUniversal is selling NECN
- The latest (though not much new) on the big Denver newsroom shakeup
- One of the three people shown the door there already has a new position
- Many news manager hires at Scripps
- A one-time RTDNA chair suddenly leaves his job
- A former Minneapolis ND has an ambitious new project.
- And IRE has a good turnout for a training session for indigenous student journalists.
And we offer you a chance to win a bar bet…that’s below.
If I did miss anything this week, we’ll try and make it right next time.
Newly Named News Directors:
Greene
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV…JUDY GREENE has been promoted to ND for this Gray Media owned FOX affiliate. She’s been the Assistant ND here, earlier was the morning EP, and previously worked at KSNV-TV (NBC) in Las Vegas. Here’s the note from GM MIKE KORR. She’ll move into the big office once TOM BELL retires next month.
Bar bet opportunity for you. What major market ND officiated Judy’s wedding? The answer is below.
Roberts
KTHV, Little Rock, AR…another Assistant ND moves to the ND spot. Here’s it’s J.D. ROBERTS, a 12 year veteran of this Tegna owned CBS affiliate. He began as an intern and became a producer, EP, and then Assistant ND. GM MARTY SCHACK told the staff in this memo. You’ll learn in J.D’s station bio that he also does movie reviews. He replaces DEAN TRAVINSKI who left a few weeks ago after eight months as ND.
Dodd
KTIV-TV, Sioux City, IA…he’s back! LAWTON DODD returns to the ND chair, now at this Gray Media owned NBC affiliate. Lawton’s a former news director in Monterrey, CA, Peoria, and Eugene, OR. He’s also worked in Columbia, MO. This announcement from the station says he most recently worked as the Public Information Officer for Glynn County, GA. Lawton replaces DIANE CASTILLO who left the station a few months ago after 2+ years as ND.
Dello Stritto
Bar bet trivia answer from above (and again, if you’re drinking in a bar where this was the bet, you need more help than I can provide.) KCBS/KCAL-TV (Los Angeles/CBS duopoly) News Director MIKE DELLO STRITTO officiated JUDY GREENE’s 2019 wedding. Mike worked as a reporter in Vegas and got to know Judy’s husband, ALBERT, who was a photographer at KVVU. Mike tells me he’s officiated at five weddings!
New News Director Openings:
To the best of my knowledge, there were no ND openings created this week.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
No ads this week. If you have a news management opening, there’s no better audience than ours to advertise that job. Please email me for details: rick@rickgevers.com
News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WMUR-TV, Manchester, NH (Boston market), listed 1/11/26)
KSTP-TV, Minneapolis, MN (listed 1/25/26)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 2/15/26)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (listed 1/11/26)
KVVU-TV, Las Vegas, NV (listed 11/2/25)
WHO-TV, Des Moines, IA (relisted 2/8/26)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (listed 2/15/26)
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)
WTTV/WXIN-TV, Indianapolis, IN (AM EP, listed 12/21/25)
WBAL-TV, Baltimore, MD (listed 1/11/26)
WTNH-TV, Hartford/New Haven, CT (AM EP, listed 2/15/26)
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)
WRIC-TV, Richmond, VA (EP of Digital Content, listed 2/8/26)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Morning EP, listed 1/25/26)
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)
WETM-TV, Elmira, NY (Digital EP, relisted 1/11/26)
Other News Management Openings:
Listed 2/15/26:
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (Digital Director)
Listed 12/7/25:
WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (Story Desk Manager)
Obituary:
Mayes
I hope you’ll indulge me a personal note. I’m sorry to share that my sister, KATHY MAYES, died Thursday after a short illness. She was 70 years old and passed away at a hospital in Columbia, MO, where she lived with her husband STEVE. More details on Kathy’s life in this obituary. I was with her Wednesday before flying to Oklahoma City for an IRE event. But she took a sudden turn and died before I could return.
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Scripps announced what President and CEO ADAM SYMSON called a bold transformation plan. Here’s Adam’s post from Linkedin (which contains a link to the announcement). And here’s Variety’s take on the plan, which the publication says will include layoffs.
Is News Nation turning into a FOX News knockoff? That’s what NATALIE KORACH says in the latest column from the Status newsletter. She suggests the network is programming for an audience of one. And I’m guessing YOU can guess who the one viewer is and what the motivation is.
Spectrum News is buying NECN from NBCUniversal.
A Denver publication, Inside the News in Colorado, examines the sudden departures of THREE top managers from Scripps’ KMGH-TV (ABC) but doesn’t have any concrete news.
Olivia D.
However, one of those three managers shown the door earlier this month has already landed a new job. OLIVIA DICKINSON, who had been the Assistant ND at KMGH, is moving to Las Vegas as the Assistant ND for KVVU-TV (Gray/FOX) replacing JUDY GREENE, who, as you learned above, will become ND there in a few weeks.
Some news manager moves at Scripps:
COLBY ROOT has been promoted to EP from Manager of Enterprise Content at KNXV-TV in Phoenix.
JORDAN MAITCH moves from Managing Editor to Assistant ND at WPTV in West Palm Beach.
KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi fills its open EP position by hiring JUSTIN VALDEZ from sister station WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee.
The new Executive Reporter at WGBA-TV in Green Bay is MATTHEW KOHLS. He’s been the chief photographer there.
MATT SAMPSON joins KTNV-TV in Las Vegas as Real Time Desk Manager. He had been Digital Media Director for KPCW Radio in Park City, UT.
One time RTDNA chairman TERENCE SHEPHERD suddenly left his job as news director for San Diego public media affiliate KPBS this week. He was there about 3 1/2 years.
Canova
Former Minneapolis News Director TED CANOVA emailed me this week to tell me about his current project called The Front Porch Movement. He says it’s a multi-media, civic engagement project to counter the country’s growing polarization. I’ve not had a chance to review it yet but wanted to share his note with you. You could share your thoughts with Ted via an email sent here.
Investigative Reporters & Editors conducted another training session this week for minority journalists, this one geared towards Indigenous student journalists. More than 30 participated in the session held in Oklahoma City. Another 30 local professionals joined for a meet and greet session. Here’s part of a note from IRE’s Director of Diversity and Inclusion, FRANCISCO VARA-ORTA:
We had about two dozen tribes represented across Indian Country and students as far as University of Guam who used our fellowship funding to get a match from Press Forward funding to take 3 flights to come here. Just amazing. I included a photo of them and our larger group today.
General Manager News and Notes:
I’m not aware of any GM changes this week.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, February 15, 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
WNBC/WNJU-TV 30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10112
KHOU-TV 5718 Westheimer Rd Houston, TX 77057
KDEN-TV 4100 East Dry Creek Rd. Centennial, CO 80122 **
KMGH-TV 2323 Delgany St, Denver, CO 80203
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
WAVE-TV 725 S. Floyd St. Louisville KY 40203
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
xxKAVU-TV. 3808 N Navarro St. Victoria, TX 77901
**: Spanish language station