July 13, 2025
Thursday, July 17, 2025 UPDATE:
Greetings:
For the second time this week, a Tegna senior news manager has left the building. (Alert: Elvis reference there. Younger readers can look it up.)
Rick M.
This time it’s RICK McLAUGHLIN, who’d been news director for the company’s WBNS-TV (CBS) in Columbus, OH, since June, 2023. Here’s the note that went out Monday from General Manager RICK ROGALA. McLaughlin…an Ohio native…went to WBNS after four years as ND for WAPT-TV in Jackson, MS, part of a 13 year career with Hearst. His complete career timeline is detailed in his Linkedin profile.
His departure preceded by two days that of KSDK-TV (St. Louis) Director of Content MORGAN SCHAAB, who resigned yesterday after 18 months at that Tegna NBC affiliate.
We’ll see you this Sunday with our full newsletter, or earlier if news warrants an UPDATE.
regards,
Rick Gevers
Wednesday, July 16, 2025 UPDATE:
A bad comedian…and probably more than one…has oft proven that timing is….
…everything.
Schaab
And the timing is certainly curious in St. Louis, where MORGAN SCHAAB resigned today as director of content for Tegna’s KSDK-TV. Her resignation comes just two weeks before news director ART HOLLIDAY (who reported to her) retires…and the very day after a well produced, if gentle, ‘roast’ of Art at the Missouri History Museum. Art spent 46 years at the station in five very distinct roles. (I was honored to attend. Art invited me as I had told him about the opening for his first job there, weekend sports anchor. We were classmates at Missouri.)
Morgan became director of Content at KSDK in early 2024, joining from Tegna’s KFSM-TV in Ft. Smith, AR, where she was also Director of Content. She previously was a news director in Decatur, IL.
GM ALICIA EISNER sent this note to the staff this morning.
By the way, if you want to watch Art’s roast, the station streamed it and posted the video to YouTube today. Several longtime KSDK anchors were among the speakers.
Have a great week…
regards,
Rick Gevers
regards,
Rick Gevers
**** ***** ****
Greetings:
There’s a new ND in the number ONE market this week.
That’s one of TWO new NDs hired. And there are TWO new openings. We’ve also removed TWO stations from our list as parent companies have assigned managers from nearby sister stations to run those newsrooms.
Those changes leave 34 stations on our list of openings.
ONE of those openings (in a TOP TEN market) is one of our TWO Paid Help Wanted ads this week…the other is for an Assistant ND job in the south.
But the most important thing in this week’s edition is a column from HANK PRICE about what YOU should be doing NOW to prepare yourself for the likely upcoming wave of layoffs that’s almost certain to result in lots of changes to our business. And those layoffs will hit EVERY position, from GMs on down.
Hank’s column is below in Names in the News (right after the first of the many expected station ownership changes).
I strongly urge you to read it.
Newly Named News Directors:
Dobson
WPIX-TV, New York, NY…the first of our TWO Monday UPDATES reported BEN DOBSON’s move within Nexstar to be the next ND for this CW affiliate. GM CHRIS O’DONNELL shared the news. Ben’s been the ND for WDCW/WDVM-TV in Washington for 3+ years and worked for NBC in Boston and Hartford before that. More on his background here. He replaces NICOLE TINDIGLIA who moves to Director of Digital Content. Nexstar operates the station for Mission Broadcasting. More on Mission here.
Snow
WHIO-TV, Dayton, OH…LONI (BLANDFORD) SNOW takes her second Dayton ND job as the ND for this Cox Media owned CBS affiliate. Earlier in her career Loni was ND for Nexstar’s WDTN-TV (NBC) before taking a job on the recruiting staff for Nexstar, though that position was eliminated late last year. She’s also worked in Indianapolis, Nashville, and Las Vegas. among other stops. She replaces JOE COWAN who was promoted to ND for Cox’s WSB-TV (ABC) in Atlanta.
And we’ve removed TWO stations from our list of openings as ND’s from sister stations in other markets will oversee them.
KMID/KPEJ-TV, Odessa, TX…RUSS POTEET, news director for sister Nexstar operation KLBK-TV in Lubbock, will be in charge here. Russ has been ND in Lubbock for more than 22 years.
KIMT-TV, Mason City, IA…LISA BURGER, ND of sister Allen Media station KWWL-TV in Waterloo, IA…will supervise this newsroom.
New News Director Openings:
WDCW/WDVM-TV, Washington, DC…you learned above that BEN DOBSON is off to the big city as ND for Nexstar’s WPIX-TV (CW) in New York. You can learn more about this opportunity in the number one market by checking out the display ad just below.
Larson
WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI…JACE LARSON is leaving this Scripps’ owned FOX affiliate after nine months as news director. GM KIM KRAUSE told the staff via this email. Her note mentions an ND job out of Scripps: Jace told via email tonight that his new station hasn’t yet announced his hire but he’ll pass it along when it does. Jace began his career on air, and worked as an investigative reporter in Denver and Houston.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
Assistant News Director, WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA:
WBRZ is seeking an innovative, energetic newsroom leader to join the journalism team as Assistant News Director.
This position will manage day-to-day newsroom operations, implementing the strategy set by the News Director. Will directly manage digital/desk personnel on deployment of personnel, content generation, and day-of planning. This newsroom thrives on urgency.
WBRZ prides itself on being authentically local and is the area’s only locally owned and operated TV news station.
Send resume, brief cover letter, and an outline of your news philosophy to Letitia Walker, News Director, Lwalker@wbrz.com, hr@wbrz.com, or mail to WBRZ-TV, P.O. Box 2906, Baton Rouge, LA 70821.
Pre-employment drug screening and background check is required. EOE.
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre, PA (listed 7/13/25)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (listed 6/15/25)
WAAY-TV, Huntsville, AL (listed 5/18/25)
WBRZ-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (listed 7/13/25, see ad above!)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX (listed 6/8/25)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (relisted 6/15/25)
KPNX-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Inv. & Special Projects, listed 7/6/25)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (EP Evening Magazine, relisted 6/29/25)
WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 6/1/25)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (relisted 6/1/25)
KARE-TV, Minneapolis MN (listed 7/6/25)
KMGH-TV, Denver, CO (listed 7/13/25)
KTXL-TV, Sacramento, CA (listed 6/29/25)
KGW-TV, Portland, OR (listed 7/6/25)
KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 7/6/25)
KSTU-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 7/13/25)
KTVX-TV, Salt Lake City, UT (listed 7/6/25)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (relisted 6/15/25)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, relisted 6/15/25)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (relisted 6/15/25)
KRQE-TV, Albuquerque, NM (Nightside EP, listed 5/11/25)
WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (relisted 6/15/25)
WGRZ-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 7/6/25)
WIVB/WNLO-TV, Buffalo, NY (Digital EP, listed 7/13/25)
WKBW-TV, Buffalo, NY (listed 7/13/25)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (relisted 7/13/25)
KGUN-TV, Tucson, AZ (Digital EP, listed 7/13/25)
WOI-TV, Des Moines, IA (relisted 6/29/25)
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 6/1/25)
WOWK-TV, Charleston, WV (Digital EP, listed 6/15/25)
WZDX-TV, Huntsville, AL (listed 7/6/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 5/18/25)
KFSM-TV, Fayetteville, AR (listed 7/6/25)
WTXL-TV, Tallahassee, FL (listed 6/15/25)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (relisted 6/29/25)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 6/8/25)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 7/13/25:
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (Real Time Desk Manager)
Listed 6/15/25:
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (Executive Reporter)
Listed 6/8/25:
WDHN-TV, Dothan, AL (Digital News Manager)
Listed 5/26/25:
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (Assignment Desk Manager)
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Our Monday update brought you news of the Gray-Scripps station swaps. If you missed it there….
Scripps’s news release is here.
And Gray’s pretty much identical release is here.
These are widely believed to be the first is a long series of station deals in the future, if/when the FCC changes its ownership rules.
Industry veteran HANK PRICE predicts (and he’s not alone) MANY layoffs ahead and offers excellent advice on what YOU should be doing NOW, no matter your role at a station or company.
There are some moves this week:
At WTVR-TV in Richmond, VA, JORDAN RASTBERGER has been been promoted to Assistant ND. Jordan had been the morning EP for this Scripps station.
DANIELLA OROPEZA has been promoted to assistant ND for Allen’s WTVA-TV in Tupelo, MS. She’ll continue to anchor there.
General Manager News and Notes:
After a busy week of GM changes last week, there are NONE that I am aware of this week. Please let me know if I’ve missed anything.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, July 13, 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
WGN-TV 2501 West Bradley Place Chicago, IL 60618
WKTB 4675 River Green Pkwy, Duluth, GA 30096 **
WXIA-TV One Monroe Place NE Atlanta, GA 30324
WDCW/WDVM-TV 2121 Wisconsin Ave, NW, Washington DC, 20007 (See ad above!)
WTTG-TV 7272 Wisconsin Ave., 8th floor, Bethesda, MD 20814
WBZ-TV 1170 Soldiers Field Road Boston, MA 02134
WMUR-TV 100 South Commercial St. Manchester, NH 03101 (Boston)
KING-TV 1501 1st Ave. South Ste 300 Seattle, WA 98134
WJBK-TV 16550 W Nine Mile Rd, Southfield, Michigan 48037
KARE-TV 8811 Olson Memorial Hwy. Minneapolis, MN 55427
WKYC-TV 1333 Lakeside Avenue Cleveland, OH 44114
KSAT-TV 1408 N St. Mary’s St, San Antonio, TX 78215
WCPO-TV 1720 Gilbert Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45202
WPEC-TV 1100 Fairfeild Drive W. Palm Beach FL 33407
WXMI-TV 3117 Plaza Drive NE Grand Rapids, MI 49525
KOKH-TV 1228 E Wilshire Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK 73111
WFTX-TV 621 SW Pine Island Rd, Cape Coral, FL 33991
WGRZ-TV 259 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14202
KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501
WSLS-TV 821 5th St SW, Roanoke, VA 24016
WMTV 615 Forward Drive Madison, WI 53711
KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 **
WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918
WCTV 1801 Halstead Blvd. Tallahassee, FL 32309
WEAU-TV 1907 S. Hastings Way Eau Claire, WI 54701
KIII-TV 5002 South Padre Island Drive Corpus Christi, TX 78411
KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX 79761
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
KTXS-TV 4420 N. Clack St.Abilene, TX 79601
KOTA-TV 2001 Skyline Drive Rapid City, SD 57701
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
**: Spanish language station