July 6, 2025
Monday, July 7, 2025 UPDATE: #2
Greetings:
Gray Media and Scripps are swapping stations in a number of medium and small markets, creating (SURPRISE) new duopolies for each company.
Scripps’s news release is here.
And Gray’s pretty much identical release is here.
More to come, I suspect.
regards,
Rick Gevers
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Monday, July 7, 2025 UPDATE:
Greetings:
Nexstar promotes from within to fill its ND opening in New York.
Dobson
BEN DOBSON, who is currently ND and Station Manager for the company’s WDVM/WDCW-TV in Washington, DC, heads north as the next ND for WPIX-TV (CW) in New York, Here’s the note to staff from ‘PIX GM CHRIS McDONNELL. Before joining Nexstar, Ben was the ND for NBC’s Boston operation and earlier and been the ND for WVIT-TV, the NBC o-and-o in Hartford. He also worked in several other Boston newsrooms.
At WPIX, he replaces NICOLE TINDIGLIA, who’s been the ND since 2021 and will become Director of Digital Content at the station..
Of note: Nexstar operates the station for its owner, Mission Broadcasting. More on Mission here.
Have a great week.
regards,
Rick Gevers
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Greetings:
Changes at FOX owned stations created TWO of our THREE ND openings this week. And the TWO new position that were filled were in a pretty small markets.
Our count of open ND jobs remains at 36 because we added a station in Corpus Christi that opened up a few weeks ago…but due to an editing error we failed to include it when we should have.
No paid ads this week. If you’re having trouble filling a news management opening, can you find a more targeted place to advertise that job?
The biggest story of the week was probably Paramount settling its lawsuit filed by President Trump. I couldn’t find anything to add to that coverage that you likely hadn’t already seen.
So I didn’t include anything. Sue me.
Too soon?
New this edition: The full obituary for legendary broadcaster BILL APPLEGATE who died suddenly this week. That’s below.
Lots of GM changes, including some at FOX o-and-o’s. Gray named TWO new GMs (including promoting a current ND) and, not to be left out, Sinclair named one as well.
And in Names in the News, a Variety interview with TIM WIELAND, the (relatively) new GM for KCBS/KCAL-TV in Los Angeles on his plans there.
All that and more as you read on.
Newly Named News Directors:
Konoske
WLUC-TV, Marquette, MI…SHANNON KONOSKE has been promoted to news director for this Gray Media owned NBC and FOX affiliates. She’s been the Assistant ND there. She’s worked here since 2021 and replaces ANDREW LACOMBE who is leaving for a new opportunity.
KIDY-TV, San Angelo, TX, has filled its open Director of Content position but the name has not yet been released. We will, of course, fill you in when we can.
New News Director Openings:
A number of changes at FOX owned stations.
Paul M.
WTTG-TV, Washington, DC…congratulations to PAUL McGONAGLE who’s been promoted to GM for sister FOX o-and-o WJBK-TV in Detroit where he will replace GREG EASTERLY, who is retiring. Paul’s been ND at WTTG for more than ten years, and previously was ND for FOX’s WFXT-TV in Boston. Paul’s also worked in Providence, Cedar Rapids, IA, and White River Junction, VT.
Moore
WJBK-TV, Detroit, MI…Paul’s first job as GM at his new station will be to find a new news director. LAURA MOORE, who’s been the ND here since 2023, has left the station, where she had worked since 1998. This story from The Detroit Free-Press has more details. And this news release from FOX has more details on Paul’s move AND the promotion of AMBER EIKEL to Regional GM. She’ll oversee KTTV in Los Angeles while continuing as GM of Fox’s KCPQ-TV in Seattle.
Laszewski
WMTV, Madison, WI…JESSICA LASZEWSKI is leaving this Gray Media station to return to WSAW-TV in Wausau, WI, as GM. Jessica has been the ND at this NBC affiliate since 2017. She’d earlier been the ND at WSAW, and briefly served as an ND in South Bend.
Paid Help Wanted Ad:
No ads this week. Having trouble filling a news management role? There’s no more targeted place to advertise that opening. Email me for more information: rick@rickgevers.com
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 5/4/25)
KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (listed 6/15/25)
WAAY-TV, Huntsville, AL (listed 5/18/25)
KOAA-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (listed 5/11/25)
KRDO-TV, Colorado Springs, CO (listed 4/13/25)
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)
WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Digital EP, relisted 6/1/25)
WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (relisted 6/1/25)
KARE-TV, Minneapolis MN (listed 7/6/25)
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)
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)
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL (AM EP, relisted 6/29/25)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 5/4/25)
KGUN-TV, Tucson, AZ (listed 5/26/25)
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 6/29/25:
WFTX-TV, Ft, Myers, FL (Executive Reporter)
Listed 6/15/25:
KTNV-TV, Las Vegas, NV (Executive Reporter)
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (Digital Content Manager)
Listed 6/8/25:
WDHN-TV, Dothan, AL (Digital News Manager)
Listed 5/26/25:
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (Assignment Desk Manager)
Obituary:
Applegate
Many of you likely already know (perhaps from our UPDATE) of the passing of legendary broadcaster BILL APPLEGATE who died suddenly Tuesday at the age of 79. New this edition: This obituary from his son WILLIAM who followed his dad into our business. And for those of you who missed these stories, here’s one from Chicago (where Bill worked twice) and this from when he retired from his last TV job in Cleveland.
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Valentine
More changes at Tegna, as we reported on Monday. MICHAEL VALENTINE and JAVIER MORGADO have been named VPs of Content, overseeing a handful of stations. Details in this news release. Michael;s a former ND in several markets who is currently Station Manager at WUSA-TV (CBS) in Washington, while Javier is now with CNN, and has worked for NBC and in Miami, his hometown.
Wieland
Variety Magazine reports on a meeting held by KCBS/KCAL-TV (Los Angeles) General Manager TIM WIELAND with local reporters on his ‘ambitious’ plans for KCBS/KCAL-TV. Tim, as you know, is also keeping his role as GM of sister CBS owned station KCNC-TV in Denver. Tim, of course, is a former news director at KCNC.
Boone
RICK BOONE has left KIRO-TV in Seattle, where he was Managing Editor for the last few months. He posted on Linkedin that’s he off to a new opportunity that’s a great fit for his career path. Rick responded to an inquiry tonight and said he would provide more details when he can, and we’ll share that when he does.
WLNS-TV (Nexstar/CBS) in Lansing, MI, has filled its open Assistant News Director job by hiring JOHNATHON GUSTIN. He’s worked in several Michigan markets including Cadillac, Lansing, and Flint (where he was also an AND) as well as South Bend.
General Manager News and Notes:
A flurry of GM changes this week.
Eikel
We reported on two above: PAUL McGONAGLE’s move from ND of FOX’s WTTG-TV in Washington to GM of sister FOX o-and-o WJBK-TV in Detroit, where he replaces the retiring GREG EASTERLY. And you might have missed the related change for AMBER EIKEL who’s been promoted to Regional GM, adding oversight of KTTV in Los Angeles. She’ll keep her current job as GM for FOX’s KCPQ-TV in Seattle. Amber’s a former ND at KTVU-TV in Oakland/San Francisco.If you missed it above, here’s the release.
Two GM changes at Gray.
Laszewski
We told you above that JESSICA LASZEWSKI returns to WSAW-TV in Wausau, WI, as GM. She’d earlier been the ND there, and is currently ND for Gray’s WMTV in Madison. Jessica briefly served as an ND in South Bend.
STEPHANIE PLANT has been named GM for Gray’s WTAP-TV in Parkersburg, WV.
And Sinclair named MATT HAMILTON VP/GM for KBOI-TV in Boise, ID.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, July 6, 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
WPIX-TV 220 E. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10017
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
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
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
WHIO-TV 1611 South Main Street Dayton, OH 45409
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
KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763
KSWO-TV 1401 SE 60th St. Lawton, OK 73501
KIMT-TV 112 N Pennsylvania Ave, Mason City, IA 50401
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