June 8, 2025
Greetings:
Distracted as we were by both the Tony Awards AND an NBA Finals game, apologies in advance for any typos, misspellings, omissions OR mistakes this week. But I tried to limit them!
And there are some changes to share: THREE news directors and FOUR new openings this week, so there are now 35 ND openings.
ONE of those new openings is featured in a Paid Help Wanted ad below.
We have more information on the passing of longtime TV critic GARY DEEB whose death we first reported last week.
More details on TWO stories we first brought you in a midweek UPDATE: the affiliation change in Atlanta and Allen’s decision to explore selling its stations.
Also in Names in the News: A Shreveport newsman is suing a former competitor for the way it reported his departure. And retirements from two longtime newspeople, though one (a FOUR time news director) left our business years ago.
By the way, the RTDNA convention is this week in New Orleans. It’s the first one I’ve missed since 1978. I look forward to hearing about it for those of you who do attend.
Newly Named News Directors:
Travinski
KTHV-TV, Little Rock, AR…DEAN TRAVINSKI moves across town to become news director for this Tegna owned CBS affiliate. He’s been the Assistant ND at cross-town KARK-TV (Nexstar/NBC) for the last six years and has also worked in Dallas (two stations), Kansas City, and Oklahoma City. At KTHV, Dean replaces SHALYA TEATER who is leaving after 5+ years as ND and 18 years at KTHV.
Carmean
WMDT-TV, Salisbury, MD…JOE CARMEAN will be the next news director for this Marquee Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate. He’s a veteran of the area having worked in both newspapers and for another TV station. Details in this news release from the company. He replaces SARAH TRUITT. Sarah’s been the news director for the last 14 years and worked at the station for 20.
Clouse
KAAL-TV, Rochester, MN…we’re a little tardy in reporting that DAN CLOUSE is the new news director at this Hubbard Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate. He started there in April Dan’s been the ND for Allen’s KIMT-TV in Rochester for the last three years. He replaces BRIANNA COOK who left to take a job outside of TV.
New News Director Openings:
Pursch
KOKH-TV, Tulsa, OK…ADAM PURSCH is leaving this Sinclair owned FOX affiliate after more than twelve years as news director. He’s also worked in Salt Lake City, Boston, and New York City.
KIMT-TV, Mason City, IA/Rochester, MN…you learned above that DAN CLOUSE left this Allen Media owned station to become ND for Hubbard’s KAAL-TV in Rochester.
Cleary
WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY…TANYA CLEARY has left this Gray Media owned operation after two years as ND. Tanya spent ten years as a producer in two different Pennsylvania markets before taking this position. The station is looking for her replacement, and the paid help wanted ad just below has more details.
WLUC-TV, Marquette, MI…ANDREW LACOMBE is leaving this Gray Media operation after three years as ND. I’m told that he has a new job in Wisconsin but have not yet been able to confirm that. When I do, I’ll pass it along.
Paid Help Wanted Ads:
News Director, WBNG-TV, Binghamton, NY:
WBNG is looking for a dynamic newsroom leader to take our team to the next level.
WBNG-TV, the CBS affiliate in Binghamton, NY, seeks a News Director to help guide our news department to new heights of journalistic and ratings success. This is an exciting opportunity to join a great team in one of New York’s most beautiful places to live.
The successful candidate will be responsible for establishing and maintaining market leading standards for newsroom operations and content. Other duties include hiring, coaching, supervising and evaluating news personnel, as well as preparation and administration of newsroom budgets and capital requests. The News Director is expected to work closely with other department managers to achieve the company’s overall performance goals.
A minimum of 4 years television news management experience and a college degree in broadcast journalism preferred. Must be able to demonstrate strong working knowledge of community issues, as well as sound journalistic principles. Must have the ability to make fast, accurate journalistic and logistical judgments.
If you have a passion for excellence, and a burning desire to lead the best local broadcast news operation in Binghamton, NY, we want to hear from you.
Compensation: $70,000/year
If you think you’re qualified, want to work with a great group of people and live in a great community, apply online at: Careers – Gray Television
WBNG-TV is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Other News Management Openings:
ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR:
WXIA-TV, Atlanta, GA (AM Assistant ND, listed 6/8/25)
WBNS-TV, Columbus, OH (relisted 6/8/25)
WTVR-TV, Richmond, VA (listed 5/4/25)
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)
WLNS-TV, Lansing, MI (listed 5/26/25)
KTVQ-TV, Billings, MT (relisted 6/1/25)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:
WFAA-TV, Dallas, TX (listed 6/8/25)
KHOU-TV, Houston, TX (listed 4/27/25)
WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 4/6/25)
KING-TV, Seattle, WA (EP Evening Magazine, listing revised 4/6/25)
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)
WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (Nightside EP, relisted 4/20/25)
WJW-TV, Cleveland, OH (listed 5/26/25)
WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 4/6/25)
WRAL-TV, Raleigh, NC (AM EP, listed 3/2/25)
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 6/8/25)
WTIC-TV, Hartford, CT (listed 4/6/25)
KLAS-TV, Las Vegas, NV (Digital EP, listed 6/1/25)
WYFF-TV, Greenville, SC (relisted 4/20/25)
WXII-TV, Winston-Salem, NC (Weekend EP, relisted 4/20/25)
WVEC-TV, Norfolk, VA (AM EP, listed 4/6/25)
WFMY-TV, Greensboro, NC (AM EP, listing revised 4/27/25)
WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (listed 4/6/25)
WLKY-TV, Louisville, KY (Nightside EP, relisted 4/20/25)
KRQE-TV, Albuquerque, NM (Nightside EP, listed 5/11/25)
WATN-TV, Memphis, TN (listed 4/6/25)
WKRG-TV, Mobile, AL (listed 4/20/25)
WDKY-TV, Lexington, KY (AM EP, relisted 6/1/25)
WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 5/4/25)
KGUN-TV, Tucson, AZ (listed 5/26/25)
KREM-TV, Spokane, WA (listed 4/6/25)
WOI-TV, Des Moines, IA (listed 4/27/25)
WFXR-TV, Roanoke, VA (listed 6/1/25)
WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 5/18/25)
WPTZ-TV, Burlington, VT (relisted 4/20/25)
WAPT-TV, Jackson, MS (relisted 4/20/25)
WMBD-TV, Peoria, IL (relisted 4/20/25)
WMBB-TV, Panama City, FL (Digital EP, relisted 5/11/25)
MANAGING EDITOR:
WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (listed 6/8/25)
More News Management Openings:
Listed 6/8/25:
WDHN-TV, Dothan, AL (Digital News Manager)
Listed 5/26/25:
KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (Assignment Desk Manager)
Listed 5/18/25:
WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT (Director of Content- Digital & Linear Operations)
Listed 5/4/25:
KNXV-TV, Phoenix, AZ (Executive Reporter)
Listed 4/20/25:
WRBL-TV, Columbus, GA (Digital Content Director)
Obituary:
Deeb
We have more on the passing last month of GARY DEEB, a longtime TV critic who worked for two papers in Chicago and for WLS-TV. Both the Chicago Tribune and The Chicago Sun-Times finally reported his passing, as did WBBM-TV as well as The Buffalo News where he worked before moving to Chicago. We told you last week that Gary died May 17th at the age of 79.
Names in the News (and other stuff):
Our midweek UDPATE told you that CBS is switching its affiliation in Atlanta from Gray’s WANF-TV to its own WUPA-TV. WANF’s story is here, and CBS’s is here. New this edition: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution looks at what it calls ‘a huge shake up‘ in Atlanta TV.
That same update told you that ALLEN MEDIA has hired an investment firm to explore selling its stations. The company owns 28 stations in 21 (mostly medium and smaller) markets. New this edition: veteran broadcaster HANK PRICE cautions employees not to be too optimistic given the many changes in the industry.
Lunn
Former KTBS-TV (Shreveport) anchor and news director BILL LUNN is suing KTAL-TV there for its reporting on his 2024 departure from KTBS. Details here.
Longtime Univision anchor JORGE RAMOS is among three industry veterans to be honored with the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism Missouri Medal.
Multi time news director (Cleveland, Portland, Kansas City and Jacksonville) LYNN HEIDER is retiring after 14 years in a public affairs and communication role at the Go West Credit Union. She talked about it on her Linkedin page.
Speaking of retirement, longtime Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo newsman JON McCRARY is hanging it up after 48 years in our business. This link to his retirement post also includes a link to a video (produced for his Silver Circle induction) that is worth a few minutes. Jon is retiring as Assistant ND for WWMT-TV (CBS) in Kalamazoo where he spent the bulk of his career, though he did spend some time at WOOD-TV where I hired him as assignment editor.
General Manager News and Notes:
JERRY BREHM is retiring after six years as GM for WTEN-TV in Albany, NY. That’s an ABC affiliate which is owned by Nexstar.
Our List of Open News Director Jobs:
Here’s our list of open ND jobs as of Sunday, June 8, 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 **
WBZ-TV 1170 Soldiers Field Road Boston, MA 02134
WMUR-TV 100 South Commercial St. Manchester, NH 03101 (Boston)
KARE-TV 8811 Olson Memorial Hwy. Minneapolis, MN 55427
WFTV 490 E. South St., Orlando, FL 32801
KMOV-TV 77 Progress Parkway; Maryland Heights, MO 63043
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
WOI-TV 3903 Westown Parkway West Des Moines, IA 50266
WLUK-TV 787 Lombardi Ave., Green Bay, WI 54304
WSLS-TV 821 5th St SW, Roanoke, VA 24016
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
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 (see ad above!)
WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330
KOTA-TV 2001 Skyline Drive Rapid City, SD 57701
WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601
WLUC-TV 177 US-41 East, Negaunee, MI 49866
KIDY-TV5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902 (Content Manager)
KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501
**: Spanish language station