| November 18, 2024 |
| A very busy newsletter which explains our later-than-we-try-to publish situation. FIVE new ND openings, with TWO jobs filled. That means there are now 42 stations on our long lists. By the way, ONE of those filled jobs was filled a LONG time ago. Apolgies for that but it does remind me to remind you that we rely heavily on your tips. We are grateful for those tips, but we do NOT pay for them. 🙂 In Names in the News, RTDNA rescinds a National Edward R. Murrow Award, a three time ND is retiring this Friday, and a 100 birthday celebration for a long-ago (duh!) news director. Lots of other news this week, including new people running THREE stations, TWO in top 20 markets. Read on! |
| NEWLY NAMED NEWS DIRECTORS: |
WIS-TV, Columbia, SC…a move within Gray TV returns MARYBETH JACOBY to Columbia, this time as news director for this NBC affiliate. Earlier in her career she was the ND for WLTX-TV, Tegna’s NBC affiliate there, for ten years. Details in this Linkedin post (which includes a picture of her dog!) from GM ROBBY THOMAS. Marybeth replaces BRAD HYATT who left last months after six years as ND. JacobyKQTV, St. Joseph, MO…we are inexcusably late in telling you that CHRIS ROUSH is the news director for the Heartland Media owned ABC affiliate. And…according to his Linkedin bio…he’s held that job for more than a year. Chris was apparently promoted from his previous role as sports director here, a job he’s held twice.  Roush |
| NEW NEWS DIRECTOR OPENINGS: |
KSTP/KSTC-TV, Minneapolis, MN…we told you in our Monday UPDATE that KIRK VARNER’s long career in our business is nearing its end. He told his staff in Monday’s morning meeting…and via this follow up email…that he is retiring at the end of January. Kirk’s been the ND for this Hubbard Broadcasting owned ABC affiliate for almost six years. His LinkedIn page details his varied career. VarnerKSL-TV, Salt Lake City, UT…LEONA WOOD is leaving this Bonneville International owned NBC affiliate. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints owns Bonneville International.) Leona’s been the Director, News and Lifestyle Content here for more than eight years. She’s held news management positions in Phoenix ands Spokane and also worked in Seattle.  WoodWHNS-TV, Greenville, SC…as you learned above, MARYBETH JACOBY is leaving this Gray TV owned FOX affiliate to return to Columbia, SC, to become ND for Gray’s WIS–TV (NBC). She’s been the ND here since 2021. KWCH-TV, Wichita, KS…another Gray TV owned station, another opening. Here it’s because MIKE TRUETT has left this CBS affiliate after not quite 18 months as news director. Earlier Mike was an ND in Springfield, IL. and also worked in Mobile, AL, Champaign, IL, for two stations in Memphis, and in the Peace Corps.  TruettKIDY-TV, San Angelo, TX…JOHN KIRBY has left this Tegna owned FOX/ MY Network operation after less than a year as news director. John told me he was tired of the three hour commute from Lubbock. He’s a former ND in Grand Junction, CO. While John had the title of news director, the position is now described as News Content Manager.  Kirby |
| NEWS MANAGEMENT OPENINGS: |
| ASSISTANT NEWS DIRECTOR: KUSA-TV, Denver, CO (relisted 9/29/24) KTVI/KPLR-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 9/29/24) WDAF-TV, Kansas City, MO (relisted 11/17/24) WHAS-TV, Louisville, KY (relisted 9/29/24) WJAR-TV, Providence, RI (listed 11/3/24) WBRE/WYOU-TV, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, PA (relisted 11/10/24) WDTN-TV, Dayton, OH (listed 11/10/24) WFRV-TV, Green Bay, WI (relisted 11/10/24) WROC-TV, Rochester, NY (listed 11/10/24) WSYR-TV, Syracuse, NY (listed 11/3/24) WCIA-TV, Champaign, IL (listed 9/22/24) KIVI-TV, Boise, ID (listed 9/29/24) WCYB-TV, Tri-Cities, TN & VA (relisted 10/13/24) EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Spectrum Noticias, New York, NY (Senior EP, listed 10/27/24) KPRC-TV, Houston, TX (AM Broadcast EP, relisted 10/6/24) WUSA-TV, Washington, DC (listed 11/3/24) Spectrum News, Tampa, FL (National EP, listed 9/29/24) WFLA-TV, Tampa, FL (relisted 10/13/24) WXYZ-TV, Detroit, MI (listed 10/13/24) Spectrum News, Orlando, FL (relisted 10/27/24) WESH-TV, Orlando, FL (relisted 10/20/24) WCNC-TV, Charlotte, NC (listed 9/29/24) Spectrum News 1, Raleigh NC (relisted 11/17/24) KSDK-TV, St. Louis, MO (listed 9/29/29) WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (Senior Content Producer, listed 11/10/24) WCMH-TV, Columbus, OH (Digital EP, listing modified 10/6/24) WYFF-TV, Greenville-Spartanburg-Ashville, (listed 10/20/24) WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (relisted 9/29/24) WXMI-TV, Grand Rapids, MI (EP Lifestyle Show, listed 11/10/24) WGAL-TV, Lancaster, PA (relisted 10/20/24) WXII-TV, Winston-Salem NC, (Weekend EP, relisted 10/20/24) KOAT-TV, Albuquerque, NM (listed 10/20/24) WDSU-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 10/20/24) WWL-TV, New Orleans, LA (listed 9/29/24) WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (relisted 11/17/24) WQAD-TV, Moline, IL (listed 9/29/29) KPAX-TV, Missoula, MT (relisted 9/2/24) Other News Management Openings: Listed 11/3/24: KGW-TV, Portland, OR (Digital Director) Listed 10/27/24: WGNO/WNOL-TV, New Orleans, LA (Digital Content Manager) KARK/KLRT-TV, Little Rock, AR (Digital Webmaster & Content Dir.) Listed 10/20/24: WFTS-TV, Tampa, FL (Manager of Real Time Depth) WVLA/WGMB-TV, Baton Rouge, LA (Digital Content Manager) Listed 9/29/24: WTSP-TV, Tampa, FL (Digital Director) Relisted 9/29/24: WTLV/WJXX-TV, Jacksonville, FL (Digital Director) Listed 9/22/24: KSWB/KUSI-TV, San Diego, CA (Digital Content Manager) WTVF-TV, Nashville, TN (Digital Director) Listed 9/15/24: Spectrum News, Austin, TX (Managing Director) |
| NAMES IN THE NEWS (and other stuff): |
| RTDNA has rescinded a National Murrow Award given to National Geographic. Details here. In more pleasant RTDNA news, the organizations announced the creation of the GARY L. HANSON International Reporting Fellowship. It honors Gary, a longtime ND in Youngstown, OH, and a one time chair of RTDNA, who finished his career training the next general of journalists at Kent State University. He died in 2017 at the age of 66 after a long battle with cancer.  HansonTuesday’s UPDATE told you that PRINCELL HAIR is leaving his job as President of Allen Media Group after two years. Here’s a brief email he sent me discussing his future plans. (I warned you. it’s brief!)Many of you know Princell, who’s held a number of very significant jobs on both the local and network level.  HairPOLLY VAN DOREN-ORR is retiring after 43 years in our business.. She’s currently the evening executive producer for Nexstar’s WDAF-TV (FOX) in Kansas City. But as you’ll learn in this note, she’s a three time former ND and has some definite plans on how to spend her retirement, including her tole as grandma.  Van Doren-OrrLong ago Louisville (WHAS-TV) News Director JAY CROUSE was feted on the occasion of his 100th birthday. News Director turned GM CARRIE STARNES of WRCB-TV in Chattanooga was profiled in the local newspaper. |
| GENERAL MANAGER NEWS and NOTES: |
| TERESA MORGAN, a 20 year veteran of the station, has been named VP-GM of Scripps’ WFTS-TV (ABC) in Tampa. Speaking of Scripps, KEVIN JAMES is the new station manager for KNXV-TV (ABC) in Phoenix. It’s a return to Phoenix for Kevin, who earlier worked for KPHO/KTVK-TV. He’s been the Director of Sales for CBS’s KTVT/KTXA-TV in Dallas. Cox has promoted OMESH SOMARU to be General Manager for its Jacksonville, FL, operations, WJAX/WFOX-TV. He’s been the Direct of Sales there and replaces BOB LONGO. (Cox owns WJAX and operates WFOX for Hoffman Communications.) |
| OUR LIST OF OPEN NEWS DIRECTOR JOBS: |
| 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: [email protected] KHOU-TV 5718 Westheimer Rd Houston, Texas 77057 KIAH-TV 7700 Westpark Drive Houston, TX 77063 KOMO-TV 140 4th Ave. N.Seattle, WA 98109 KSTP-TV 3415 University Ave. St. Paul, MN 55114 KSL-TV 55 North 300 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84180 WOAI-TV 4335 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, TX, 78229 WHNS-TV 21 Interstate Court. Greenville, SC 29615 WHTM-TV 3235 Hoffman Street. Harrisburg, PA 17110 WOLF-TV 1181 Highway 315 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 (news manager) WATN-TV 1725 Shelby Oaks Dr N. Memphis, TN 38134 KFSN-TV 1777 G St, Fresno, CA 93706 KATV 10 Turtle Creek Lane Little Rock, AR 72202 KWCH-TV 2815 E. 37th Street North Wichita, KS 67219 KLEW-TV 2626 17th St, Lewiston, ID 83501 WIS-TV 111 Bull St. Columbia, SC 29201 WOWK-TV 350 Quarrier St, Charleston, WV 25301 WZDX-TV 1309 N. Memorial Parkway Huntsville, AL 35801 WCIV-TV 88 Allbritton Blvd, Mount Pleasant, SC 29464 KNVO-TV, 801 North Jackson Rd., McAllen TX 78501 ** KTBS-TV 312 E. Kings Highway. Shreveport, LA 71104 WSIL-TV 1416 Country Aire Drive Carterville, IL 62918 KIVI-TV 1866 E. Chisholm Dr. Nampa, ID 83687 WNCT-TV 3221 South Evans Street. Greenville, NC 27834 WANE-TV 2915 W. State Blvd. Fort Wayne, IN 46808 WGXA-TV 599 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Macon, GA 31201 KHSL-TV 3460 Silverbell Rd. Chico, CA 95973 KDRV-TV 1090 Knutson Avenue Medford, OR 97504 WREX-TV 10322 Auburn Rd. Auburn, IL 62615 KQDS-TV 2001 London Road Duluth, MN 55812 KOSA-TV 4101 E. 42nd. Suite J-7. Odessa, TX. 79761 KMID/KPEJ-TV 1550 West I-20 Odessa, TX 79763 KWES-TV 11320 West County Rd. 127. Odessa, TX, 79765 WJET/WFXP-TV 8455 Peach Street Erie, PA 16509 WTWO-TV 10849 N US Highway 41, Farmersburg, IN 47850 WTRF-TV 96 16th St, Ste 2, Wheeling, WV 26003 WDTV 5 Television Dr. Bridgeport, WV 26330 KECI/KCFW/KTVM-TV, 340 W. Main St. Missoula, MT 59802 KTVQ-TV 3203 3rd Ave N., Billings, MT 59101 WWNY-TV 120 Arcade St. Watertown, NY 13601 KREX-TV 345 Hillcrest Drive Grand Junction, CO 81501 KIEM/KVIQ-TV 5650 S, Broadway St. Eureka CA 95503 KIDY-TV5 S. Chadbourne San Angelo, TX 76902 KYOU-TV 820 West 2nd Street; Ottumwa, IA 52501 **: Spanish language station |
