From sports scores to news reports: Longtime KIEM Sports Director Manny Machado has been named the station’s next news director, filling the position last held by the polarizing Betsy Lambert. Station Manager Roy Frostenson announced Machado’s promotion to the station’s staff this afternoon.
“I’m thrilled that Manny has agreed to take on the extra duties of news director,” Frostenson told the Journal shortly afterward. “I think that he’s the perfect person to lead our news operation forward.”
Machado will remain the sports anchor while managing the news side from behind the scenes, Frostenson said.
While not quite a full-fledged local by old-timer standards (he was born in S.F.), Machado graduated from Eureka High School before attending College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism in 2005. He started with KIEM as an intern in 1999 and has been the station’s sports director for seven years.
Machado said he’s “very excited” about the promotion and wants to “get the news department going in the right direction.”
On a sadder note, meteorologist Jim Bernard, who has long been a respected fixture on the North Coast, announced on air last night that he plans to retire from his weatherman position due to unspecified health problems. Frostenson said there’s currently no timetable set for Bernard’s departure.
This article appears in Manure Maneuver.
Congrats, Manny! I know you’ll do a great job!
Manny will be a great as the News Director!
Misogyny once again possesses the spirit of the North Coast.
Are you kidding me? This guy once told me to go bake him some cookies when i offered to help him and the floor director set up their full court press set. This guy doesn’t know a damn thing about news. They need a veteran reporter to help guide their department in the right direction, to lead and teach a new generation of journalists. Why didn’t Roy try to advertise the position and recruit some outside talent to lead their newsroom in a new direction?
Really? He told you to go bake cookies?
This makes the second news director on the north coast that started as a sports director.
Keith Olberman started that way too.
I forgot to congratulate Manny on his promotion. He might make a fine news director. We shall see. Congratulations Manny!
He did dude. He totally did.
I could not be happier for Manny! I went to college with Manny and consider myself lucky to be a friend of his because of what an awesome guy he is. Seriously standup dude. I absolutely loved working with him for five years at KIEM and without reservation think that he will do a fine job! A true son of the north coast.
P.S. I love his sense of humor.
Congratulations Manny – I am sure that you will do a wonderful job as well as you do with the sports. (Matt’s Dad)
Charles Douglas calling someone a misogynist? Well, if that ain’t the creepy, peepy pot calling a kettle black.
Congratulations Manny, what a wonderful opportunity. Your community and fans wish you all the very best. So nice to see that KIEM have chosen a local person, and to promote from within their own ranks. A man that truly believes and supports his local community along with his lovely wife and young son. Now that is the “Spirit of the North Coast”. Well done.
To Jim, you have been a favorite in many peoples home, and will be greatly missed. All in this community wish you the best I am sure, and would hope that you are able to recover from your illness.
One can only hope that KIEM will now rehire Sabrina Gautier. It’s just never been the same without her.
Wheres Betsy???? We liked watching her!!!
Manny is a good choice for ND at KIEM. He’s super local and understands the resources available and interests of the community. He’ll be a breath of fresh air and sanity for the news room.
Kevin, last I saw Sabrina was working
in Salinas.
The bar is very low – hope Manny has a vision.
I redact my previous statement. The TV News business is rough in this town and has been for some time. If you want to be a respectable Broadcast Journalist, you have to be a respected member of this community. Manny has that reputation and will do well in their newsroom. I have a lot to learn about the news business and am not an expert. Sometimes if you have nothing nice to say, you shouldn’t say anything at all.
Qualified or not, best of luck! Being a news director is a whole new different ballgame, being able to balance viewership approval and maintain journalistic standard is where the real pressure is. If Manny can divide the task of news gathering into four different areas (local, foreign/outside, entertainment/educational, sports/other – plus weather) and delegate it among the staff reporters based on thier own unique personalities and level of reporting styles, then newsroom stagnation and viewership boredom can be avoided.
Of course, weekly KIEM brainstorm meeting and listening to community feedback helps a lot. But the bottom line is as long as the news director puts the best interest of the community it serves at heart, and not lose sight of the big picture, then any news they’ll make is newsworthy on the long run.
Do what is best and the rest will fall in place.
Humboldt County stay tuned.
I miss Manny’s Hoopster highlight show on public access, from the mid 90’s
CONGRATULATIONS TO MANNY MACHADO…..Manny is a very well liked and respected guy in this community. I think he is a marvelous choice for ND at KIEM. He’s a Local and knows what the community likes.
a nice guy, but like most north coast “talent”, not cut out for the job.
If only he had the talent to make mildly clever screen names and anonymously take shots on people who are actually doing something that makes a difference in our community. U got just enough “talent” to keep doing what ut doing, Chet. Good work!
As much as I hate to admit it, Manny will be a much better fit for this role. All the best Manny!
Who pooped & peed in Betsy Lambert’s toilet?
Betsy Lambert, that who!
WOW Betsy, that comment was a big back up from you? After telling everyone that would listen that all of the people you worked with were horrible ( I am being polite in your own description publicly and privately of all the staff including of Manny) What happened? Are you back on your medication? Or maybe the community has now seen the real you.