Daniel Novick has signed off from KDAF, the CW affiliate in Dallas, according to media blogger Ed Bark.

Novick joined KDAF in 2011 as a reporter and multimedia journalist for the station’s evening newscasts. He will join Dallas-based public relations firm GolinHarris.

“It certainly isn’t easy leaving TV news and CW33, but it’s what is best for me and my family,” Novick told Bark. “I have good friends at CW33, I believe in the Nightcap product and I wish them nothing but the best of luck.”

With the addition of the spire atop One World Trade Center, the tower’s property manager looks forward to what can be for local broadcasters while remembering what was.

TVNewsCheck spoke with John Lyons, vice president and director of broadcast communication for The Durst Organization. Lyons is trying to woo local broadcasters who were forced to relocate their antennas after 9/11 to place their antennas back on top of the New York skyline.

So far no broadcaster has bit. WCBS told TVSpy their transmitter is atop the Empire State Building and declined to comment about where it would sit in the future. One of the biggest holdups, according to TVNewsCheck is the upcoming spectrum auction. Read more

Viewers of Nexstar’s Memphis ABC affiliate WPTY, Memphis CW affiliate WLMT, and Jackson FOX affiliate WJKT, will see a new look on-air after the stations move into a new state-of-the-art facility over the next month.

“With our soon-to-open Memphis broadcast and digital operations center and HD news facility, we are simultaneously raising our commitment to our viewers and advertisers with improved and enhanced content, production, marketing opportunities and overall viewing experience for the community at large,” said Ardyth Diercks vice president and general manager of WPTY, WLMT and WJKT.  “Our staff will benefit from the market’s most contemporary facility, fostering greater creativity through a modern work environment.”

Nexstar said in its press release the 27,000 square foot facility would be “operational and fully staffed on June 1,” and will include HD news production, HD commercial production and playback, and updated tech for producing weather and traffic reports.  You can watch a sneak peek video of the facility done by WPTY after the jump. Read more

After more than three decades at WPIX, assistant news director John Houseman is leaving Tribune’s CW affiliate in New York City. His last day is Friday.

“The parting is mutual and very amicable,” a WPIX spokesperson told TVSpy.

His departure comes two weeks after Mark Effron took over as the station’s news director. Houseman served as the station’s interim news director from October to April while Tribune searched for Bill Carey‘s replacement.

After Salt Lake City NBC affiliate KSL passed on airing the NBC series “Hannibal,” saying it was too graphic, one local competitor stands to profit from that decision while another is poking fun at the Mormon owned station.

When KSL announced it wasn’t going to air “Hannibal,” CW affiliate KUCW stepped in and added the show to its programming just as it did last Fall with NBC’s “The New Normal” and “Saturday Night Live” years ago.

TVSpy asked KUCW general manager Richard Doutre’Jones about the move. “Our relationship is with NBC,” said Doutre’Jones, who is also general manager of ABC affiliate KTVX. “I believe we have a real benefit airing the NBC programming not cleared by KSL on Utah’s CW30…it raises the profile and viewer awareness for the station and they also provide additional revenue opportunities.” Read more

Sarah Landau has been named digital sales manager for Hearst’s Fort Smith-Fayetteville, AR, ABC and CW affiliates KHBS-KHOG.

“Sarah Landau is a leader.  Her knowledge of broadcast and online advertising, and her ability to translate those opportunities to our team and our clients, makes her the perfect fit for this position,” said KHBS-KHOG president and general manager, Brian Sather. “Sarah embodies our commitment to innovation and excellence and I have every faith this will translate into results for both the station and our clients.”

Landau has been a marketing consultant for KHBS-KHOG since 2009. In her new role, she will oversee all local digital sales for the stations’ website, mobile platforms and all associated digital properties.

“Sarah has already proven herself as a leader on our sales staff,” said Chad Happersett, general sales manager for KHBS-KHOG. “Her customer engagement is excellent, and I’m confident as our new DSM she will lead our digital sales effort to new heights.”

KTLA news director Jason Ball has announced five new hires, our sister site FishbowlLA reports. Courtney Friel (pictured), Jillian Barberie, Steve Kuzj, Kimberly Cheng and Olsen Ebright are all joining the Los Angeles CW affiliate.

Friel and Barberie both most recently worked at rival KTTV, the Fox O&O in Los Angeles. Friel, an entertainment reporter, signed off in February after her contract was not renewed. Barberie, a co-anchor of “Good Day LA,” left KTTV in September.

FishbowlLA reports that Barberie will host an entertainment news program, “The Hollywood Mix,” which will debut in June. Friel will contribute as an anchor and reporter.

Kuzj and Cheng both come from KNXV, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix. Ebright comes from rival KNBC, where he has been the social media lead and content producer since 2007.

WCCB, Bahakel Comummication’s station in Charlotte, will become the market’s CW affiliate beginning July 1.

Until earlier this year, the station was a Fox affiliate. WCCB lost its affiliation when Fox purchased WJYZ-WMYT in Charlotte.

“We are delighted that we have this opportunity to join such an up and coming network with even more contemporary and creative program series to come,” said Bahakel president Beverly Bahakel Poston said in a statement. “We have been very impressed with the creativity and production quality of the original programming that The CW has provided and plans for the new fall season.”

KTLA, the Los Angeles CW affiliate, was evacuated shortly after 6:00 p.m. last night after a caller told police he was going to detonate three devices he had placed in the station’s building.

“It was a hoax call,” LAPD Officer Christopher No told The Los Angeles Times. “The guy called and said, ‘there was a bomb’…. He said it was going to blow.”

KTLA announced the news on twitter saying, “KTLA Lot Evacuated After Bomb Threat.” The KTLA News desk twitter feed updated viewers on the situation eventually tweeting, “#LAPD has given the all clear. We are back in the newsroom.”

There was no interruption to either the 6:00 p.m. or the 10:00 p.m. news.

Florence O’Brien has been promoted to local sales manager at WPIX, Tribune’s CW affiliate in New York City.

Since 2010, O’Brien has been an account executive at WPIX. In her new role, which is effective immediately, she will continue to report to general sales manager Adam Shapiro.

“With over 25 years in the television industry, Florence’s depth of experience, professionalism and hard work are a perfect fit for this leadership role,” Shapiro said in a statement.