Kathy Hostetter has been named news director at WTHR, Dispatch Broadcast Group’s NBC affiliate in Indianapolis.

Hostetter, who was an executive producer at WTHR from 1998-2002, will begin in her new role on May 6. Since April 2010, she has been news director at WAVE in Louisville. She has also worked as news director at WISE in Fort Wayne, Ind. and WAVY in Portsmouth, Va.

“Kathy is a remarkable and highly-regarded news leader with years of experience in major markets. As a former Executive News Producer here at WTHR, her local experience is a tremendous asset,” WTHR GM John Cardenas said in a statement. “I am excited that she will be joining us.”

Hostetter replaces Keith Connors, who left WTHR when his contract expired last year.

Mike Lopez is the new news director at WEAU in Eau Claire, Wisc., the station confirmed to TVSpy.

Lopez joins the NBC affiliate from WVEC in Norfolk, where he was the assistant news director for seven years. He has also worked as an executive producer at WAVY in Norfolk and WISH in Indianapolis and as a producer at KRON in San Franscisco.

Lopez, who started earlier this month, replaces Eric Shepard.

After 25 years at WAVY, Alveta Ewell is retiring from the Hampton Roads NBC affiliate on February 26.

Ewell, who joined the station in 1989, announced the news of her retirement on Wednesday’s 6 p.m. newscast. “It’s opening up a whole new chapter in my life, which is a really awesome thing,” she said (video above).

David Culver said goodbye to WAVY, the NBC affiliate in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia, on Sunday (video above). As we told you last month, Culver is joining the Northern Virginia bureau at WRC, the NBC O&O in Washington, DC.

“I’m smart enough to say this is not goodbye,” Culver said. “Right now it’s just a moment for me to say thanks.”

Last month, WRC announced plans to open more bureaus in the Washington, DC area. Now, the NBC O&O is releasing more details on the station’s plans for a Northern Virginia bureau, which is set to be fully operational before the end of the year.

Julie Carey (right) who has worked at WRC for 20 years, will be the bureau chief. Carey will be joined by photographer Sean Casey, a lifelong resident of Northern Virginia who has worked at WRC for 15 years.

WRC has also hired a new reporter, David Culver (left), who will be exclusively assigned to the bureau. Culver joins the station on December 17 after four years at WAVY, the NBC affiliate in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.

“With our team is fully in place, viewers will see that News4 is the best source for news from Northern Virginia,” WRC president and general manager Jackie Bradford said in a statement.  “We are even better positioned to tell big stories that affect the region as well as those in local communities that impact neighborhoods.” Read more

A lighthearted moment amidst a long weekend of serious Hurricane Sandy coverage on Norfolk’s WAVY: during a live shot from the beach on Sunday, two people ran into the station’s shot and started doing the “Gangnam Style” dance (video above).

To the station’s credit, the control room went to video immediately. [h/t The 24/7 Newsroom]

Kerri Furey morning anchor for WAVY announced today she’s leaving the Hampton Roads NBC affiliate at the end of the week.

“I just want to say I’m very grateful for the 15 years that I’ve had here at WAVY-TV,” Furey said on air this morning.  “I don’t want to be all alone on an MCU,” she then told the director.  “Get my friends back in the shot!” she said while motioning to her fellow anchors, Don Roberts, Cheryl Tan and meteorologist Jeremy Wheeler.

The station also posted a goodbye to Furey on the twitter account of its “The Hampton Roads Show”,

“Kerri announced this morning that this is her last week at WAVY! She is slowing down to spend more time with her family. We will miss her!!”

Furey started in broadcasting as an enlisted sailor in the Navy.

[hamptonroads.com]

Melanie Woodrow will be joining the nationally syndicated show “The Doctors” as an investigative reporter.

Woodrow most recently worked at WAVY, the NBC affiliate in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia.  While there she did investigative reports on “Spice”, bath salts and a designer drug called “amped” which were shared with the Virginia Attorney General’s office, helping to change Virginia law.

Woodrow joined the station in 2007.  She previously worked at WHAG in Hagerstown, MD and MSNBC.  See a report that aired on “The Doctors” inside.

Read more

Shortly before 9:30amET this morning from the USS Wisconsin in Norfolk, VA, Mitt Romney introduced Paul Ryan as his vice presidential running mate on the Republican presidential ticket.

NBC-affiliate WAVY,  CBS-affiliate WTKR and ABC-affiliate WVEC all elected to produce their own coverage instead of airing national coverage produced by their respective affiliated networks.

On WTKR, Juliet Bickford anchored, with Laurie Simmons live from the campaign rally. On WVEC, Mike Gooding helmed coverage from the USS Wisconsin. David Culver anchored coverage on NBC-affiliate WAVY, with Andy Fox at the announcement site. Read more

News of an F-18 Navy jet crash in Virginia Beach broke during the noon newscasts in Hampton Roads today.

WVEC anchors LaSalle Blanks and Vanessa Coria was the first to report the news at 12:15 p.m. WAVY and WTKR both followed at 12:17 p.m.

“There may be a huge breaking news story happening in Virginia Beach right now,” WTKR anchor Blaine Stewart said. All three stations have remained in wall-to-wall coverage throughout the afternoon. Read more