FORMER KVOA GM JON RUBY PASSES AWAY AT 73
After arriving as vice president and general manager of KVOA Channel 4 in 1974, Jon Ruby crafted a local-news juggernaut that dominated the ratings for much of the '80s and '90s.
"He built it. KVOA wasn't a player until he showed up," said Tucson broadcast veteran Dave Sitton, who conducted Ruby's celebration-of-life ceremony on Monday, May 23, at the Westin La Paloma. "After he showed up, they became the major player and started winning the news battle over and over and over again. Some of that happened when NBC was in the tank, too."
Ruby, who died Tuesday, May 17, at 73, was instrumental in a number of community endeavors, most notably the Tucson Conquistadores.
"He was a consummate professional when it came to fundraising for the community for the Conquistadores," Sitton said. "I've got friendships with Jon on a number of levels. ... We were partners in a business venture (and) Conquistadores. I kind of idolized the guy. I've got a lot of different Jon Rubys who I knew, and they were pretty darn excellent."
Ruby started his broadcast career in the sales department at WLS TV in Chicago. He rose to the position of general sales manager before accepting the opportunity at KVOA. He stayed at the station until 2002.
"He was extremely sharp in business and had a remarkably quick wit," Sitton said. "He was fully in charge of every meeting he ever attended."
REITZ PARTING WAYS WITH KGUN
KGUN Channel 9 Good Morning Tucson co-host Ian Reitz will soon be leaving the station.
"Ian is leaving for personal reasons, but on good terms," said KGUN news director Forrest Carr. "We're going to do our level best to find someone to join the team who can continue doing the good work he was doing."
Reitz joined KGUN in 2008.
Good Morning Tucson has struggled in the ratings. It dropped from a share of 1.7 to 0.8 from February 2010 to February 2011 and lost a third of its viewership, according to the Nielsen ratings.
ANDREA KELLY MOVES TO KUAZ
Andrea Kelly has jumped from print to broadcast, joining Arizona Public Media's KUAZ FM 89.1 as a news reporter.
"After six good years at the Arizona Daily Star, I'm now keeping quite busy applying my reporting experience in another medium," said Kelly via e-mail. "I enjoy my new job as a radio news reporter at Arizona Public Media, and I'm spending time learning all the new skills that come with it."
Kelly will also produce pieces for Arizona Public Media's television and online ventures.
