KARE announced today that Jane Helmke, who’s been with the station for the past 28 years, has been promoted to news director. The news comes less than a day after KARE’s longtime newsroom leader Tom Lindner, who the NBC-affiliate let go in April, announced his new job.
“Jane is a true leader, and her dedication and commitment to both our viewers and our news team will help us continue to be the most watched station in the Twin Cities,” KARE president and general manager John Remes said, in announcing the promotion. “She’s played a critical role in making KARE 11 the station that people trust to deliver their news and information both on television and online, and we look forward to her continued leadership.”
Helmke has served as KARE’s interim news director since May, and during her nearly three decades with the station she has worked in almost every department, including jobs as special projects producer and managing editor, where she managed all of the station’s digital platforms.
“We have an amazingly talented team that is committed to providing quality, relevant news and information delivered with integrity and I am thrilled to be a part of it,” Helmke said. “I look forward to building the future of our industry together, providing our community with the information that they want and need across every platform.”