David Weir of BNET says the deal to create a non-profit local news organization in San Francisco based at KQED has collapsed. Weir reports that KQED has pulled out of the deal, a fact that has been confirmed by Berkeley J-School dean Neil Henry in an e-mail to Poynter’s Romenesko. However, Henry says, “We have secured an outstanding CEO and an extraordinary editor in chief whose names will be announced later this month.” That matches what the Press Club was told last month by a spokesman for the project.

Meanwhile, Weir says that KQED’s board is in the midst of yet another contentious leadership change as it attempts to replace President and CEO Jeff Clarke. Its board has rejected all three internal candidates for CEO.