NPR alum Matt Thompson is the new editor-in-chief at The Center for Investigative Reporting.
He will oversee the Reveal public radio show and podcast produced with PRX, as well as TV and documentary projects.
Thompson is currently executive editor at The Atlantic. Previously he directed vertical initiatives at NPR, where he created several broadcast and digital journalism teams including Code Switch and NPR Ed. Thompson also has reported and edited for news organizations including the Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Fresno Bee and the Poynter Institute.
“I was drawn to this position because I have been such a fan of CIR’s work,” Thompson said. “I grew passionate about the opportunity as I came to understand the scope of the organization’s ambitions.”
Members of America’s Public Television Stations have elected seven new members to the organization’s board, and the board appointed two leaders.
Roy Clem, executive director of Alabama Public Television, is the new chair. Incoming professional vice chair is Bert Schmidt, president of WHRO in Norfolk, Va. Carol Kellerman, lay trustee at WNET in New York City, was re-elected lay vice chair.
New to the board are Carolyn Edwards, lay trustee, Vegas PBS, Nevada; Susi Elkins, GM, WKAR Public Media, East Lansing, Mich.; Franz Joachim, GM, New Mexico PBS, Albuquerque; Garrett T. King, Oklahoma Educational Television Authority board chair, Oklahoma City; Vickie Lawson, president, East Tennessee PBS, Knoxville; and David Steward II, Nine Network of Public Media board chair, St. Louis. Larry D. Unger, president of Maryland Public Television, Owings Mills, is a new at-large trustee.
New trustees begin their terms Feb. 25 and new officers start their terms Feb. 26 at the APTS Public Media Summit in Washington, D.C.
Mitch Gelman is the new president of WCNY in Syracuse, N.Y.
Gelman has more than 30 years’ experience in journalism. As a reporter he shared a 1992 Pulitzer Prize at New York Newsday for spot news reporting.
Most recently Gelman was chief technology officer at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Previously he worked as product VP at Gannett Co., overseeing digital product development for more than 150 national, regional and local broadcast outlets and newspapers including USA Today. He was also SVP and senior executive producer at CNN and the first editor-in-chief of ESPN.com.
“Mitch has a wealth of experience in the traditional and digital broadcast industries that will help WCNY undergo a digital transformation,” said Jeffrey B. Scheer, chair of the WCNY Board.
Gelman succeeds Robert Daino, who left after 13 years to join cannabis company Acreage Holdings.
Content
Holly Morris has joined the NPR Training team as its first reporting and writing specialist. NPR created the position “after hearing a call from newsroom colleagues to strengthen our core reporting and writing skills across all platforms, but especially digital,” said Keith Woods, VP of newsroom training and diversity, in an announcement. Most recently Morris lectured on journalism and advised student media at the University of North Georgia. She also spent 13 years as managing editor of features and the Express at the Washington Post and was an editor at U.S. News & World Report.
John Sepulvado, co-host of the The California Report on KQED in San Francisco, tweeted Jan. 29 that he was leaving the station, public media and journalism. According to Politico, Sepulvado told the publication that he has signed a deal with Turner to produce podcasts and will be doing humanitarian work along the border.
Victor Hernandez has joined Cascade Public Media in Seattle as executive editor. Hernandez has directed media innovation for the past three years at the social-media software company Banjo. Earlier in his career he directed domestic newsgathering at CNN.
Hawaii Public Radio in Honolulu has hired Sandee Oshiro as news editor. Most recently Oshiro worked at Southern California Public Radio, first as education editor, then politics editor and senior editor. Her previous experience includes seven years at the Honolulu Advertiser, where she rose to managing editor digital/director of digital media and content.
Jacqui Cheng has joined WQXR in New York City as the classical station’s first editor-in-chief, music. Cheng will develop editorial and digital strategies to expand the station’s reach “to new and diverse audiences,” according to an announcement. Most recently Cheng was editor-in-chief of Wirecutter. Earlier in her career she was editor-at-large at Ars Technica. She has played the violin for more than 30 years and currently performs with the New Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra.
Journalist Bradley George tweeted that he’s leaving Georgia Public Broadcasting to join WUSF in Tampa, Fla. Previously George worked at Nashville Public Radio and WBHM in Birmingham, Ala.
In other WUSF news, reporter Bobbie O’Brien has retired after 28 years at the station.
KPBS tweeted a farewell to reporter Alison St. John, who has retired after a 30-year career at the San Diego station.
Reporter Elizabeth Miller has left WCPN in Cleveland, where she covered the environment, to report on education for Oregon Public Broadcasting.
Helen Lyons is the new classical morning host at Vermont Public Radio in Colchester. Lyons is a professional opera singer who has performed as a soloist with orchestras worldwide. She also teaches private classical voice lessons.
Development
Mary Oishi retired last month from KUNM after 18 years at the station in Albuquerque, N.M. Oishi spent five years as underwriting representative and the past 13 directing development. She began her community radio career at KVNF in Paonia, Colo., in the mid-1990s. Oishi has authored two books of poetry, Spirit Birds They Told Me and Rock Paper Scissors, and is working on her memoir, The Little Jap That Lillie Raised.
Fellowships
Imani Mixon has joined Outlier Media in Detroit as a reporting fellow. The fellowship is a collaboration with WDET, also in Detroit.
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