Comings and goings: APT promotes staffers, Rath hosts on WGBH …

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American Public Television in Boston has promoted three longtime staff members in its syndication, Premium Service and distribution services departments. 

Mills, Bowles and Schmidt

Erin Bowles has been named manager, Premium Service and content administration. “As the scope of her work has grown, Bowles has played a key role in revitalizing APT’s Premium Service division, where she is dedicated to the creation, curation and distribution of high quality pledge programming,” APT said in a press release. “In her new role, she will be working more directly in program development, bringing new content to the system and strengthening the pledge event process.” Bowles has worked for APT for 20 years.

APT also promoted Alison Schmidt to syndication content manager. Over 11 years at APT, Schmidt’s work “has included the streamlining of various departmental processes, including the handling of APT’s highly successful film packages,” APT said. “In her new managerial role, Schmidt will be evaluating content and initiating supplier relationships, while furthering syndication departmental collaborations.”

And Robyn Mills has stepped up to manager, distribution services. Mills joined APT in 2004 and previously oversaw APT’s media content distribution service to subscribing stations. “In her expanded role, Mills’ experience in APT’s transition from tape to file will be invaluable as she helps the company move into the path of the public media-wide sIX distribution,” the organization said.

Content

Rath

WGBH in Boston has named Arun Rath executive editor/host of local All Things Considered broadcasts. He has served as interim host of the show since July. Since joining WGBH News in October 2015, Rath has reported on a wide range of topics for the station and NPR. Before starting at WGBH, he was weekend host of All Things Considered for NPR. He has also reported for Frontline and was a senior producer for WNYC’s On the Media.

Jamie Kraft is joining NJTV in Newark, N.J., as the network’s first senior managing editor. The new role entails editorial oversight of NJTV News’ weeknight news program, NJ Spotlight, as well as online and social media components, live coverage and special events. Kraft will report to NJTV GM John Servidio. Kraft most recently served as senior EP/MSNBC Live, Dayside at NBC News. He also served as EP of Nightly News with Lester Holt, Weekend Edition and as senior broadcast producer at NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams

David Brower, PD at WUNC in Chapel Hill, N.C., is leaving the station to become the executive director of PineCone, the Piedmont Council of Traditional Music. The Raleigh-based organization is the state’s largest presenter of folk and traditional music. Brower joined WUNC in 2000 and has also hosted local Morning Edition broadcasts and reported on a variety of subjects.

Kat Lonsdorf is the 10th recipient of the Above the Fray Fellowship, a joint international reporting program overseen by NPR and the John Alexander Project. Lonsdorf will spend six months reporting on the aftermath of the 2011 Daiichi nuclear meltdown in Fukushima, Japan. She is currently an assistant producer for All Things Considered.

WFAE in Charlotte, N.C., added two journalists to its newsroom last month. Jodie Valade is the new digital news and engagement editor. She previously was a digital content producer for Nascar.com and a freelance writer. And Jesse Steinmetz joined the station as an assistant producer for Charlotte Talks. Steinmetz formerly interned with talk shows at Connecticut Public Radio in Hartford. 

Shepherd

Terence Shepherd, news director at WLRN Public Media in Miami, is the new chair of the board of directors of the Radio Television Digital News Association. Shepherd has served on the RTDNA board since 2014 and was previously chair-elect, region 13 director and ethics committee chair. He is the first African American RTDNA chair.

Wisconsin Public Radio and the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Reporting have chosen Bram Sable-Smith as the fourth Mike Simonson Memorial Investigative Reporting Fellow. The yearlong fellowship is named after WPR reporter Mike Simonson, who died in 2014. Sable-Smith previously reported on health care for five years at KBIA in Columbia, Mo., and as a founding reporter of Side Effects Public Media, a reporting collaborative in the Midwest. 

Graf

David Graf is the host of the 46th season of Scholastic Scrimmage, a high-school quiz show on PBS39 in Bethlehem, Pa. Graf is a creative producer for Reeb Millwork in Bethlehem and has also produced content for Rodale’s Runner’s World Magazine, Bicycling Magazine, Prevention and Organic Life. He was a contestant on Scholastic Scrimmage in 2001, representing Pen Argyl Area High School.

Allen Tan joins ProPublica Nov. 11 as an editorial experience designer. He previously worked for the American Civil Liberties Union and for The New York Times.

Management

Murphy

The board of High Plains Public Radio in Garden City, Kan., has named Will Murphy executive director of the station. Murphy most recently served as PD at WFIU in Bloomington, Ind. He was also GM of Northeast Indiana Public Radio in Fort Wayne and WFHB in Bloomington. Murphy has also worked in public and commercial print and broadcast journalism. At High Plains, he replaces Bob Davis, who led the station for a year. Davis left in June to return to Alabama to be closer to family, he said in a post on High Plains’ website.

Development

Maryland Public Television in Owings Mills added Jennifer White to its development division as managing director, digital fundraising. White was formerly communications director for the Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission and has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Baltimore. 

Human resources

The National Educational Telecommunications Association has hired Cynthia Dobek as director of human resources, Business Center clients. Her appointment comes as NETA expands to include HR services. “Dobek will oversee the NETA Business Center’s expanding list of services to include human resource management for clients,” NETA said in a press release.

Board appointments

Members of Eastern Region Public Media elected a vice chair and two new at-large members Oct. 17 during their annual meeting in New Orleans. Bill Johnson, GM of WRTI in Philadelphia, was named vice chair. He replaces WGBH GM Phil Redo. And the two new at-large members are Lackisha Freeman, GM of WNCU in Durham, N.C.; and Chuck Holmes, executive director of WBHM in Birmingham, Ala.

Two public media professionals have joined the board of the Foundation of the Alliance for Community Media. Jessica Frantz is director of membership and operations for the Public Radio Program Directors Association. Before joining PRPD, Frantz worked in membership and development for Blue Ridge Public Radio in Asheville, N.C. And Kaja Brown is GM and PD of Radio Phoenix. Brown also hosts several shows on the station.

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