Royal Aills is leaving his position as GM for RSU Public TV in Tulsa, Okla., to become executive director for Mississippi Public Broadcasting.
Aills’ first day with MPB is Sept. 19. He succeeds Ronnie Agnew, who left MPB late last year to lead WOSU Public Media in Columbus, Ohio. MPB News Director Teresa Collier served as interim executive director during the search process.
“After a nationwide search, the board is pleased to have Royal Aills join our agency … as we continue broadcast excellence in Mississippi,” said Board Chair David Allen in a MPB news release. “We look forward to supporting him as he begins his work to take MPB to the next level of excellence.”
“I am looking forward to meeting all the team members and working together to continue building programming that educates, enlightens and entertains Mississippians across the state,” Aills said in the release.
Aills became GM for RSU Public TV in 2013. During his tenure, he worked with the Cherokee Nation to program televised courses for learning the Cherokee language.
Other programming initiatives Aills led included I Want Answers, a high-school quiz program that provides scholarships to students; Perspectives, a weekly public affairs program; and Film Noir Theatre, a series showcasing classic movies. Aills has also served on the board of the Small Station Association.
Before leading the Tulsa station, Aills was station manager for the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority. He was the main anchor for the public affairs show Tulsa Times before OETA faced state budget cuts.
“Through Royal’s leadership, RSU-TV has been a difference-maker in northeast Oklahoma,” said Royal State University President Larry Rice in an RSU news release. “He has been a programming innovator and has grown exponentially a base of support for the station. We will miss his leadership and creative mind, but wish him and his family the very best.”