Oregon Public Broadcasting CEO Steve Bass will step down in 2024, he announced Friday.
“I remain fully committed to leading OPB until the spring or summer of 2024 when we anticipate a new leader will be selected, and I am immensely grateful to the extraordinary OPB community we’ve nurtured together,” Bass said in a note on OPB’s website.
Bass told Current in an email that after serving as CEO for more than 17 years and turning 66, “it’s time to step aside and give a new leader the opportunity to take it to another level. OPB is in great shape financially, we have a really strong team and it’s a great place to be in public media so [I] expect that the position will get a lot of interest.”
During Bass’ tenure, OPB grew its broadcast footprint and content staff. Bass said in an OPB news article about his departure that when he started the job, he thought, “I’m moving to Oregon to run a radio and a television network.” Now he thinks of OPB as “a journalism organization that also operates radio and television networks.”
Prior to leading OPB, Bass was CEO of Nashville Public Television and VP and GM of WGBY in Springfield, Mass. He also worked for GBH and PBS.
Bass said he doesn’t know “what the next chapter will bring” but that he plans to travel and spend time with family. “My musical career will continue and perhaps expand a bit,” said Bass, who plays clarinet with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra in Washington and the Oregon East Symphony. “And, I hope to continue to find ways to continue to contribute to OPB and public media.”