Pam Johnston, GM for the news division of GBH in Boston, will step down from the role May 31.
Johnston started the job in 2020. She previously worked for Frontline, produced by GBH, first as senior director of audience development and later as senior director of strategy and audience.
“I have decided the time is right for me to step aside to make room for a new leader to guide the next chapter at GBH News,” Johnston said in an internal statement quoted in a GBH news story.
GBH’s report included part of a joint email sent by CEO Susan Goldberg and COO Shane Miner in which they praised Johnston’s news judgment, fundraising work and efforts to feature more of GBH’s programs on platforms like YouTube.
But the story also noted recent issues at the station. A three-month investigation that looked into allegations of bullying by a top editor “resulted in no finding against the editor and a commitment by Johnston to improve newsroom culture.”
The Boston Globe reported in February that some staffers were upset that the investigation’s findings were not shared in a written report to the newsroom and were only described verbally in staff meetings.
Like other stations, GBH is also reportedly facing financial headwinds. Goldberg warned in March that leadership is seeking cost-cutting measures, which may include layoffs, according to the Boston Herald.
Debra Adams Simmons, GBH’s senior director of special editorial projects, will take over Johnston’s duties until a permanent leader is named.
Radio Bilingüe announced several staff changes.
María Eraña, director of broadcasting and public affairs, stepped down from the position but will remain as a part-time senior producer and advisor. Eraña joined Radio Bilingüe in 1988 as a freelance correspondent and was also a producer and reporter for news programs Línea Abierta, Noticiero Latino and Edición Semanaria.
José Moran was promoted to director of broadcasting upon Eraña’s transition. Moran joined the organization as an on-air volunteer when he was 18 and later became a project manager in 2010. He was promoted to his most recent position of deputy director of broadcasting in 2020.
Natalie Orozco-Santiago was promoted to director of business and grants/contracts administration. She started working for Radio Bilingüe in 2001 as grants administration manager after volunteering for the organization.
Seckeita Taylor Lewis was named CMO of StoryCorps.
Taylor Lewis most recently worked as co-founder and president of Lewis Taylor Productions. Before that, she was head of brand integration and content for Ocean Spray Cranberries, and she has also been director of marketing for strategy, innovation and equity for PepsiCo.
“Seckeita’s extensive track record in heightening brand awareness and driving revenue, along with her award-winning work as a storyteller, make her an ideal choice to steward StoryCorps’ marketing and communications as we enhance our public service, products, and brand at this pivotal moment,” said StoryCorps CEO Sandra Clark in a news release. “I have no doubt she will contribute profoundly to the organization’s continued growth and increasing impact in the years ahead.”
Audience
Erin Bagatta joined WUWM in Milwaukee as community engagement and audience development coordinator. Before joining WUWM, she was creative marketing manager at Radio Milwaukee, where she developed marketing plans and also managed the station’s volunteer program. She joined the station in 2019 as a marketing coordinator.
Content
Russ Clarkson, a senior producer for PBS NewsHour, announced that he’s retiring. Clarkson joined the program in 1999 after working as a broadcast wires editor for the Associated Press. On a recent NewsHour broadcast, co-anchor Geoff Bennett said Clarkson “represents all that is great” about the program, adding that his “editorial judgment and commitment to the highest standards have shaped the newsroom and helped us maintain the level of excellence we strive for every day.”
Jimmy Gutierrez became a producer of Lake Effect for WUWM in Milwaukee. Gutierrez first worked as an intern for WUWM in 2012. He has also been a producer and reporter for New Hampshire Public Radio, a John S. Knight community impact fellow at Stanford University, a senior story editor for TED and a firefighter in Milwaukee.
Scott McAlister announced that he’s leaving his position as a video producer and editor for WFYI in Indianapolis. “I am excited for new adventures in Chicago!” he wrote on LinkedIn. “I’m beyond blessed to have worked with and learned from so many talented, creative people over the years.” McAlister joined the station in 2015 as a social media manager.
Fellowships
The Nieman Foundation for Journalism selected two public media employees as 2025 Nieman fellows who will study at Harvard University for two semesters starting this fall. The fellows are Jon Collins, a senior reporter covering public safety for Minnesota Public Radio, who will examine how policing policies disproportionately target the poor; and Mike Shum, a director, producer and cinematographer for Frontline, who will research press censorship in the Chinese diaspora, with a focus on Hong Kong and Macau.
Send news of “comings and goings” to [email protected]
Update: Citing a GBH news story, an earlier version of this article said that the three-month investigation at the station looked into allegations of “racist and ageist comments” made by senior staffers. GBH later updated its news article to remove mention of these allegations. A note added to the story said, “This story was updated following a request from GBH News’ leadership team to clarify details related to the internal newsroom investigation.” According to a GBH spokesperson, the investigation only examined allegations of bullying. Following GBH’s update, we have removed mention of these allegations as well.