Marketing manager, podcasts

American Public Media

Age: 35

Joshua Rae stands smiling in a forest path, dressed in a dark suit with hands in his pockets. The background is filled with tall trees and soft natural light.
(Photo: Erin Long)

Three words: Committed, collaborative, creative

What colleagues say: Joshua is rigorous in assessing performance, thinking strategically and building relationships. He creates marketing plans that meet audience goals and have real-life impacts. He helped launch and support shows that were named among the best podcasts of the year by the New York Times and Esquire (Ripple), or received multiple award nominations (Truth Be Told, The Splendid Table, Forever Ago).

Joshua oversaw marketing for the 2022 podcast Sold a Story and its Spanish-language version. He was instrumental in helping both reach new audiences.

Joshua has also made a difference for APM’s goals to reach a younger, more diverse audience through his work with She Has a Name, the podcast hosted by Tonya Mosley that tells a personal story about her sister, who disappeared in 1987. The show has deep ties to Detroit, and it was important to the team to reach Black audiences in Detroit and beyond.

The marketing leaned into a local-first strategy that included securing media placements with Detroit radio stations, ad placements on digital billboard and bus ads, and geo-targeted Spotify and Meta placements. This campaign reached Black Detroiters through social media and drove ticket sales to what ended up being a sold-out live event in Detroit.

What Joshua says

Decision to work in public media: I started in public media as a cameraperson and crew member at Wisconsin Public Television. I was drawn to the position primarily because it was close to my freshman dorm, and I wanted to get television production experience. I loved the job for many reasons, but largely because of the range of PBS programming that I was able to support. One day I would be managing the teleprompter for a local news program; the next night I’d be filming a college hockey game or local musicians performing on the Wisconsin Capitol lawn. The experience inspired me to pursue jobs at Frontline and APM.

Key accomplishments: The diversity of my experiences and the organizations I’ve supported, including nonprofits in New York City, major entertainment brands like Viacom and NBCUniversal, On Being with Krista Tippett and outreach efforts for PBS journalism.

I’m especially proud of the work I’ve done supporting programs that have a tangible impact on people’s lives. A recent example is my marketing efforts for the English- and Spanish-language versions of Sold a Story, which exposed a national literacy crisis and influenced changes in at how schools teach reading in at least 25 states.

Inspired by: Other people’s out-of-the-box thinking, whether it be in media, fashion, art or games. My friends and family inspire me in terms of how they navigate and innovate in their lives. I’m inspired by former and current colleagues’ marketing work — ads that make me feel something and unique campaigns for some of my favorite shows or brands.

Advice for young public media professionals: Prioritize work that will make you proud. None of us know what the future of public media will look like, so don’t wait. Try to find opportunities and roles that fulfill you.

Advice for public media leaders: Public media tends to be slow to change. How can you challenge the system? How can you incorporate experimentation into your day-to-day?

I would also encourage mentoring and connecting with younger/newer employees at your organization who you don’t supervise. There’s a real opportunity to exchange ideas and nurture from within.

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