People
How these new station leaders are expanding community service while managing change
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Four GMs and CEOs who started in their roles in 2023 discuss their priorities in uncertain times.
Programs/Content
New series from Vision Maker, ‘Nova’ showcases Native American filmmakers and climate change
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Six short films from Native American filmmakers focused on climate change make up the series from GBH’s “Nova” and Vision Maker Media.
System/Policy
NPR’s Katherine Maher tackles big questions about public media’s role
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In a PMDMC keynote, Maher described building a “common national fabric” for civic dialogue and defining what audiences want.
System/Policy
Forensic report on CapRadio finds ‘unsupported payments’
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Names were redacted in the report due to an “ongoing law enforcement investigation and privacy.”
Obituaries
NPR correspondent Ina Jaffe dies at 75
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Jaffe, a former actor, reported for NPR from 1985 to 2022.
Programs/Content
KERA’s ‘Think’ to be distributed by PRX
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Hosted by Krys Boyd, the hourlong talk show airs on more than 200 stations.
People
Brad Dancer named GM of WSHU Public Radio
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Dancer replaces Rima Dael, who left in December to become CEO of the National Federation of Community Broadcasters.
People
Fred Child to leave ‘Performance Today’ next year
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The longtime host will leave the program in October 2025.
System/Policy
Former WAMU/DCist staffers raise money for new newsroom
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The 51st is planned to begin as a newsletter, with the goal of starting publication in the fall.
System/Policy
AIR launches survey to assess freelance audio professionals’ rates
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Submissions by Aug. 7 will be used for a 2024 update to AIR’s rate guides.
People
Univision Los Angeles exec Alejandra Santamaria to lead LAist, Southern California Public Radio
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Santamaria takes the helm this month at SCPR, which operates LAist, and replaces CEO Herb Scannell, whose retirement was announced in September.
System/Policy
LAist cuts 28 positions with buyouts, layoffs
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The station offered the voluntary buyouts in May, with CCO Kristen Muller saying at the time the organization faced a budget shortfall over the next two years.
System/Policy
Public media’s pivot to local news requires deep change, Wyncote Foundation report finds
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Public media’s response to the problems facing local news has not been “commensurate” with the crisis, the report said.
Programs/Content
New York’s WNYC celebrates 100 years with on-air birthday party
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The July 8 event will include a reimagining of the station’s first broadcast exactly 100 years earlier.
Programs/Content
‘The Thistle & Shamrock’ will end Sept. 30 after 40-plus years
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“The Thistle & Shamrock” airs on 237 NPR member stations, delving into new and traditional Celtic music through interviews with singers, songwriters and music experts.
People
Vox.com co-founder Melissa Bell will lead Chicago Public Media
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Bell, who co-founded Vox.com in 2014 and became publisher of parent company Vox Media in 2016, will take the helm at CPM Sept. 3.
Programs/Content
WUNC to end its music stream and HD2 service
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Radio listening trends and economics are too challenging to justify acquiring a terrestrial signal for the Triple A music service, says GM Paul Hunton.
System/Policy
CPB backs new journalism desk for Alaska’s stations
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The two-year grant funds four new reporter positions and three shared editors.
System/Policy
Growing costs, falling sponsorship fuel wave of layoffs in pubmedia
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Current has tracked more than 400 jobs lost to layoffs or buyouts since March 2023, including at operations as different as NPR, Chicago Public Media, GBH in Boston and WBHM in Birmingham, Ala.
System/Policy
New Wisconsin Public Radio station honors late Executive Director Gene Purcell
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WEPP, which will begin broadcasting Thursday on 90.7 FM in Rice Lake, Wis., gets its call letters from Purcell’s given name, Eugene Patrick Purcell.