Quick Takes

Tardif of WGCU to chair Radio Television Digital News Association

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Amy Tardif, news director of dual licensee WGCU in Fort Myers, Fla., is the first woman in pubradio to chair the Radio Television Digital News Association, reports the local News-Press. The RTDNA named Tardif  chair-elect Monday at its annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif. She’ll lead next year’s conference in Nashville, Tenn. The association represents journalists in broadcasting, cable and digital media in more than 30 countries. Tardif previously served as an RTDNA regional director.

Quick Takes

NFL concussion documentary to air in one two-hour presentation

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PBS is shifting the scheduling of Frontline’s upcoming League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis to a one-evening presentation. The documentary, which has been in the news since ESPN dropped out of its reporting partnership with Frontline last week, will now air from 9 to 11 p.m. Oct. 8. It had originally been set to run as two one-hour episodes on Oct. 8 and 15.

Quick Takes

NPR’s Shapiro will report from London

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NPR’s Ari Shapiro will end his stint covering the White House and head abroad in January to report from London, the network announced today. In London, Shapiro will replace Philip Reeves, who will become NPR’s Islamabad correspondent. Shapiro has covered the White House for NPR since 2010. He joined the network in 2003 and reported from Miami, Boston and Atlanta, then went on to cover national security and counterterrorism. In 2012 he followed Mitt Romney on the campaign trail.

Quick Takes

Nine international broadcasters pick up Cold Case JFK doc from Nova

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Cold Case JFK, a Nova forensic investigation documentary on President Kennedy’s assassination, has been purchased by nine broadcasters worldwide, reports C21 Media, a London-based global media news site. The doc, airing on PBS in November as part of a week of programming to mark the 50th anniversary of Kennedy’s murder in Dallas, was picked up by  RTS in Denmark; NRK, Norway; TVI, Portugal; SBS, Australia; Canal Once, Mexico; SRC-RDI and CBC Newsworld, Canada; and EBS and MBN, South Korea. The film is distributed worldwide by PBS International, jointly owned by PBS and WGBH in Boston.

Quick Takes

The Story to end production in Nov. with departure of Dick Gordon

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Dick Gordon, host of public radio’s The Story, announced Monday that he will leave the long-form interview show Nov. 22. With Gordon’s departure, the show will come to a close. The program is produced by WUNC/North Carolina Public Radio and distributed by American Public Media. It airs on 115 stations, according to APM.

Programs/Content

KUSC broadcasting classical show from Santa Monica beach

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KUSC host Rich Capparela has taken his Friday show to the beach. Starting Aug. 23, the Los Angeles classical station personality Rich Capparela began hosting the Friday edition of his weekday show from his home studio in Santa Monica, with a view of the Pacific Ocean. Airing 4–7 p.m., KUSC at the Beach takes listeners into the weekend with music and information about concerts and events in the region. “The afternoon show with Rich has always been a great way to wind down after a busy day,” said Bill Lueth, USC radio v.p. “A classical show with that beach frame of mind sounded especially relaxing.”

Capparela has had a studio in his condo since 1991.

Quick Takes

Frontline reporting partner ESPN pulls out of NFL brain-injury investigation

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This item has been updated and reposted with additional information. ESPN on Thursday unexpectedly withdrew from a reporting collaboration with Frontline investigating brain injuries in National Football League players, the New York Times reports. “League of Denial,” a two-part special premiering in October, was Frontline’s first editorial partnership with the cable sports network, which pays the NFL more than $1 billion a year to broadcast Monday Night Football. The Times, citing unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the situation, said ESPN’s role “came under intense pressure by the league . .