• Cynthia Lopez, who has helped shape POV for the past 14 years as its executive vice president and co-executive producer, is the new commissioner of the New York City Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting. The agency markets the city as a prime location for production and assists production companies throughout the five boroughs. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the appointment at a Friday afternoon press conference, calling Lopez “a remarkable media professional.” He noted that this is the first time the office will be led by a person of color and that Lopez has long been “a force for greater inclusion in this industry.”

Websites affiliated with PBS and NPR have been nominated for Webby Awards in more than 20 categories. PBS Video and NPR’s Responsive Design Project are contenders for top recognition for best practices on the Web, one of the most high-profile awards to be presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences later this spring. PBS led public media organizations in garnering the most nominations. PBS Video received a nomination in the general website media streaming category, and The PBS Idea Channel is vying for two Webbys in categories for first-person online film and video and best web personality/host.

The new Green Line of the Minneapolis-St. Paul light-rail line is beginning to wreak havoc on the studios of American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio, according to an April 18 Minneapolis Star Tribune report. The new line, which passes in front of APM’s headquarters, starts operating June 16. Metro Transit has begun test runs on the line, and APM claims the shaking and vibrations are interfering with work at its offices. “The floor is vibrating, the ceiling is shaking, the structure is making noise, and that affects the recordings,” Nick Kereakos, chief technology officer and operations vice president for MPR and APM, told the Star Tribune.

Plus: Pubmedia's Society of Professional Journalists award winners.

“Understanding Impact,” a two-day symposium, will explore how public media organizations can measure and analyze the impact of their work. Convened by the Public Media Futures Forum and the Center for Investigative Reporting, the event is taking place at American University in Washington, D.C. Check out the schedule below. Due to technical difficulties, we are unable to offer a live stream of today’s proceedings. Please see CIR’s live blogging page for updates. Schedule Thursday, April 17 10–10:30 a.m. — Welcome Ed Beimfohr, Associate Dean, Operations & Strategic Initiatives, American University School of Communication Mark Fuerst, Director, Public Media Futures Forums Robert Rosenthal, The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) 10:30–11:10 a.m.

Startup Internet TV service Aereo has launched a website to make its case to the public in advance of a U.S. Supreme Court hearing next week. The court’s ruling after Tuesday’s arguments could make or break the service, which allows subscribers to view and record television broadcast programs online. Broadcasters, including PBS and New York’s WNET, have sued Aereo, claiming the company is violating copyright law by converting broadcast signals to streaming video. Launched Thursday, Aereo’s website, ProtectMyAntenna.org, lays out the company’s case for why it should prevail and provides links to all court filings to date. The case before the Supreme Court, American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.,

Plus: Tilda Swinton spins tunes at KCRW, and a StoryCorps too hot for NPR.

As Pacifica Radio marked its 65th anniversary of broadcasting, foundation and station leaders are talking publicly about governance reforms that involve “decentralizing” control of its five stations. Pacifica National Board Chair Margy Wilkinson, who is battling for control of the Foundation with former executive director Summer Reese, discussed the proposal April 9 on KPFK-FM, the Pacifica station in Los Angeles. “There are real governance issues,” Wilkinson said during an appearance on the KPFK show Truthdig. “I think the way the foundation is put together does not make for a very highly functioning organization.” Though she didn’t wade into specifics, Wilkinson called for “some decentralization and some greater autonomy at the local stations.”