Exit Interviews
Mary Anne Alhadeff on a ‘life well spent’ in public media
The outgoing CEO of KERA reflects on women in leadership roles, the need to collaborate, and why you should never tape a program on the first day of daylight saving time.
Exit Interviews
Nancy Dobbs: ‘We’re in the business of getting people to care about and engage in their community’
“There needs to be a change of mindset about how we collectively serve the public,” says the outgoing CEO of Northern California Public Media.
Exit Interviews
Lloyd Wright: ‘In order to lead, you must serve’
“I give a lot of credit to those around me who have helped make WFYI and me successful,” says Wright, who recently retired as president of the Indianapolis stations.
Exit Interviews
Dave Edwards: ‘Focus on creating content that is meaningful to the communities we serve’
“We need to stop worrying about things we can’t control,” says the retired GM of WUWM in Milwaukee. “Let’s continue to build from our strengths.”
People
John Boland: ‘It is the local connections that matter most’
Regardless of the role you play in a public media organization, “always remember that it is all about serving the needs of the people in your community,” says the retired CEO of San Francisco’s KQED.
Exit Interviews
Rob Gordon: ‘Understand that what worked well for others might not work for you’
Develop relationships with local supporters to improve your station’s community service, says the retired Nashville Public Radio GM, because advice from public radio colleagues can take you only so far.
Exit Interviews
Laura Walker: ‘Meeting mission and achieving deep impact are not warring principles’
Reflecting on her 23 years as CEO of WYNC and NYPR, Laura Walker says success in public media comes from reaching for both ideals.
People
Jerry Franklin: ‘Learn to fail quickly and then get up and keep going’
The outgoing president of Connecticut Public looks back on his career at the station: “I had a terrific board of directors, and we kept reinventing ourselves.”
People
As GM, Ellen Rocco defined her role as protector of ‘rigorously fair’ journalism, rainmaker for innovative ideas
“It took me a while to figure out that the real job is to find resources for talented staff and innovative ideas — and to fight to protect independent journalism,” says Rocco, who retires from North Country Public Radio next month.
People
From student-run KALX to KPCC, Bill Davis recalls a career of defying conventional wisdom
After building the Los Angeles station into a regional news powerhouse, Davis says it’s easy to forget how “almost everyone in public media” predicted that his efforts to revive the station would fail.