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Alfredo Cruz has stepped up to run dual licensee KVCR, becoming the third g.m. at the San Bernardino, Calif., station in less than two years.
This item has been updated and reposted with additional information. Ray Suarez, chief national correspondent for PBS NewsHour, is resigning after 14 years with the program, effective Oct. 25. Executive Producer Linda Winslow told the staff in a memo late this afternoon that Suarez is leaving to “pursue several other ventures,” including writing a book. The news comes three days after NewsHour founders Jim Lehrer and Robin MacNeil announced they intended to transfer ownership of the program to presenting station and producing partner WETA in Arlington, Va.
The staff realignment promoting Elissa Orlando, left, at WXXI in Rochester, N.Y., includes four other promotions for managers.
Veteran pubcaster Ted Krichels will become CPB’s new s.v.p. for system development and media strategy, effective Nov. 4. Krichels replaces Mark Erstling, who remains with CPB but will focus solely on issues concerning the upcoming television spectrum auctions and subsequent channel repacking. In his new role, Krichels will oversee CPB’s efforts to ensure that public television and its related digital and visual media services are universally available across America. Krichels has more than 25 years experience in pubcasting management, most recently as associate v.p. and g.m. of Penn State Public Broadcasting in University Park, Pa., and previously as c.e.o. of KBDI in Denver.
The arrangement grew out of a neighborly collaborative relationship between the stations as well as a desire to save personnel costs.
John McCoskey, PBS’s head of technology for six years, has accepted a position as executive vice president and chief technology officer at the Motion Picture Association of America. He will develop and oversee the MPAA’s global technology policy as well as handle advocacy, legal, communications and content protection initiatives, reporting to COO Diane Strahan. At PBS, McCoskey was responsible for all technology strategy, development, operations and infrastructure for PBS member stations. Prior to his public broadcasting tenure, he was v.p. of product development at Comcast; co-founder and c.t.o. of Brief Original Broadcasts, a digital TV network for short-form content; and s.v.p. of technology and c.t.o. at Discovery Communications.
Susan Lacy created PBS’s iconic cultural biography series in 1986, and will exit after signing a “very nice multiyear deal” to produce biographical films for the subscription channel’s documentary division.
After serving a stint as NPR’s East Africa correspondent, Gwen Thompkins was ready to head in a different direction. WWNO gave her the chance to host her own music show.
A Secretly Handicapped Man, out in October, is not only the story of Norbert Nathanson’s place in the history of public broadcasting, but also the tale of his struggle with his own body and society’s attitude toward him: He was born without feet and one hand.
Dolores Sukhdeo is the new president and chief executive officer of WPBT-TV in Miami, the station’s board announced Tuesday. She replaces Rick Schneider, who takes over this month as executive vice president and chief operating officer of WETA in Arlington, Va. Sukhdeo joined the station in 1998 as v.p. for facilities services and was promoted to c.o.o. in 2003. She began her television career in 1990 in the international newsgathering division of Disney/ABC News. She also serves as president-elect of the board of the International Women’s Forum of South Florida and is chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Board’s Nonprofit Business Committee.
Jason Seiken, PBS’s innovative head of digital media who exhorted stations to embrace a more videocentric future, will leave the public broadcaster in October to take over as chief content officer and editor-in-chief at the Telegraph Media Group in London. PBS President Paula Kerger told public television executives in an email today that Seiken has done “a truly extraordinary job” over his nearly seven years at PBS. Under his leadership, PBS launched local-national digital initiatives, including the COVE video site and Bento website toolbox for stations. It also pioneered the Webby Award–winning PBS Digital Studios and pushed PBS.org and PBSKids.org to large increases in traffic. Kerger added that “on a personal level, I know that this move makes the most sense for Jason and his family, as they have been interested in moving back to London for some time.”
Rich Homberg, president of WTVS in Detroit, was the winner in the first tie ever for a spot on the PBS Board of directors.
Public radio analyst John Sutton has established a new research firm and changed the name of his 16-year-old consulting company. Sutton announced Sept. 5 that Maryland-based John Sutton & Associates, launched in 1997, is now Sutton & Lee LLC. The name reflects increased responsibilities for Sonja Lee, who will run the business and provide most on-site services for clients. Sutton & Lee advises stations on growing audience and membership revenue.
Several public broadcasting journalists now count a bike helmet among their essential reporting equipment as they pedal to cover news events and interview sources.
Moss Bresnahan, president of KCTS Television in Seattle, resigned Thursday. “My reasons for making this very difficult decision are deeply personal — to attend to family-related issues that have arisen,” Bresnahan said in a note to public television managers. “I’m so proud of our many accomplishments to date, and I know that KCTS is poised for even greater things in the coming year,” he told the execs. Prior to his arrival in Seattle in November 2008, Bresnahan served as president of South Carolina ETV and WVPT in Harrisonburg, Va. He also spent six years as a board member of the International Public Television Screening Conference (INPUT) .
Jesús Echeverría and Rocío Santos are the new hosts for Chicago Public Media’s expanded Spanish-language music and talk blocks on Vocalo en Español.
When Torey Malatia unexpectedly announced his resignation as president of WBEZ licensee Chicago Public Media Friday, July 26, news of the longtime leader’s exit reverberated across Chicago media and public radio.
Eric Deggans, a media critic at the Tampa Bay Times since 1995, will sign on as NPR’s television critic and correspondent, a new position, in October.
The PBS NewsHour is reassigning its senior journalists to new roles by tapping Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff as co-anchors and managing editors of the weeknightly broadcasts. The change, announced today during the Television Critics Association Press Tour in Los Angeles, drops the system of rotating anchor duties among six different NewsHour journalists. It takes effect next month. Jim Lehrer, longtime anchor and co-owner of the show through MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, retains the title of executive editor, but Ifill and Woodruff will lead editorial and strategic planning of PBS’s flagship news show. “Gwen and Judy have been the heart and soul of NewsHour for years,” said Linda Winslow, executive producer, “so it’s wonderful to formalize these new roles and give them an opportunity to provide even more input on the content and direction of the show.”
President Obama’s five nominees to the CPB Board were approved Thursday night by the U.S. Senate.