Julian Wyllie

Reporter at Current

Reporter for a trade pub.

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Articles

Comings and goings: Jayme Swain elected PBS board vice chair, Chicago Public Media hires chief product and membership officer …

2 weeks ago | current.org | Julian Wyllie

Jayme Swain, CEO of VPM in Richmond, Va., was elected professional vice chair for the PBS board of directors during a meeting Tuesday. Swain moves into a board leadership role vacated by Courtney Pledger, who stepped down as CEO of Arkansas PBS in May and gave up her PBS board seat. Swain, who worked at PBS as SVP of strategy and operations before she became VPM CEO in 2019, joined the PBS board in 2021.
PBS holds station dues flat in fiscal year 2026 budget

2 weeks ago | current.org | Julian Wyllie

The PBS board of directors approved a fiscal year 2026 budget that holds station dues flat at $227 million. Approved as Congress prepares to vote on President Trump’s proposal to rescind CPB’s appropriations for fiscal 2026 and 2027, the budget projects a $3.3 million decrease, breaking even at $370.1 million. In the FY25 budget that closes June 30, PBS’ total budget was $373.4 million.
Cascade PBS Union secures pay raises in ratified contract with management

3 weeks ago | current.org | Julian Wyllie

The union representing journalists at Cascade PBS in Seattle has unanimously voted to ratify its second contract with management. Employees voted May 6 after reaching a tentative agreement April 29, according to the union. The new four-year contract will lead to an average pay raise of 6.76% for unit members. Over the term of the contract, employees’ average wages are projected to increase 18.3%. The union represents 23 employees and is under the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild.
GBH layoffs hit 45 staffers less than a month after World cuts

3 weeks ago | current.org | Julian Wyllie

GBH in Boston announced Monday that it laid off 45 employees, or 6% of its workforce, attributing the cuts to revenue concerns. A station spokesperson confirmed that the layoffs affect multiple departments at GBH, which has around 750 workers and is the largest national producer in public media with a portfolio including Frontline, Nova, American Experience and children’s shows.
Comings and goings: NPR appoints National Desk chief editor, Nebraska Public Media hires CTO …

4 weeks ago | current.org | Julian Wyllie

NPR promoted Catherine Laidlaw to chief editor of its National Desk. Laidlaw was named acting chief editor in January and previously worked as deputy national editor. She succeeds Ammad Omar, who had held the chief national editor position since July 2022. Laidlaw has also worked for NPR as supervising editor of Morning Edition. She was also an editor for the San Diego Union-Tribune, the San Francisco Examiner, the San Francisco Chronicle and the Industry Standard.
Comings and goings: OPB appoints a VP, Vermont Public hires two music hosts …

1 month ago | current.org | Julian Wyllie

Shayna Schlosberg was promoted to VP of community connections for Oregon Public Broadcasting. Schlosberg joined the state network in 2022 as equity leader after working as director of strategy and operations for Women of Color in the Arts. She previously was managing director for the Catastrophic Theatre and associate GM for Alley Theatre, both in Houston. “From the moment I started at OPB, Shayna impressed me with her empathy, smarts and advocacy for our people and our values.
PBS furloughs 25% of PBS Kids staff following Ready To Learn cuts

1 month ago | current.org | Julian Wyllie

ATLANTA — PBS has furloughed staff in response to its changing financial outlook, President Paula Kerger said during her keynote address Monday at the PBS Annual Meeting in Atlanta. The cuts were related to the abrupt termination of the Department of Education’s 2020–25 Ready To Learn grants earlier this month. CPB subsequently informed PBS and 44 public media stations that receive Ready To Learn grants to stop their work.
Sesame Workshop announces co-distribution deal with Netflix, PBS Kids

1 month ago | current.org | Julian Wyllie

Sesame Workshop, producer of Sesame Street and other educational media for children, announced that new episodes of the children’s series’ 56th season will be available on both Netflix and PBS Kids. Sesame Workshop CEO Sherrie Westin said in a statement that episodes from the upcoming season will release on the same day on Netflix, PBS stations and PBS Kids digital platforms, including YouTube. Netflix will also license episodes from the Sesame library for worldwide distribution.
Sesame Workshop employees approve vote for union representation

1 month ago | current.org | Julian Wyllie

Sesame Workshop employees won certification of their vote for representation under the Sesame Workers Union Thursday and will now seek their first collective bargaining agreement with management. In votes cast in April and counted in a National Labor Relations Board office in New York City, the group formally joined the Office and Professional Employees International Union Local 153.
How vulnerable pubcasters are handling federal funding threats

1 month ago | current.org | Tyler Falk |Julian Wyllie

As he describes it, Scott Smith lives “back in the sticks,” an hour and a half from the nearest Walmart. Smith, GM of Allegheny Mountain Radio, said he’s approaching businesses far outside his listening area — but where people in his “extremely rural area” of West Virginia and Virginia shop — to buy sponsorships. It’s one option he’s exploring to keep the station going in the face of federal funding threats.