Knell Faces Challenging Climate As NPR CEO
NPR’s incoming CEO Gary Knell must work to bring it out of political turmoil and to expand the reach of its public radio network, industry executives told us. NPR needs a leader who can bring the entire organization, including its headquarters, the business arm and the network of stations, into what’s necessary for the future of public radio, said Caryn Mathes, general manager at WAMU(FM) Washington: “It’s a complex organization existing in a really challenging climate right now.” To address the “exploding technological climate,” the changing demographics of the public radio audience and efforts to defund public broadcasting, the CEO needs vision, courage and a backbone, she said.
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Knell “checks off almost all of the boxes that I had in my desire for a CEO,” said Mathes, who will join NPR’s board in November. At Sesame Workshop, where Knell is president, he “led a large, complex organization through a tumultuous media environment, helping it grow by providing innovative, engaging content in new and creative ways,” said NPR Chairman David Edwards in a news release. Knell, who joins NPR Dec. 1, had no comment by our deadline.
"Gary has been a steady guiding hand at Sesame Workshop, and I know that he will apply his formidable experience to lead NPR,” said PBS President Paula Kerger.
Knell will replace interim CEO Joyce Slocum, appointed after Vivian Schiller stepped down in March. Schiller’s resignation followed the resignation of Ron Schiller, former NPR Foundation president, who made statements against federal funding for the organization (CD March 10 p6). NPR is in a “politicized funding climate,” which had some distractions, Mathes said. Knell must tackle “lowering the volume of the distractions,” she added. “It takes someone who will buckle down and be about what’s next for our industry."
Connecticut Public Broadcasting Network President Jerry Franklin expects Knell to change NPR’s management and board. The two entities have been weak since Kevin Klose’s tenure ended in 2008, he said. They “have not kept pace with the journalists,” he said. Knell “has the ability to lead the organization and stay out of the journalists’ way.” Knell also brings policy experience to NPR, said Jeff McIntyre, national policy director for Children Now. “He’s been really remarkable … in being able to weigh both sides of any interests that are coming at him about something and being able to make reasonable, virtuous decisions on how to move forward effectively.” Knell was instrumental in working with the FCC on a report examining the impact of media on childhood obesity, McIntyre said: Although the desired outcome wasn’t reached, “he did an amazing job of balancing competing interests."
The general managers at Minnesota Public Radio and WGBH Boston radio and TV expect Knell to collaborate well with stations and the community, they said. Knell has had “a successful background in public broadcasting and finding innovative ways to distribute product and content,” said Tim Roesler of MPR. “We'd look for a real sense of vision and stability around what NPR is already doing.” Knell is a CEO “whose experience in orchestrating significant partnerships in public service media is in alliance with the ambitions and interests of our audiences and the mission of NPR and Member stations,” said Marita Rivero of WGBH.