JO ANNE WALLACE TO RETIRE FROM KQED: HOW DO YOU REPLACE A LEGENDARY LEADER?

Jo Anne Wallace

Jo Anne Wallace, a charter member of public media’s Greatest Generation has announced her retirement from KQED, San Francisco, at the end of November. We use the phrase Greatest Generation because she is one of the people that built public radio into the national institution that it is today.

Wallace plans to keep active after she leaves KQED as a consultant.

Wallace has been General Manager of KQED since 1990. Under her leadership, KQED has become one of the most successful noncommercial News/Talk stations in the nation. KQED was the first major public radio station to adopt a full-time spoken word format. The success of KQED’s programming inspired dozens of NPR member stations to make the same move. “Format focusing” is one of the techniques that has caused the unprecedented growth in public radio listening.

Jarl Mohn, President and CEO of NPR, said in a press release about Wallace’s retirement:

 “She built one of the most listened to and powerful member stations in AMERICA and has been one of our most influential members of NPR’s Board of Directors. I always counted on Jo Anne to provide wise counsel and superb guidance, not just on programming, but, on all matters of public radio!

REPLACING “THE FOUNDER” IS NEVER EASY

Mohn’s hearty praise for Wallace brings up another sometimes problematic element of succession: Trying to measure up to a legend, particularly a founder of an enterprise. Expectations are often unrealistically high and there will be the temptation to compare every move made by the new person in charge to the icon that just left.

However, we can think of at least three situations when a new leader out-performed expectations and established their own identity:

John McTaggart

• John McTaggart following Bill Kling as CEO of American Public Media (APM).

People speculated for years about who would replace Kling, perhaps the most innovative leader ever in public radio.  McTaggart succeeded by not trying to replicate Kling. McTaggart focused on the things he does best such as wise stewardship of a multi-million dollar organization. McTaggart has put a friendlier, more collaborate face on APM,

Ruth Seymour

• Jennifer Ferro following Ruth Hirschman/Seymour as GM of KCRW

For better or worse, there will never be another Ruth Seymour. She was a provocateur who did not tolerate people she thought were fools. She could be spiteful and dismissive. 

Ruth Seymour was also a terrific true believer in public media.  She led the effort to save public radio in the early 1980s when NPR was inches away from bankruptcy. Ruth had an inredible ear for talent.

Ferro has succeeded because her personal style is the opposite. She has won allies and expanded KCRW's footprint.

Stewart Vanderwilt (left)

• Max Wyscik to Stewart Vanderwilt as CEO of Colorado Public Radio

Sometimes the best way to replace an icon is to hire another icon. Colorado Public Radio opened the wallet and brought in superstar manager Stewart Vanderwilt, the former head of KUT, Austin. 

Some observers think this scenario will be the way KQED will replace Jo Anne Wallace.

EXPECT MORE EXECUTIVE TURNOVER

Wallace’s departure from KQED is a reminder that there are quite few station leaders who are around the same age as her. Public radio is now seeing an unprecedented turnover of top managers. While their presence will be missed, the openings are welcome news for people who want to move up in the system.

Employee surveys have pointed out that many people in public radio feel there are too few opportunities to move up the management ladder. This is a reminder that public radio is small industry where people with good jobs at functional stations tend to stay put. The result is that some extremely talented folks look outside the system for employment rather than play the waiting game of succession.

OTHER NOTABLE RETIREMENTS IN 2018 

When Wallace retires later this year she will join a list of other longtime managers who are exiting the system:

• BILL DAVIS, CEO and President of Southern California Public Radio (KPCC) announced that he is retiring in 2019 after almost 20 years in the job.

• JOHN STARK, GM of KLCC in Eugene retired in August after 44 years in public radio management.

• TONY BRANDON retired in June after 16 years as the President and GM of WYPR, Baltimore. (Interesting side note: After leaving WYPR, Brandon has joined his brother, Rogers Brandon, in the family’s business – American General Media, the owner of 46 commercial radio stations in the southwest.

• LLOYD WRIGHT, President and CEO of WFYI Public Media will retire later in 2018 after over 30 years leading WYFI-FM and WFYI-TV in Indianapolis.

Other notable retirements in 2018 include Steve Robinson, CEO of WFMT, Chicago; Jerry Franklin, CEO of Connecticut Public Radio and TV, after 33 years leading the organization; and Glenn Gleixner, GM of WVTF, Roanoke, retired after 20 years at the station. (WVTF hired Roger DuVall, GM of WEKU, to replace Gleixner.)

ADDRESSING SUCCESION

Organizers of the upcoming Super-Regional Meeting in Atlanta [link] are devoting an entire session to succession planning. It will be on Thursday, October 25^th at 2:15pm. 

Succession Planning for the Nimble Organization will focus not only on replacing top managers, it will discuss creating plans to replace specialized workers and “heritage hosts.”

Talent retention is an area of ongoing concern within public radio. When employees see a clear career path, they are less likely to seek opportunities elsewhere. However, “a clear path” is often not available in smaller shops with little turnover.