SOMETIMES THE ONLY WAY TO GROW IS TO LEAVE A TOXIC ENVIROMENT

FOR MY FRIEND SUE SCHARDT

I have no knowledge of any of the recent events involving Sue. This message isn’t about that stuff.

This is vote of confidence in Sue Schardt.  She is someone who has made public media, particularly public radio, better in every way.

When Sue began her work at AIR more than a decade ago, the organization barely had a pulse. At that time AIR was best known as a disorganized pack of whiners.  Through her hard work she gave AIR, and it’s members, a seat at the public media power table.

She redefined the role of independent producers and legitimized their presence in the eyes the system. She built AIR into a “opportunity: collective and brought membership to record high levels.

Sue has an amazing network of friends and associates who will always stand with her.  We thank her for her good work AIR and look forward to her next chapter.

AIR BOARD APPOINTS TOM LIVINGSTON AS INTERIM CEO

According to a press release from AIR, Tom Livingston will become the organization's interim Executive Director on October 1. 2018.

Apparently Livingston's current assignment -- Interim Director of Pacifica -- will end on September 30.
  

We have no official confirmation of Livingston's departure from Pacifica.  Also there is no word about who Pacifica will hire to be
Pacifica’s new Executive Director.   

 

Rumor has it that progress is stalled because a disagreement within the Pacifica National Board. We hope this isn’t true.

Whatever happens, the future of Pacifica is now up to the people of Pacifica. Tom Livingston kept the ship from sinking. Now it is up to the people of Pacifica to make it swim.

THOUGHTS ABOUT WORKING AT WBUR FROM SOMEONE WHO HAS BEEN THERE

Frequent Spark News contributor Aaron Read is Director of Information Technology & Engineering at Rhode Island Public Radio. He began his career at WBUR and says the work hasn’t changed much over the years:

READ:  I take no position on whether or not WBUR’s culture needs to change, but I think there are some interesting facts I can add to the discussion.

WBUR’s culture was originally implemented by Jane Christo and very much reinforced by then-BU President John Silber.

I started as a work/study student at WBUR in 1996. I left a FTE employee in 1999. There are at least a dozen or two people who worked there when I started who are still working there today. It speaks to how the culture obviously works well for some people.

I have stayed in touch with many friends who still work at ‘BUR, and my impression is that the culture isn’t all that different from when I was there. That tells me the original hard-charging attitude – “we expect the best and demand the best because we are the best” – is still there. 

KEN SAYS: Thank you bringing up Jane Christo.  Christo was a lot like Ruth Hirschman/Seymour the person who built KCRW. Both were nightmares for HR people. Both established shops that are the best in the system today.

We aren't advocating improper behavior. In a creative industry sometimes egos get deflated, elbows get scratched and feelings get hurt. This is the way the creative process happens.