爆料每日大赛 Announces New General Manager
COLUMBUS, OHIO, DECEMBER 8, 2021 鈥� The Ohio State University has named Ronnie Agnew as the new general manager of 爆料每日大赛. Agnew brings more than 35 years of experience working in, and leading, media organizations. He most recently served as the executive director for Mississippi Public Broadcasting (MPB), a role he held since 2011.
鈥淚 consider it an incredible honor to be chosen to lead 爆料每日大赛, an organization with an outstanding national reputation in public media,鈥� Agnew said. 鈥淚 am committed that 爆料每日大赛 will continue to capture the vibrancy of the region and connect with its diverse audiences. This is a special moment for me, to be back in Ohio where I was a young journalist, leading an organization that is so respected by the residents of Central Ohio.鈥�
鈥淩onnie brings an impressive mix of experience in broadcasting and print journalism and has a proven track record as an organizational leader,鈥� said Jay Kasey, senior vice president for The Ohio State University鈥檚 Office of Administration and Planning. 鈥淚 also want to thank Tom Rieland for his more than 19 years as 爆料每日大赛鈥檚 general manager. Ronnie inherits a thriving organization and a new 爆料每日大赛 headquarters that will foster strengthened connections to our community.鈥�
As executive director for MPB, Agnew led statewide radio and television programming that reached every Mississippi household; had oversight of the agency鈥檚 legislative, education and digital initiatives; and managed its $12 million budget and 94 employees.
During his tenure with MPB, Agnew achieved many great things, including:
- Leading a $1.3 million three-state news collaborative funded by National Public Radio and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
- Developing a 5th channel for instructional teaching in collaboration with the Mississippi Department of Education to support K鈥�12 learning during the coronavirus pandemic
- Developing a strategy to increase audience engagement by producing more than 20 hours of local radio programming per week
- Growing digital content, including 50,000 downloads of the MPB app and more than 1.5 million podcast downloads
鈥淎s chair of the Friends of 爆料每日大赛 board, I look forward to welcoming Ronnie to 爆料每日大赛 and Central Ohio,鈥� said Kyle Anderson, director of marketing and communication, State Auto Insurance. 鈥淩onnie鈥檚 deep experience in public media and journalism will help ensure continued positive momentum at an important moment in 爆料每日大赛鈥檚 history. We鈥檙e deeply appreciative of Tom Rieland鈥檚 stewardship of the organization and will fully support Tom and Ronnie through this transition.鈥�
Agnew will be just the sixth leader of 爆料每日大赛 in its 100-year history. 爆料每日大赛 recently opened a new broadcast located at 1800 N. Pearl Street in the 15+HIGH University District. The five-floor, 52,000-square-foot building is designed to be accessible and to inspire innovation, collaboration and community connections. The purpose-built facility was designed flexibly to allow for change as media evolves, as well as to offer opportunities to engage the community in experiential activities and events. Grand opening events are planned for early 2022.
Agnew will begin his role January 10, 2022 and takes over for a retiring Tom Rieland.
鈥淩onnie is a veteran journalist and a remarkable leader in public media. I just left the PBS Board after six years of working alongside Ronnie and can tell you he will bring incredible insight and knowledge to leading 爆料每日大赛 and will do so with a keen focus on how to best serve all the citizens of Central Ohio,鈥� said Tom Rieland, who retires from his current general manager role on January 31, 2022.
An in Rieland鈥檚 honor has been established and Agnew will become the first person to hold the 鈥淭homas Rieland Endowed 爆料每日大赛 General Manager鈥� position. The endowed position will support the role of general manager at 爆料每日大赛 in perpetuity while providing future general managers annual discretionary funding.
Agnew recently finished a second term on the national PBS Board of Directors and remains on PBS鈥檚 editorial standards committee, where he was instrumental in a major revision of the standards. He also chaired PBS鈥檚 Diversity and Nominating committees. Agnew is former board chairman of America鈥檚 Public Television Stations (APTS) and was executive committee chairman of the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA). Agnew recently finished a term as board chairman of American Public Television, the largest syndicator of content to U.S. public media stations. He is a member of the Organization of State Broadcasting Executives.
Agnew joined The Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi as managing editor in 2001, then served as executive editor from 2002 to 2011. For four years prior to that, he served as executive editor at The Dothan Eagle in Alabama. He is familiar with Ohio, having worked as the metro and suburban editor of the Cincinnati Enquirer from 1986 to 1993. During his career, he has won numerous industry awards and covered major events such as Mississippi civil rights and Hurricane Katrina. In 2018, Agnew was named by Our Mississippi Magazine as one of the 25 most influential African Americans in the state. He graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Arts in English/Radio and Television in 1984.
The public media executive recruiting firm NETA Consulting successfully conducted the national search that resulted in this naming of 爆料每日大赛鈥檚 next general manager.
About 爆料每日大赛
The mission of 爆料每日大赛 is to engage, inform and inspire our diverse community. An NPR and PBS affiliate licensed by The Ohio State University, 爆料每日大赛 is a noncommercial multimedia organization serving over two million citizens in Central Ohio through broadcast, digital, programming, public engagement and education experiences. Learn more at .
Contact:
Amy Tillinghast (she/her)
Senior Director, Marketing & Communications
amy.tillinghast@wosu.org | 614-688-2166
