FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contacts:

Craig Beeby Regina Dean

Executive Director Vice President USA

University Station Alliance WUOT-FM

Ph: 405-624-1192 (865) 974-1547

Email:

New Executive Director for the USA

Craig Beeby has been named the next Executive Director of the University Station Alliance (USA). He replaces outgoing E.D. Madison Hodges, who has become the GM for station WQCS in Fort Pierce, Florida. Beeby has substantial broadcast experience at the state, national, and international levels, which will serve him well in his new position as head of the national grassroots initiative. Beeby is the current President of the USA and has been working with the organization, on a volunteer basis, as its only President since February of 2001.

Since 1980, Beeby has been Director and General Manager of Oklahoma Public Radio KOSU “OPR” at Oklahoma State University and will be retiring from that position in June. Beeby has been involved in commercial and public broadcasting since 1974. Under Beeby’s leadership KOSU has won 271 state and national awards. He has built KOSU from a small rural station serving a tiny population into the statewide Oklahoma Public Radio Network serving millions of potential listeners in a four-state region.

Beeby originated the story idea that ultimately won the equivalent of the "Pulitzer Prize," the “1984 Alfred I. duPont Columbia Broadcast Journalism Award" presented in 1985 in New York City. He has won several regional and national awards for broadcast news journalism including the “2001 Scripps Howard Foundation’s National Journalism Award for Excellence in Electronic Media” presented in 2002 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

Beeby was a broadcast consultant and trainer on the international level in the South Pacific in 1986 where he advised 13 nations at the Pacific Island Nations News Association Conference in Apia, Western Samoa. In 1998 he was invited to Europe to represent the United States when he traveled to Albania to train television and radio broadcast managers. From 1993 to 1997, Beeby served two terms as PRIMA President. He has trained radio and television professionals around the United States.

He brings an extensive knowledge of station issues and recognizes the importance of institutional governance relationships to the majority of public stations. Beeby recognizes the importance of university-licensed stations to the public radio system. He said, “The USA will serve an important role in strengthening the public radio system over the next decade.” The USA’s grassroots development and strong station-oriented goals make it a unique service organization. “We want to provide additional resources to station management as they work on the issues of governance and the future of their organizations.” Beeby added that past Executive Directors Linda Carr and Madison Hodges will continue as consultants to the USA.

The USA is a groundbreaking initiative providing a support system to university-licensed stations. Created as a result of the ongoing challenges university-licensed stations were facing, the USA brings together all stakeholders in the public radio arena – stations, universities, National Public Radio and higher educational organizations – to problem-solve in a think tank environment. The USA also serves as a clearinghouse to benchmark and exchange ideas and information.

Regina Dean, USA Vice President spoke to the transition, "As one of the founding members of the University Station Alliance and as its President, Craig Beeby has been a guiding force in shaping the USA. Craig brings considerable wisdom, experience and good humor to his new role as Executive Director. The USA will not miss a beat during this transition.”

The inclusive culture of the USA allows any station that wishes to be involved with the initiative to do so. As a part of the inclusiveness, the USA also extends an invitation to partner with any willing national organization. The goals are to stretch finite resources; to make more tools available to stations; and to help affect a more harmonious and productive culture within the public radio industry.

"I have enjoyed working with all of the station managers who volunteered to help the USA and believe in its unique mission,” said outgoing USA Executive Director Madison Hodges. “As busy as they are, no one has turned down a request to participate in the organization's projects and that shows the strong commitment the managers have to keep this grassroots organization strong. I will remain a volunteer and supporter of the USA because it is a wonderful asset to me in my new position."

Since its establishment in 2000, more than 300 stations have been involved with the USA. The initiative is based on the premise that a university’s mission is focused and disseminated through the signal of its public station. The USA helps stations to better delineate their strengths in the partnership with their licensees. The USA can be reached at 405-624-1192 or http://www.us-alliance.org

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