KQED/San Francisco Pres./CEO John Boland To Retire In 2019, Michael Isip Named To Replace Him

Boland, Isip

KQED INC., which operates News-Talk KQED-F and PBS affiliate KQED-TV/SAN FRANCISCO, PBS affiliates KQET-TV/WATSONVILLE, CA and KQEH-TV (KQED PLUS)/SAN JOSE, and News-Talk KQEI/NORTH HIGHLANDS-SACRAMENTO, has announced that Pres./CEO JOHN BOLAND will retire in SEPTEMBER 2019 and EVP/COO MICHAEL ISIP will be promoted to Pres./CEO upon BOLAND's exit and will serve as President Elect/COO until then.

BOLAND rejoined KQED in MARCH 2010 from PBS, where he served four years as Chief Content Officer; prior to his PBS stint, BOLAND worked at KQED as EVP/COO and Chief Content Officer.  ISIP joined KQED in JUNE 2001 for PBS affiliate KVIE-TV/SACRAMENTO as Exec. Producer in TV Productions and rose to SVP/Chief Content Officer in 2014 and EVP/COO in 2017.

“JOHN’s legacy will be felt everywhere here at KQED,” said KQED Board Chair CHUCK KISSNER.  “From the quality, breadth and growth of our news service to the impact of our digital products and relevancy of our programming, to our vastly increased membership and community support, JOHN has helped make KQED an essential service in the lives of most people here in the BAY AREA. We’re grateful for JOHN’s superb leadership and vision, and are pleased he will be helping to guide KQED during the leadership transition.”

“Given the very successful trajectory of KQED, the Board planned early on for a smooth leadership transition with significant overlap. We appointed a special board task force and conducted a thorough national search,” added KISSNER. “MICHAEL ISIP earned this appointment not only through his stellar work as a KQED executive but also because he emerged as the best candidate nationally. We’re delighted that MICHAEL will be expanding his leadership role and building upon his many accomplishments at KQED.”

“KQED exists to serve the people of the BAY AREA, and what audiences want and need from KQED has changed dramatically in the digital age,” said BOLAND. “KQED’s services are more essential than ever, but to remain relevant we needed to undertake major changes and grow our capacity to meet the community’s 21st century needs. Leading KQED through this transformation, and seeing those changes embraced and supported by the community, has been the highlight of my career in media.”

“I’m truly humbled by the opportunity to lead this institution and serve the people of the BAY AREA in this capacity,” said ISIP. “It is my belief that in today’s fractured media marketplace, KQED’s unique role in serving the public with the most trusted news and information, as well as providing the highest-quality programming for diverse audiences, is more important today than ever before. I look forward to continuing on with this mission by reaching and engaging new audiences in new and meaningful ways, building community and strengthening the civic and cultural vitality of the BAY AREA.”

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