Louisville Public Media Names Michael Skoler Pres./GM

Michael Skoler

LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA, the parent company of News WFPL, Classical WUOL, Triple A WFPK and the KENTUCKY CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING has named MICHAEL SKOLER its Pres./GM. SKOLER, who currently serves as VP Interactive Media for PUBLIC RADIO INTERNATIONAL, will succeed DONOVAN REYNOLDS, who retires SEPTEMBER 30th.

Commented SKOLER: “I’ve spent the last dozen years working at the cutting-edge of a changing media world. I’m joining LOUISVILLE PUBLIC MEDIA because I believe it has the passion to define the future for public radio -- a future well beyond radio or the web. In a world of online friends and endless news and music streams, LPM can help people share understanding, forge bonds, solve problems and lead richer lives. And we’ll do that through audio, video, text, apps, events and honest conversations.”

SKOLER will begin DECEMBER 1st. An interim management team consisting of LPM Dir./Development LAYLA GEORGE, Exec. Editor STEPHEN GEORGE and Chief Financial Officer DENNIS STOVALL, will assume leadership of the organization from OCTOBER 1st through NOVEMBER 30th.

LPM Board Chair TODD LOWE said: “The board felt deeply that our next leader should possess a forward-thinking vision of the new media environment, while understanding the importance of maintaining quality service to our current radio audiences. MICHAEL has experience in creating and leading digital strategies, fundraising and collaboration, and producing award-winning journalism. This makes him the ideal choice to guide our organization into the future.”

While at PRI, SKOLER oversaw the organization's online and social strategy, as well as its technology platform. He led the re-launch of PRI.org as a global news, issues and culture site, increasing its digital audience tenfold.

Prior to PRI, SKOLER was an award-winning science and foreign correspondent for NPR, best known for his coverage of the genocide in RWANDA. He was an early pioneer in crowdsourcing and founded the PUBLIC INSIGHT NETWORK of 250,000 citizen sources now used by more than 60 newsrooms nationwide.

SKILER has written for magazines ranging from GLAMOUR and READER'S DIGEST to MEDICAL WORLD NEWS. He produced a daily, syndicated radio show on science for CBS, reported for WGBH-TV in BOSTON and wrote for the popular LET'S GO budget travel guides. In 1999, he earned an MBA at the UNIV. OF VIRGINIA as a FRANK BATTEN MEDICAL FELLOW and joined McKINSEY AND COMPANY as a consultant serving media and technology companies. He has taught and lectured on journalism in the U.S., EUROPE and AFRICA, and was a NIEMAN FELLOW in 1992-93.

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