Jon McTaggart To Step Down As Pres./CEO Of American Public Media Group Amidst Turmoil

McTaggart (Photo: APMG)

AMERICAN PUBLIC MEDIA GROUP Pres./CEO JON MCTAGGART told his staff in a memo that he plans to step down from his position amidst turmoil at the parent of MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO, SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RADIO, and MARKETPLACE, reports the MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE.

MCTAGGART, who has been Pres./CEO of APM since 2011, informed staff in a memo co-signed by APM board Chair MARY BRAINERD that succession plans are beginning and he will continue in his current positions until a successor is named. MCTAGGART's tenure included sexual harassment allegations against GARRISON KEILLOR that brought "A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION" to an end as well as the current controversies involving longtime reporter MARIANNE COMBS' resignation over her allegations that MPR NEWS management stalled an investigation of staff misconduct complaints that led to the resignation of Triple A KCMP (89.3 THE CURRENT)/MINNEAPOLIS host ERIC MALMBERG, and a separate controversy over the firing of MPR CLASSICAL host GARRETT MCQUEEN, the station's only Black host, for departing from the station's playlist.

Meanwhile, a committee of journalists at APM and MPR issued its own memo to listeners asserting that "many of you — and many MPR employees — have lost trust in the company’s senior leaders. We are tired of company leadership paying lip service to these issues without taking concrete action to do better," the memo added. "We are tired of yet more listening sessions, tired of repeating ourselves. We are tired of communities hurt by systemic racism continuing to be alienated by our coverage, tired of seeing trust from sources broken again and again. We are tired of our talented colleagues leaving frustrated and disappointed. We are tired of watching the company’s reputation continue to suffer."

The committee memo set forth a series of demands, including equitable and transparent hiring, including disclosure of racial breakdowns updated twice a year; hiring or promoting journalists of color to senior editorial positions within six months; hiring more reporters to report on issues of race, diversity and inequities; create a career pathway for interns and fellows; release of the full Pay Equity Study rather than the summary previously provided to the union; correction of pay disparities; a 360 review system for all newsroom employees; an annual public newsroom diversity report; sending journalists of color to conferences; a public apology and commitment to transparency; full support for the MPR newsroom diversity committee's recommendations; an employee public comment session during each board meeting; adding two positions to the board for people from marginalized communities; and a "more trustworthy and transparent" Human Resources department after an immediate audit of the current HR department.

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