WCET/Cincinnati President and Former
Vice Chair of PBS Board of Directors
Is First Top Executive Hired by
New PBS President and CEO Pat Mitchell
ALEXANDRIA, VA, May 8, 2000 - Public television veteran Wayne Godwin, currently president and general manager of WCET-TV/Cincinnati, has been named executive vice president, member affairs, of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), announced PBS president and CEO Pat Mitchell today. Mr. Godwin, whose 34-year career in public broadcasting includes service as vice chair of the PBS board of directors, will begin work in the newly created position on June 5, 2000.
"My top priority is to establish closer ties between PBS and our member stations, and bringing Wayne to our executive team will help achieve that goal," said Ms. Mitchell. "A beloved and respected leader of the public television community, Wayne possesses an uncanny ability to unravel complicated issues and work with others to develop strategic solutions. He is a consummate diplomat, an eloquent speaker and has a vibrant sense of humor. The addition of Wayne to the PBS executive team exemplifies the inherent strength and resources within public television, and he will play a critical role in developing policy for the entire system."
In his new role, Mr. Godwin will oversee station relations and conferences, development, media relations and public affairs. He will report directly to Ms. Mitchell and serve as her primary liaison to PBS member station general managers.
"As grateful as I am to WCET, I am equally delighted to be a part of Pat Mitchell's new administration at PBS. I have great confidence in Pat's ability to lead our system with energy, vision and a new sense of cohesion and common purpose," said Mr. Godwin. "Having spent many years managing public television stations, I have a tremendous appreciation for our stations and the essential part they play in their communities, as well as great respect for the programming and services PBS provides. This position offers a wonderful opportunity to serve our stations and PBS at a time when they have never been more important to our nation."
As president and general manager of WCET-TV since 1990, Mr. Godwin led the station to great success in programming, fundraising, plant modernization and education services. WCET produced numerous performance specials that aired nationally on PBS, while serving its community with programs reflecting local issues, history and culture. Under his leadership, WCET experienced significant growth in viewership, quadrupled the station's endowment, produced annual million-dollar auctions and launched the Channel 48 Store of Knowledge in Cincinnati. He established a new education division that produces programs and other projects for the Ohio Department of Education. While at WCET, he served six years on the PBS board of directors and was elected vice chair in 1998 and 1999.
Prior to joining WCET, Mr. Godwin was president and general manager of public television and radio station WKNO/ Memphis, Tenn., for five years. He also served as senior vice president for programming and development at PBS member station KOCE/Huntington Beach, Calif. Before moving west, he spent more than four years at PBS, rising to senior vice president and managing director of the PTV-2 programming service. Mr. Godwin earned a B.A. in Communications from Florida State University and worked at public television and radio stations in Tallahassee and Jacksonville before joining PBS in 1977.
Throughout his career, Mr. Godwin has played a leadership role in numerous public broadcasting and community service organizations. Among his many affiliations are service as president of the Ohio Educational Television Stations, chairman of the Southern Educational Communications Association, president of the Cincinnatus Association, and chair of the Memphis Rotary Club. A 53-year-old native of Georgia, Mr. Godwin is married with two grown children.
PBS, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a private, nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 34 public television stations. A trusted community resource, PBS uses the power of noncommercial television, the Internet and other media to enrich the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services that inform, inspire and delight. Available to 99 percent of American homes with televisions and to an increasing number of digital multimedia households, PBS serves nearly 100 million people each week. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org.
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