RTDNA President/CEO Dan Shelley Announces Retirement

RADIO ONLINE | Wednesday, November 26, 2025 | 4:32pm CT

Dan Shelley

RTDNA President and CEO Dan Shelley is retiring after more than 40 years in journalism and nearly eight years leading the Radio Television Digital News Association. In a deeply personal farewell letter, Shelley reflected on a career that carried him from small-town newsrooms to the front lines of international press-freedom advocacy - all while championing ethical, fact-based journalism.

Shelley's journalism journey began in Springfield, MO, where an overnight homicide assignment early in his career led to an unforgettable encounter with Christian County Sheriff Louard Elbert "Buff" Lamb. That moment - which included having a gun pointed at his head after arriving in a yellow Pontiac Sunbird matching the suspect's car description - became one of many intense experiences that shaped his understanding of the job.

"I've had other guns pointed at me, rocks thrown at me and threats yelled in my face," Shelley wrote. "In the moment, you feed off the adrenaline... But years later, the trauma resurfaces. It's why I tell journalists today to deal with it right away."

Over the decades, journalism also placed Shelley at historic moments and in front of influential leaders. His career spanned local reporting, sports network management in Milwaukee, digital leadership roles at Urban One and iHeartMedia, and ultimately a position at CBS in New York - a long-held dream for the native of radio market 151.

Shelley became deeply involved with RTDNA early on, joining the association in the mid-1980s after a newsroom stunt involving two-way radio traffic nearly drew a censure proposal at the RTDNA convention. He went on to serve as board chair, Foundation chair, and treasurer before being named president and CEO in 2017.

During his tenure and earlier board service, RTDNA played key roles in advancing press freedoms - including helping secure public release of U.S. Supreme Court audio in the Bush v. Gore case - and providing international guidance on journalism ethics. Shelley also traveled globally to warn journalists about disinformation, advocate for safety, and underscore the importance of a free press in democratic societies.

Reflecting on the industry's evolution, he noted the shift from typewriters and reel-to-reel tapes to an era where journalists must produce for websites, social platforms, podcasts and streaming - often all at once. But amid sweeping technological transformations, he said one value has never changed: a commitment to truth.

"In an era of cries about 'fake news' and 'enemies of the people,' RTDNA members stand as beacons of fact-based reporting and ethical standards," he wrote.

Shelley thanked RTDNA members, staff, board members, educators, and the public for their support, noting that their dedication "has inspired me throughout my tenure."

He closed with one more story about Sheriff Buff Lamb - a reminder that truth, even delivered with humor, remains journalism's north star.

"Even to a craggy, colorful country sheriff... the precise truth mattered," Shelley wrote. "You know what? It always does."