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Herb Scannell Named SCPR President/CEO Succeeding Davis
RADIO ONLINE | Thursday, January 24, 2019 |
Herb Scannell has been selected by the Southern California Public Radio (SCPR) board of trustees to be its new President/CEO. Scannell will join SCPR in February and succeeds founding president and CEO Bill Davis, who announced his retirement last June. SCPR operates News KPCC-FM in Los Angeles and is the publisher of the newly re-launched digital Angeleno news website LAist.
"I began my career in radio, and I couldn't think of a better time, place or city to return to this medium I love," said Scannell. "We're experiencing an audio renaissance. Podcasts are blossoming and local public radio is filling a journalistic void left by the diminishing number of local newspapers. At the same time technology is changing the game with the emergence of smart speakers and - very soon - smart cars. California and Los Angeles are the hub of both culture and innovation, and what happens here matters everywhere. I want to congratulate Bill Davis for what he has accomplished, and I thank the SCPR Board for giving me the opportunity to build upon his legacy."
"We are incredibly excited that Herb will lead SCPR through its next period of innovation and growth," added SCPR Board Chair Ana Valdez. "Herb has the perfect mix of media experience and commitment to public service journalism. And through his Puerto-Rican heritage, he brings a very deep and personal understanding of the power of diversity and the importance of authentically representing the audience we serve. We are also thrilled that Bill Davis will continue his relationship with SCPR as President Emeritus."
"I am profoundly honored to pass the baton to Herb Scannell," said Bill Davis. "I've had an amazing run during the past 18 years, and I'm confident that Herb will lead SCPR to new heights. I look forward toward supporting Herb and everyone at SCPR through this transition as we move forward and realize our potential as a diversified media company."
Scannell brings to SCPR a track record of successfully launching and scaling a wide range of media companies and platforms, as well as a long connection to public radio. Since 2000, he has been on the board of New York Public Radio (NYPR) where he served as Chairman from 2009-2013. During his time as Chair, the organization went through its most expansive period, purchasing WQXR, a leading classical music station, and acquiring half of the NJ Public Radio stations closest to NYC. With WNYC management Scannell helped plot a strategic course resulting in the station becoming a leading producer of podcasts, including "Here's the Thing," "2 Dope Queens," "Freakonomics Radio" and more. Regularly, NYPR appears among Apple's most popular podcasts.
As president at Viacom's Nickelodeon, Scannell led the network to a stretch of 10-years as the top-rated network in cable television. Under his leadership Nickelodeon birthed some of the most iconic properties in youth entertainment, including "Dora, the Explorer," "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "Rugrats." In addition to his role at Nickelodeon, Scannell was the Vice Chairman of MTV Networks and oversaw adult brands Spike TV and TV Land, among other businesses.
After leaving Nickelodeon, Scannell served as founding CEO of Next New Networks, a pioneer in the online video network space, partnering with independent web creators to produce and package original web content. Next New Networks was acquired by YouTube in 2011. Scannell subsequently joined BBC Worldwide as President, North America, where he oversaw a portfolio that included the flagship cable channel BBC America, as well as sales of the BBC library and original shows via its LA-based original production group. In 2017 he moved to Los Angeles at CEO of the Latino-targeted digital media company Mitu.
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