Kent State Names Dan Skinner WKSU General Manager

After a national search, Daniel E. Skinner has been named general manager of WKSU, Kent State University’s award-winning NPR-affiliated radio station. He began his new role on Jan. 2.

Skinner brings with him 32 years of experience in all aspects of public radio, including more than 20 years as a general manager, and in-depth knowledge of public-radio operations in university settings.  He has a strong track record in fundraising, strategic planning, programming and community outreach.

Skinner served as president and general manager of Texas Public Radio (TPR) for more than six years. Based in San Antonio, TPR operates KSTX FM, an award-winning news and information station; KPAC FM, a classical music station; and KTXI FM, a news and classical music station in the Texas Hill Country.  Previously, he was department head and general manager of Purdue University’s WBAA AM & FM (1992-2006); program manager and then manager of internal operations and programming for Ball State University’s WBST (1987-1992); and operations manager and then program director for Hutchinson Community College’s KHCC (1980-1987).

Skinner is a longtime advocate for public radio. He has been a member of Public Radio in Mid-America (PRIMA) since 1995 and is its current vice president. The organization serves as a forum on issues in public radio, advances the public radio industry and its services, and offers numerous professional-development opportunities. He was also vice chair of the Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations, a statewide consortium of public television and radio stations, and served on its executive committee.

Throughout his career, Skinner has been active in cultural and community organizations, including the Cultural Alliance of San Antonio, the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, the Tippecanoe Arts Federation and the Civic Theatre in Lafayette, Ind.

The Kansas native holds a bachelor’s degree in general studies with a focus on management from Wichita State University and a master’s degree in executive development for public service from Ball State University.

WKSU was founded in 1950 as a student-operated public radio station, broadcasting five hours a day, five days a week. The station joined as an affiliate of the burgeoning National Public Radio network in 1974 and increased its power to 50,000 watts in 1980, growing to become one of the most influential public radio organizations in Ohio and across the country.

In 2003, the station launched FolkAlley.com, a folk music-based Internet radio stream and content provider. WKSU programming is produced at its primary facility in Kent, as well as in satellite bureaus in Akron, Cleveland and Canton. With five towers and a repeater signal reaching out to listeners in 22 Northeast Ohio counties and parts of Western Pennsylvania, WKSU has the largest broadcast footprint of any radio station in Ohio. Along with its on-air signal, WKSU offers four distinct programming streams online at WKSU.org and over HD Radio in its broadcast area.

WKSU broadcasts NPR & Classical Music at 89.7 FM. WKSU programming is also heard on WKRW 89.3 FM in Wooster, WKRJ 91.5 FM in Dover/New Philadelphia, WKSV 89.1 FM in Thompson, WNRK 90.7 in Norwalk and W239AZ 95.7 FM in Ashland. The station broadcasts four HD Radio channels – adding WKSU-2 Folk Alley, WKSU-3 The Classical Channel and WKSU-4 The News Channel to the analog broadcast schedule. The WKSU website is www.wksu.org.