Christy Tanner, UWSer and new president and CEO of New York Public Radio. Photos by Georgia Nerheim 

By Margie Smith Holt

Longtime Upper West Sider Christy Tanner was recently named president and CEO of New York Public Radio, which includes WNYC, the country’s largest and most-listened to public radio station, as well as WQXR, WNYC Studios, and Gothamist. In her new role she also oversees numerous live events, many of them on the Upper West Side.

It’s a big job for a self-described “latchkey kid from the Midwest,” whose career has taken her from newsrooms in Memphis and South Carolina to the C-suite of CBS and TV Guide Digital.

The 57-year-old, originally from Michigan, grew up in suburbs of St. Louis and Detroit. She became enchanted by New York first from afar — devouring “Auntie Mame” and religiously reading the family’s subscription to New York magazine when she was in grade school — and then in person when, as a college student at Brown University, she ran the New York City Marathon.

She talked to West Side Rag by phone about her vision for the organization that many Upper West Siders start their day with, her thoughts on Absolute Bagels, and why she never misses reading West Side Rag.

The conversation has been edited for clarity and length.

WSR: How long have you been an Upper West Sider and what brought you here?

Tanner: It started when I read the book “Auntie Mame” by Patrick Dennis when I was in grade school. We had that book on our shelf. After that, my family took a trip, when I was in middle school, to New York City. We saw the Doug Henning magic show and stayed at the Plaza. And around that same time, we were gifted a subscription to New York magazine. So I sort of left that trip to New York, where we went to Broadway and stayed at a hotel where Eloise allegedly had been, and that made me realize that the things you read about in books are real, and you can move there when you grow up.

I never really thought about living long term anywhere else but New York City. The Upper West Side has been my home since I moved to town immediately after college graduation.

WSR: Do you identify with Auntie Mame?

Tanner: No, not at all! I identify with young Patrick [because] I was a latch key kid in the Midwest suburbs.

I was a real culture and media lover from a very young age. I read everything I could get my hands on. I was always best friends with the librarian. One of the book series I was given in grade school was a series of books on great women, but there were only three: Helen Keller. Marie Curie. And then the third in the series was Nellie Bly…She pretended to be mentally ill so she could get into Bellevue. That made me think that journalism could be a very interesting line of work.

I left [New York] for a few years and reported for the AP bureau in South Carolina, and also for the daily newspaper in Memphis. I came back to go to Columbia Business School in 1997. I have been a longtime listener of both WNYC and WQXR, and a reader of Gothamist, because I’m an omnivore. I still read New York [magazine] in all its forms. And I am a big fan of the West Side Rag. I’ve never commented, though.

WSR: Are you actually a West Side Rag fan if you haven’t commented?

Tanner: I don’t know. I think that’s a fair question. But I have the mug! I don’t miss a newsletter. How else would one know when the line has changed direction at Absolute Bagels?

I think it’s one of the things that makes a city the size of New York feel like a community. And I would say there’s a parallel with New York Public Radio, WNYC, WQXR and Gothamist. Those entities are also media outlets that make me feel like New York is homey. I’m only a few weeks into my role, but our mission, among other things, is to help make New York feel like home to everyone, and our goals include expanding the size of our audience, reaching more people, more communities, providing them with arts and culture as well as trusted news and information.

WSR: What are some of the biggest challenges in achieving those goals?

The same challenges that all media face right now. There’s a fragmentation of attention. There are so many things that are calling for people’s time and energy, and so our challenge is to take the amazing work that our team is producing day in and day out and make it accessible across all the platforms that our audience is engaged with.

WSR: What’s your pitch to Rag readers who are not already WNYC or WQXR listeners? How do you get them to tune in?

Tanner: The easiest way to access everything that we’re doing is to download the WNYC app that provides you with 24/7 access to WNYC, WQXR, the “New Sounds” stream…All of the shows that we produce are available in that app in a streaming format: “The Brian Lehrer Show,” “All of It with Alison Stewart,” “Radiolab,” “The New Yorker Radio Hour,” “On the Media.” And you also can read the Gothamist stories in the app.

WSR: And it’s free.

Tanner: And it’s free! Thank you for doing the sales pitch for me.

Tanner at Picky Barista on Broadway at West 102nd Street.

WSR: A lot of Upper West Siders start their days with WNYC or WQXR. How do you start your day? Your offices are downtown. How do you get there?

Tanner: I came to New York in college to run the marathon. I still run in Central Park almost every morning. I’m out there with the early birds, the raccoons, and the dog walkers…Running is such a great way to experience a city. Every morning I check the vibe of the Upper West Side with my morning run.

I take the subway. I’m a huge fan of the 1 train. Every day I debate whether I should get out at 96 and try to save two or three minutes by taking the express to 14th and then switching back. If you’ve ever done that on a regular basis, you know that it’s kind of like gambling.

WSR: Favorite neighborhood spots?

Tanner: I live on 104th and Broadway. I’m a big fan of the greats: Sal and Carmine, Silver Moon, Mama’s TOO! I’m very excited by the opening of Columns on 106 and Broadway. I love Smoke Jazz Club. And I’ll also just put a stake in the ground and say I will not accept this new temporary name for Absolute Bagels. I will continue to call it Absolute Bagels. Really don’t care what sign they put up outside!

My kids went to P.S. 166 and M.S. 54 [on West 89th Street and West 104th Street]. We’re all really invested in this neighborhood as our home…One of my favorite events of the year is the 104th Street yard sale that takes place every September. I consider it like a holiday. I need to take time off. If you mention only one thing, it [should be] how much I love the 104th Street yard sale.

WSR: Oh, that’s totally going in. Don’t worry. Sounds like you’re a real Upper West Sider.

 Tanner: I really am. Commenters, come at me! Take your best shots.

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