After a monthslong nationwide search for a new general manager, KSPS-PBS selected nine-year employee Skyler Reep for the job.
Reep, who has been acting as the interim general manager since the August retirement of manager Gary Stokes, formerly worked as the Director of Development at the station, “development just meaning fundraising,” he told The Spokesman-Review previously.
“He has already demonstrated steady, principled leadership during a time of challenge. He understands our community, our culture, and the responsibility we carry as a trusted local public media institution,” said Kristine Meyer, board chair for Friends of KSPS. “Just as importantly, he brings strategic clarity and national perspective that will position KSPS-PBS for long-term resilience.”
Despite ongoing funding shifts resulting from the cessation of federal support for public media, The White House citing that PBS and National Public Radio fuel “partisanship and left-wing propaganda with taxpayer dollars,” Reep said in a news release that the local station is “committed to evolving thoughtfully, expanding access, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring that everyone in our region sees themselves reflected in the stories we share.”
In an email to The S-R, Reep said his focus for his position is moving forward is on “stability, innovation, and ensuring that KSPS-PBS remains a trusted, indispensable resource for the region” during the present “pivotal moment.”
“Public media exists to connect, enrich, and inspire the communities we serve,” he said in the release. “At a time when trusted information, early childhood education, and civil dialogue matter more than ever, KSPS-PBS remains essential.”