Wendy Turner, general manager of Ohio Public Media Services, will become the next executive director and general manager at Michigan Radio, the University of Michigan’s public radio station.
Turner, who will join U-M on Jan. 2, 2024, will replace Steve Schram, who retired from the university in late 2022.
Turner currently is a member of Ideastream Public Media’s executive team and oversees statewide initiatives on behalf of Ohio’s 15 public TV and radio stations, including The Ohio Channel, The Statehouse News Bureau and The Ohio Newsroom.
“Michigan Radio’s legacy of excellence has been recognized by nearly 50 awards from the Michigan Associated Press, Michigan Association of Broadcasters, Michigan Press Association and others, including being a 2023 Pulitzer Prize finalist,” said Richie Hunter, vice president for communications. “Wendy brings the enthusiasm, experience and vision to lead this extraordinary team to bold new successes.”
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A founding member of National Public Radio, Michigan Radio is the state’s most listened-to public radio service, with a broadcast signal that is available to approximately 80% of Michigan’s population. It also is an affiliate of Public Radio International, American Public Media and BBC World Service.
It airs programming on five FM transmitters: WUOM 91.7 FM in Detroit and Ann Arbor, WVGR 104.1 FM in Grand Rapids and West Michigan, WFUM 91.1 FM in Flint, WLNZ 89.7 in Lansing and WRSX 91.3 FM in Port Huron and via the website michiganradio.org.
Turner was the executive director and general manager of WKSU, the public radio station at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, for five years before its consolidation with Ideastream Public Media. Under her leadership at WKSU, the station reversed its financial trajectory by growing membership and increasing philanthropic support.
She championed numerous new content initiatives at WKSU, including recurring features and podcasts Shuffle, The Akron Initiative, Exploradio: Origins, and Mark’s Almanac. In addition, WKSU made several technological advances, including developing a station app, creating a member portal, and introducing a pledge-free stream for sustaining members. WKSU was among the first stations in the country to adopt the new public radio content-management platform Grove.
“I am truly honored to join the staff of Michigan Radio. Michigan Radio has an extraordinary legacy of courageous reporting, commitment to community, and spearheading innovation,” Turner said.” I am eager to help support and accelerate these efforts.”
Turner moved to Ohio in 2016 from Chicago, where she was on the leadership team at WBEZ Chicago Public Media. She served in a variety of leadership roles over 16 years, including fundraising, technology, business development and content initiatives.
She was named a “Woman to Watch” by Crain’s Chicago Business in 2008, and in 2009 she received a Power Up award from Street Level Youth Media. She started her public media career at Minnesota Public Radio in 1994 as a member-listener services associate.
Turner earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in theater from St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, and will complete her Master of Public Administration degree at Kent State University this semester.
