PITTSBURGH, PA., June 15, 2015—90.5 WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR news station, announced today that DeAnne Hamilton will resign as general manager effective July 17, 2015, having firmly established the station’s leadership in quality news and public affairs programming in the region.
A veteran executive in both public and commercial broadcasting, Ms. Hamilton came to Pittsburgh in October 2011 as the founding general manager of WESA. Her appointment followed the acquisition of the WDUQ radio license by the newly-formed 90.5 WESA, where she led the creation of a 24/7 NPR news and talk station. During her tenure, 90.5 WESA was firmly established as the region’s premier source of quality, over-the-air journalism and commentary concerning the city, the commonwealth, the nation, and the world.
“Thanks to DeAnne’s tireless leadership and tenacity, 90.5 WESA grew from a startup station to a vital community resource and a cornerstone of civic dialogue in Pittsburgh,” said Marco Cardamone, chair of the station’s board of directors. “She gave everything to that work, to the station, and to the integrity of our programming, and we will miss her dearly.”
During her time as its general manager, 90.5 WESA significantly expanded the region’s access to programming from NPR and other public radio content sources. The station launched several locally- produced programs and series, including Essential Pittsburgh, Life of Learning, 90.5 WESA Celebrates, Keystone Crossroads and Art from the Ground Up, alongside the 90.5 WESA newsroom’s award-winning daily coverage of education, mental health issues, energy and the environment, and breaking news.
She also helped to establish the station’s financial stability through membership growth and foundation partnerships; presided over the initiation of digital distribution platforms, including the highly successful wesa.fm web site; and engaged with the community through public forums where participants gathered to discuss matters of vital local and regional interest.
“Leading 90.5 WESA has been a rewarding experience, one that I will always appreciate,” Ms. Hamilton said. “Working with a talented group of people to build an enterprise that serves the people of Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania with high quality, in-depth journalism has meant a great deal to me. I’m proud our work; and while there s a lot more to be done, the team at 90.5 WESA is poised to take it on. I’d like to thank the board of directors that supported me, the dedicated staff, our foundation partners and certainly the listeners and members of 90.5 WESA for their support, and for making this service available. What we’ve accomplished would not have been possible without them.”
At the request of the 90.5 WESA board, Mr. Cardamone, a longtime digital media entrepreneur, will act as interim station manager until a successor is appointed.
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About 90.5 WESA
90.5 WESA, Pittsburgh’s NPR news station, is a local, wholly-owned subsidiary of independent public radio station 91.3 WYEP /Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting Corp. 90.5 WESA can be heard on 90.5 FM in Pittsburgh; 92.3 FM in New Baltimore; 100.5 FM in Johnstown, 104.1 FM in Ligonier and Somerset, and online at wesa.fm.
NOTE: An earlier version of this press release incorrectly stated DeAnne Hamilton's departure date. Her final day will be Friday, July 17, 2015.
