Kathy Merritt appointed as PRI's Vice President, Content Strategy and Development

Kathy Merritt

Public Radio International (PRI) announces the appointment of Vice President, Content Strategy and Development. Merritt will play a leading role in identifying new talent, production and business partners in support of PRI mission and content portfolio and its future growth.  In overseeing the portfolio, she will work with producers on content development, audience research, and new business opportunities.  As an Officer of the company, she will work with all PRI teams to forge and implement all aspects of PRI’s content strategy. She will report to Melinda Ward, who has recently been named PRI’s Chief Content Officer.

Of her new appointment, Merritt says, “I'm thrilled to join PRI. This job allows me to build on my experience in public media and be part of one of its leading content producing and distributing organizations. PRI has a clear vision of its role as source of distinctive content, a pioneer in engagement, and a collaborator that can uniquely tie national and local public media resources across platforms. I'm happy to be part of the team that will forge new pathways to content production and consumption in the years ahead."

Chief Content Officer Melinda Ward noted “Kathy’s wide range of experience in public broadcasting, including leadership positions at stations, industry associations like SRG and Public Radio News Directors Association, and her most recent tenure at CPB, uniquely qualify her for her role in developing PRI’s content strategy, working with producers and ensuring that our content meets station and digital needs. We are excited to welcome her to PRI.”

Prior to this appointment, Merritt served in news and leadership roles at numerous stations, guiding format changes and governance transitions. Most recently, as Senior Director, Program Investments – Radio at CPB, she has overseen the development and implementation of investment strategies for CPB’s Radio Program Fund, and has administered numerous complex grant projects, such as the Local Journalism Centers.

Merritt is a graduate of the University of North Carolina – Charlotte, and studied Journalism at the University of Maryland.  She will be based in Washington, D.C., and will begin on February 4, 2013.

About Public Radio International

For over 28 years, Americans have identified PRI as the source of news, information and cultural insights essential to understanding our interconnected world. On almost 900 radio stations across the U.S. and on digital platforms that reach millions around the world, PRI continues to innovate in sharing powerful stories, connecting people and cultures around the globe, and helping people affect positive change in their lives and the world. Through relationships with trusted news leaders like the BBC, the CBC, the New York Times and others, PRI brings new voices, global journalism and cultural perspectives to the American public. PRI produced and distributed radio shows include "PRI's The World®," "Q with Jian Ghomeshi," "Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen," “Here & Now,” "The Takeaway," “Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know?,” "The Tavis Smiley Show," and "This American Life." Content from these shows is available on public radio stations, websites, mobile phones and tablet devices, and via podcasts and streaming. PRI helps people understand their place in the world and make informed decisions every day by enabling them to "hear a different voice™." More at pri.org.