WXXI Public Media has appointed Chris Hastings as President/CEO effective November 11.
Hastings, who will succeed the retiring Norm Silverstein, joins the organization after over two decades at WGBH Boston. He currently serves as Executive Producer and Editor-In-Chief of the World Channel. During his tenure at WGBH, he worked on the television side with time as a producer, post production supervisor, led the WGBH Lab to experiment and has led World Channel since 2012. He began his career at BET where he spent six years on the production team of “BET Tonight”.
Hastings commented, “Joining WXXI and coming to Rochester is more than just a career move — it’s a chance to be part of a community-focused organization that understands the transformative power of local media. WXXI’s work demonstrates how a local station can act as a pillar of support, education, and cultural enrichment for its community, and I am excited to lead and expand upon this essential mission.”
WXXI Board of Trustees chain David Tang said, “Chris is an extraordinary leader whose career reflects a profound dedication to public media and its role in serving all communities. His extensive experience, from his early days at BET to his dynamic leadership at GBH, uniquely positions him to lead WXXI with vision, integrity, and a deep commitment to diversity.”
WXXI Public Media owns Public News/Talk 1370 WXXI/105.9 WXXI-FM and 90.3 WXXY Houghton, Classical 91.5 WXXO and operates University of Rochester licensed AAA “88.5 The Route” WRUR Rochester and Hobart and William Smith College’s “90.1 The Route” WITH-FM Ithaca NY along with WXXI-TV, a local publication CITY Magazine, and The Little Theatre.
