Baltimore Public Media has announced a series of promotions at Public News/Talk 88.1 WYPR Baltimore and AAA 89.7 WTMD Towson MD.

Danyell Irby has been promoted to Chief of Content for both stations. Irby has served as Executive Director of News since 2020 after spending 17 years in production and editorial roles at NPR and Senior Editor of American Public Media’s “Marketplace”.

President/General Manager Craig Swagler said, “Danyell Irby brings deep experience, trusted leadership, and a powerful vision to this new role. Under her direction, we’re aligning the strength of WYPR’s programming and news with WTMD’s creative energy — building a more unified, intentional, and catalytic presence in the community. She is a passionate mentor to the next generation of journalists and has earned numerous accolades throughout her career for editorial excellence and industry leadership.”

Jonathan Blakley, who had served as Chief Content Officer since April 2023 will move into a new role as Program Director of both stations. Tyler Laporte, who has been serving as Interim Program Director of WTMD, will move back to APD of that station focusing on artist and performer curation and deepening relationships within Baltimore’s vibrant music community.

The organization will conduct a search for an APD and host to support the station’s day-to-day programming operations.

They say, “This realignment marks a critical step forward in unifying news and programming under one strategic vision — ensuring that WTMD and WYPR remain powerful, responsive, and relevant platforms for storytelling, music discovery, and civic dialogue. By aligning our content across both stations, Baltimore Public Media is doubling down on its mission to inform, connect, and elevate the communities we serve in Baltimore and beyond.”