WJCT Public Media President/CEO David McGowan will retire on March 31, 2026.
McGowan has led the operator of Jacksonville’s Public News/Talk 89.9 WJCT-FM and local PBS television affiliate since 2018. He has held a number of roles in media and digital including CEO of Invitel, a major media and telecommunications company based in Hungary. Earlier in his career, he held positions at organizations including Senior Vice President of news and public affairs programming and production for WETA Washington DC and Head of Media Development for Time Magazine.
McGowan commented, “Serving WJCT Public Media through this period of growth has been a tremendous honor. Everything we’ve been through these last eight years has only strengthened my belief in the power of public media to bring people together. WJCT Public Media is such a precious community asset, and I am grateful to have helped guide it during such an interesting time in our industry and in our region. I look forward to working with our Board during this transition.”
“David is a world-class executive; we have been fortunate to have him as our President and CEO. He is a remarkable leader, whose vision and strategic guidance inspired us all to reimagine how this organization can serve the community. We are grateful for his many years of exemplary service to our mission, and wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement,” said Bill Hendrich, Chair of WJCT Public Media’s Board of Trustees.
“From creating innovative new programs to further enrich our community, to strengthening our financial position through highly effective fiscal and operational management, David has positioned WJCT to move soundly forward,” said Anne K. Madsen, Treasurer and Chair-Elect of WJCT Public Media’s Board of Trustees. “We extend our heartfelt appreciation for his exceptional service to WJCT and our community.”
“Thanks to David’s vision and leadership, WJCT Public Media has evolved to become a strong, vibrant source of information, education and cultural programming — an invaluable resource to Northeast Florida,” said Farley Kern, Immediate Past Chair of WJCT’s Board of Trustees. “On behalf of our current and past Trustees, I thank David for successfully steering the institution through a time of tremendous growth in the region and unprecedented change in the media industry. We look forward to welcoming a new leader next year to continue the positive momentum he created.”
WJCT’s Board of Trustees has formed a search committee, led by Chair Bill Hendrich, Immediate Past Chair Farley Kern and Chair-Elect Anne Madsen, to oversee the process of identifying WJCT Public Media’s next President and CEO. DRiWaterstone, an executive search, leadership and advisory firm, has been engaged to conduct a national search.
