Press Release: The Ohio Newsroom

WGTE Public Media and Partnering Public Radio Stations Launch The Ohio Newsroom With Grant From CPB

The Ohio Newsroom Now Seeks Managing Editor to Lead Ohio’s Largest Daily Statewide Radio and Digital News Service 

Toledo, Ohio (March 3, 2022) — The Ohio Newsroom, Ohio’s largest daily statewide radio and digital news service, is officially launching today thanks to a twoyear, $375,000 grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The funds were awarded to Ideastream Public Media, the organization managing The Ohio Newsroom, and will help support the initial implementation of the new endeavor, including leadership, governance, staffing and content development. In addition, WGTE and its partnering statewide public radio stations are now conducting a nationwide search for The Ohio Newsroom’s first managing editor.

Every public radio station that broadcasts NPR in Ohio is invited to join The Ohio Newsroom. The following stations have signed on to participate in and contribute to the collaborative news service: Cincinnati Public Radio (Cincinnati) Ideastream Public Media (Cleveland), WCSU (Wilberforce, Ohio), WGTE (Toledo, Ohio), WOSU Public Media (Columbus, Ohio), WYSO (Yellow Springs, Ohio) and WYSU (Youngstown, Ohio).

Future Ohio Newsroom reporting can be found at www.wgte.org and www.statenews.org/the-ohio-newsroom.

Wendy Turner, Ideastream Public Media’s first general manager of Ohio public media services, is leading The Ohio Newsroom in addition to managing The Ohio Channel and the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau on behalf of all Ohio public television and radio stations. Turner is also part of Ideastream Public Media’s executive leadership team. Prior to joining Ideastream Public Media, she served as the general manager of WKSU public radio in Kent, Ohio.

Turner is responsible for hiring staff for The Ohio Newsroom with full consultation from the newsroom’s statewide station partners. Staffing begins with securing the newsroom’s managing editor. A national search is taking place to find the right candidate to fill this integral position. Job seekers can find information about the managing editor role and apply online here. Additional positions will be added to The Ohio Newsroom as its implementation continues.

Turner said, “Securing The Ohio Newsroom’s first managing editor, and later, more reporters, will mean more in-depth stories, expanded digital content and even better statewide coordination on breaking news.” She added, “Ohio's public media organizations have a long history of collaboration. We look forward to continuing this tradition of successfully serving Ohioans through The Ohio Newsroom.”

For years, the partner stations have worked together to share collaborative content initiatives and reporting that are relevant to a statewide audience. The Ohio Newsroom expands their ability to continue with this important work in a cohesive, strategic manner. Examples of past collaborative projects include “Learning Curve” and “Justice Matters.” The partners are also working on a new collaborative editorial project that will launch this spring — the first content initiative that will be released under The Ohio Newsroom.

Plans for The Ohio Newsroom initially began as a concept for developing a “statewide news collaborative” in July 2019 with a $70,000 grant from The George Gund Foundation to conduct consumer research. In October 2020, Ideastream Public Media, Cincinnati Public Radio and WOSU Public Media announced that they had been awarded a $56,500 grant from CPB to develop a business plan and a sustainability model for the collaborative. Then, as plans were further solidified between Ohio’s public radio stations, CPB awarded the project $375,000 in October 2021 to begin the collaborative’s implementation. Please click here for a promotional video for The Ohio Newsroom.

About WGTE

WGTE Public Media, licensed and operated by The Public Broadcasting Foundation of Northwest Ohio, is a non-profit, noncommercial, educational TV and radio broadcaster and center of learning for northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan. WGTE is proud to be a PBS and NPR member station. It was founded as a low-power educational television broadcaster in 1953. Education remains at the heart of what we do every day. From our entertaining, informative and educational programs that air on WGTE TV, FM 91, and www.knowledgestream.org to our professional development opportunities for K12 teachers and preschool daycare providers and community engagement activities, WGTE makes northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan a better place to live. For more information, visit www.wgte.org. If you would like more information about this topic, please call Matt Reny at 419-380- 4646, or email matt_reny@wgte.org.