Industry News

WUSF, Tampa GM JoAnn Urofsky to Retire

After 33 years of service, WUSF-FM, Tampa general manager JoAnn Urofsky will soon retireimg from the public media organization based at The University of South Florida, capping a career of 45 years in radio and public media. She says, “My time at WUSF has been incredibly rewarding. I am proud that our commitment to public service – building community through trusted journalism, classical music, jazz, and culture – has remained steadfast. As I step away, I’m confident this mission is in excellent hands with a new generation of talented leaders and innovators dedicated to serving the community through public media.”

Industry News

TALKERS News Notes

Hayslett Joins Black Effect Podcast Network. Actress, producer, and host Crystal Reneé Hayslett’s talk series, “Keep It Positive, Sweetie” joins Charlamagne Tha God‘s and iHeartMedia’s The Black Effect Podcast Network. She says, “Joining The Black Effect Podcast Network is a meaningful moment for me. KIPS is all about bringing comfort and empowerment to our culture, and I’m honored to welcome my community into this incredible family dedicated to amplifying the powerful conversations that take place on the KIPS couch.”

WUSF Launches Local Talk Show. Public radio outlet WUSF, Tampa debuts, “Florida Matters Live & Local,” a new show that the station says “connects listeners with Tampa Bay’s most influential leaders while opening the phone lines for callers to weigh in on the issues that matter most to them.” WUSF general manager JoAnn Urofsky says, “Our listeners don’t just consume news – they actively shape the conversations that matter. These are tremendously eventful times, and local voices are more crucial than ever, so we’re creating a space where residents can directly engage with the issues defining our community’s future.”

Industry News

“The Moth” Set To Fly To Tampa’s WUSF

The Moth Produced by “The Moth,” Tampa Bay public radio broadcaster WUSF will bring a live storytelling event to the Tampa Theater on October 10. The show will feature a diverse lineup of guests telling personal stories of adventure, struggle, redemption, and creativity. Guests tell their stories without notes in the long tradition of a community gathering around the fire to share their experiences and their culture. University of South Florida-owned WUSF general manager JoAnn Urofsky tells TALKERS, “Events such as this are a key part of our mission to connect residents of Florida with news, information and entertainment that’s meaningful to their lives. These events are also wonderfully fun and a great place for our community to gather and enjoy a great show.” Each show starts with a theme, and the storytellers explore it, often in unexpected ways. Novelist George Dawes Green founded “The Moth” in 1997. The native Georgian wanted to recreate in New York City the feeling of sultry summer evenings when moths were attracted to the light on the porch where he and his friends would gather to tell spellbinding tales. Each story is true and every voice is authentic. “The Moth” has hosted these events in other cities including New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Seattle, and Denver.