Brown Named Chief Content Officer @ WBEZ

• Chicago Public Media, home to NPR news station WBEZ/Chicago has promoted Managing Editor Tracy Brown to Chief Content Officer, succeeding current Chief Content Officer and long-time WBEZ leader Steve Edwards, who is leaving the station after 21 years to become Managing Director at Koya Partners, part of Diversified Search Group, an executive search and strategic advisory firm.

“This is a passing of the baton in our content team leadership, with the news of Tracy’s well-deserved appointment as well as Steve’s departure after a total of nearly 20 years with WBEZ,” said Matt Moog, interim CEO for Chicago Public Media. “Over the last few years Tracy and Steve have built a strong partnership to lead our newsroom and content efforts, and together they have built one of the largest and most respected newsrooms in the city. While we will greatly miss Steve, we are in extremely capable hands with Tracy and her leadership as she starts her new role.”

Brown (left) is a 25-year media veteran who joined WBEZ in 2019 from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Since then, she has led the WBEZ newsroom through a period of growth and impact. WBEZ was among the first newsrooms in the nation to shine a spotlight on the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 among Black and Latinx communities. Under Brown’s leadership, WBEZ has launched new initiatives including The COVID Report, and has undertaken major editorial collaborations with the Local Media Association, the Pulitzer Center, the Medill School of Journalism, Pro Publica, City Bureau and the Better Government Association, among many others.

“Both Steve and I deeply believe in the importance of local journalism and being of essential service to our community,” said Brown. “I’m looking forward to a new chapter ahead for WBEZ with the entire team. It’s been incredibly rewarding to work for and with Steve, and I’m delighted knowing he will continue to have a huge impact on Chicago in his new role.” Edwards said, “I can’t imagine a better person to lead the next phase of Chicago Public Media’s content growth than Tracy Brown. She’s an extraordinary leader, a superb journalist and is deeply committed to building ever more innovative and inclusive public media. I look forward to what she and the rest of the team will create for all of us in our community as we go forward.”