Audacy VP of News Bill Smee Exits
• Bill Smee has exited as Audacy VP of News. Smee joined Audacy in August 2020 bearing a resume that includes prior management roles at CNN, NBC News, and Slate. His actual departure happened on Feb. 9.
Smee shared the news in a staff note that reads:
“Hi All-
I wanted to let you know that I will be stepping down from my role as VP of News and leaving Audacy.
This is something that I have been contemplating over the past period of months and with the holidays behind us and the company’s financial restructuring plan now rolled out, the time is right for me to move forward into a new professional chapter.
Our news operation has made so much progress over the last several years— building out digital and podcasting capacity, integrating our broadcast and digital teams within newsrooms, strengthening communication and collaboration across the network of brands, and creating new revenue opportunities in partnership with our sales teams. All this done while delivering over and over in high leverage breaking news situations and racking up awards that validate Audacy’s local news brands as truly best in class.
Along the way, we have also strengthened newsroom leadership and replenished talent around the country. There is much to build on as our brands look out on the horizon in 2024 and beyond.
For me, it has been extremely rewarding professionally and personally to work these past 4 years with so many talented and passionate people within our newsrooms and across the larger company. I won’t list many names here since that would take far too much space. But I’m grateful to my boss, Jeff Sottolano, for his constant support; to Christy Strawser and Myron Kaplan for shepherding our news digital and podcasting ranks; and to format VPs Jennifer Seelig and Drew Anderssen for their wisdom and counsel. Finally, a thank you to David and Susan and the executive leadership team for having embraced the news transformation mission amidst a historically disruptive global pandemic.
I look forward to connecting with folks as I wind down in the coming weeks. My final day will be February 9th. Best, Bill”
