KERA Adds Two New Pros

• North Texas Public Broadcasting’s KERA/Dallas-Ft. Worth welcomes two additional members to its growing news and radio teams — Paul DeBenedetto is named Managing Editor, Daily News, and Jamie Jackson joins as host of KERA News Morning Edition.

DeBenedetto (left) previously served as Executive Producer of Daily News & Statewide Newscasts for Houston Public Media. He has also worked for the Houston Chronicle and several digital news outlets. Jackson (right) is an award-winning, Emmy-nominated broadcast journalist who previously served as host/reporter for WJCT Public Media in Jacksonville, FL. He began his television career in high school as a reporter trainee for the NBC affiliate in Pittsburgh, going on to work for CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS, TBN and NPR affiliates across the country.

Jackson joins a team of experienced producers and hosts, including 30-year KERA veteran Sam Baker. With Jackson’s addition to the team, Baker will have more time to focus on in-depth interviews, reporting and community engagement in his role as senior editor and newscaster. This format of hosting and newscasting will also be replicated in the afternoons on All Things Considered as Justin Martin will continue to introduce and highlight the top stories from KERA News and NPR in the afternoon, while KERA Producer Bekah Morrwill move into the position of newscaster, focusing on gathering and reporting afternoon news from North Texas.

Jeff Penfield, Program Director of KERA News, noted, “As our region grows and expands, so, too, does our need for accessible, trusted local news. With a host and newscaster team during the mornings and afternoons, listeners will still hear the news they rely on from the voices they trust, while also giving our teams more bandwidth to produce essential news from North Texas.”

“We are so excited to welcome Jamie and Paul to KERA,” said Gilbert Bailon, Executive Editor of KERA. “Their skills, knowledge and passion for public media are wonderful assets to bring to KERA — and more importantly, to bring to our audiences.”