KPBS General Manager to Continue on National PBS Board

Tom Karlo, general manager for KPBS, was reelected by PBS member stations to another three year term on the PBS Board as a professional director.

He was seated at the board’s October meeting marking the beginning of his second term. The PBS Board is comprised of 27 individuals that include professional directors (who are station leaders), general directors and the PBS president. The PBS Board of Directors governs and sets policy for PBS and is comprised of a mix of for-profit and public media professionals.

“I am honored to be reelected to the board this year,” Karlo said. “I am excited to continue shaping the future of PBS and member stations throughout the country.”

Karlo joins Mississippi Public Broadcasting Executive Director Ronnie Agnew, WUCF/Orlando General Manager Polly Anderson, KCPT/Kansas City President and Chief Executive Officer Kliff Kuehl, South Carolina ETV President and Chief Executive Officer Linda O’Bryon, and WSKG/Binghamton General Manager Brian Sickora as professional directors on the PBS Board of Directors.

“PBS is tremendously fortunate to have such a dedicated and talented group of professionals to guide our enterprise,” PBS President and Chief Executive Officer, Paula Kerger said. “As the PBS system builds on the outstanding success we’ve achieved collectively by promoting innovation, expanding community impact and making content of consequence available to all Americans, the PBS Board and its officers play a vital role in setting our course and working at both the local and national level to move public media forward.”

A fruitful career

Karlo’s career began at KPBS in 1973 when he worked as a part time assistant while attending San Diego State University. Years later and after fulfilling multiple other roles, Karlo was promoted to associate general manager, a position he held for over a decade, before becoming general manager in February 2009.

Karlo is only the fifth general manager in KPBS history. Under his leadership the station created KPBS Evening Edition, changed the focus of KPBS’ online content to news, and expanded the station’s radio schedule to feature news and information 24 hours a day.

During Karlo’s time as general manager of KPBS, the station has won numerous prestigious awards. Most notably, the station won the 2015 USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism for the station’s coverage of the scandal surrounding San Diego Mayor Bob Filner. This was the second time in five years the station was honored by the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism.

About KPBS

KPBS serves the San Diego region with news and entertainment programming that respects the region's audience with inspiring, intelligent and enlightening content. KPBS will deliver this content via multiple outlets, including television, radio, and digital media and will adapt and remain relevant in a rapidly changing world.

KPBS values integrity, truth, transparency and lifelong learning. KPBS strives to engage with our citizens and showcase the unique neighborhoods and people that make our community thrive. As a public service of SDSU, education is a core value of KPBS.