KQED Announces New Leadership for News

Holly Kernan is named executive editor of news — a new senior management position.

Mia Zuckerkandel is the new executive producer of television for news. Beth Willon comes on board as senior editor for the new Silicon Valley News Desk.

KQED News, the most trusted source of news in the Bay Area, appoints three new editors for its multiplatform operation. Holly Kernan, who spent the last decade as KALW's news and public affairs director, is named executive editor, news. In this new senior management position, she will oversee the full KQED News television, radio and online operation with offices and bureaus in San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Fresno and Los Angeles. Mia Zuckerkandel is the new executive producer, television,and will oversee all news and current affairs television productions, including the weekly KQED NEWSROOM.She most recently was the senior editor for digital content at the Center for Investigative Reporting. Beth Willon has been announced as the senior editor for KQED’s new Silicon Valley News Desk. She was most recently at KGO Radio and has spent more than 15 years in San Jose at NBC11/KNTV.

“We were looking for proven leaders and seasoned news professionals with stellar editorial accomplishments and the highest standards, who could help us navigate a changing media environment to best serve our audience,” says Michael Isip, KQED’s senior vice president and chief content officer. “Ultimately, their experience, proven track records, as well as their passion and potential made these three individuals our top choices.”

“I’m so excited to join this respected news organization that is doing high quality, mission-driven journalism, and is committed to growing its multiplatform state and regional service,” added Kernan, who joined KQED on September 22. Kernan’s purview at KQED includes local news coverage, the statewide news service The California Report, the weekly news and public affairs program KQED NEWSROOM and all online news properties, including the news site KQEDnews.org. ”This is the right time for public media to step into the vacuum created by the loss of reporters at commercial outlets. I’m very fortunate to inherit such a talented team with leadership that believes so solidly in the importance of journalism to our audiences.”

Kernan has received numerous awards for her work as a journalist including "Journalist of the Year" in 2009 from Northern California Society of Professional Journalists. She built the KALW news team from scratch as news and public affairs director and has previously worked as a director and a producer for KQED Public Radio’s The California Report and Forum with Michael Krasny.

Zuckerkandel joins KQED on November 10, and will oversee all aspects of KQED Public Television news and current affairs productions, which includes the production of the weekly series KQED NEWSROOM. She will also develop external content partnerships and help shape KQED’s web and mobile video news strategy. Zuckerkandel was also a member of the team that launched Reveal, the Peabody Award-winning radio show focused on investigative reporting.

Willon, who started her new position September 22, will lead the news operation at KQED’s new Silicon Valley News Desk located in downtown San Jose. She comes to KQED with deep ties to the South Bay from her tenure as a broadcast journalist for NBC 11/KNTV. In her long career, she has covered a wide-range of topics, including state politics, all state and national elections, the Governor’s office, the energy crisis, major death penalty cases and education issues.

As other news organizations have shrunk, KQED has expanded its efforts to cover the issues and events that are important to the Bay Area. KQED News programs include KQED NEWSROOM, current affairs specials produced in collaboration with The Center for Investigative Reporting, The California Report, Forum, 18 news broadcasts on KQED Public Radio daily and the popular blogs News Fix, State of Health, Mindshift and The Lowdown. Stories from all KQED news programs are featured online at KQEDnews.org and KQED News is active on social media on Facebook and Twitter (@KQEDnews).

ABOUT KQED
KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. Home to the most listened-to public radio station in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services and an award-winning education program, and as a leader and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places and ideas.