Slate podcast producer to head WBEZ talk programming

Joel Meyer

Joel Meyer

Joel Meyer, managing producer of Slate podcasts, has been hired as executive producer of talk programming at Chicago Public Media WBEZ FM 91.5, starting September 14.

“Joel is a seasoned maker of radio and shows with broad experience,” Ben Calhoun, director of content and programming at Chicago Public Media, said in a memo to staff Friday.

WBEZ

WBEZ

“The competition was stiff. But Joel stood out – his taste, his nimble thinking, his theories on how we make what we make, why we make what we make, and his excitement for the future of our organization,” Calhoun said.

Meyer, a native of Minneapolis and graduate of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, previously was executive producer of “Soundcheck,” a music program produced by WNYC in New York, and associate producer of Air America Radio’s “The Al Franken Show.” He joined Slate magazine in October 2014.

In his new role, Meyer will oversee all local talk programming for the public radio station. He succeeds Justin Kaufmann, who resigned after more than 20 years last March to join Tribune Media news/talk WGN AM 720 as evening host and producer.

In the latest Nielsen Audio survey, WBEZ tied for 21st place with a 2.1 percent share and cumulative weekly audience of 556,000.