KPBS General Manager’s Retirement a Surprise

Longtime KPBS general manager Paul Steen surprised staff members Wednesday by announcing his retirement.

Steen, 60, has worked at the station for 25 years, starting as a producer when the public broadcasting television station first went on the air. He has served as general manager, overseeing both the radio and television stations, since 1974.

In recent years, the station has been struggling to raise funds to meet its operating needs while simultaneously trying to raise $7 million for a new facility. Last week, eight staff members were laid off due to what the station described as an unexpected shortfall in revenues.

Steen’s announcement at a Wednesday staff meeting caught most employees off guard.

“We all thought that the staff meeting was going to be about the budget and coming together and things like that,” said station spokeswoman Pat Finn.

Steen said he will continue to work with the station until a replacement is found. In particular, he hopes to continue to work on the fund-raising campaign for the new facility until it is completed.

“There just comes a time,” Steen said. “My principal concern is to finish things up at the station so people have a nice place to work.”

Station marketing chief Doug Myrland has been named deputy general manager and will handle many of the day-to-day operations until a new permanent general manager is sought.