Jon Abbott
Jon Abbott is the president and CEO of GBH (Formerly WGBH), America’s preeminent public media organization, the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, and a major supplier of content for public radio and digital audio services. A nationally recognized public media leader, Abbott has transformed the way GBH creates and distributes educationally rich content to millions of Americans throughout New England and across the nation.
Abbott has expanded GBH’s investment, impact and reach in communities across Massachusetts with multiple public TV and radio services, and a significant expansion of local journalism, including launching a new NPR News station in Boston. His commitment to fostering citizenship and learning led to the launch of PBS LearningMedia, a free, national online service offering classroom-ready digital resources for educators in all 50 states. He collaborated on the creation of two national digital TV services, WORLD and CREATE, in partnership with PBS, and has championed innovations to strengthen the entire public media system.
Abbott joined GBH as Vice President and General Manager in 1998 and was named President and CEO in 2007. Prior to GBH, he served as Senior Vice President for Development and Corporate Relations at PBS and in senior management with San Francisco public station KQED. He began his career in broadcasting in 1981 at Columbia University Station WKCR-FM. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Columbia University and an MBA from Stanford University. He is a member of the boards of PBS, National Public Media, PRI/PRX, NEPM, Contributor Development Partnership (CDP), PBS Distribution and Project Healthy Children. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the recipient of the John Jay Award from Columbia University.
Jon Abbott is the president and CEO of GBH, America’s preeminent public media organization, the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, and a major supplier of content for public radio and digital audio services. A nationally recognized public media leader, Abbott has transformed the way WGBH creates and distributes educationally rich content to millions of Americans throughout New England and across the nation.
Abbott has expanded GBH’s investment, impact and reach in communities across Massachusetts with multiple public TV and radio services, and a significant expansion of local journalism, including launching a new NPR News station in Boston. His commitment to fostering citizenship and learning led to the launch of PBS LearningMedia, a free, national online service offering classroom-ready digital resources for educators in all 50 states. He collaborated on the creation of two national digital TV services, WORLD and CREATE, in partnership with PBS, and has championed innovations to strengthen the entire public media system.
Abbott joined GBH (formerly WGBH) as Vice President and General Manager in 1998 and was named President and CEO in 2007. Prior to GBH, he served as Senior Vice President for Development and Corporate Relations at PBS and in senior management with San Francisco public station KQED. He began his career in broadcasting in 1981 at Columbia University Station WKCR-FM. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Columbia University and an MBA from Stanford University. He is a member of the boards of National Public Media, PRI/PRX, NEPM, Contributor Development Partnership (CDP), PBS Distribution and Project Healthy Children. He is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the recipient of the John Jay Award from Columbia University.
