Meet Jim Schachter, New Hampshire Public Radio’s new CEO!
Join us in welcoming Jim Schachter, the new president and CEO of New Hampshire Public Radio. We sat down with Jim to talk about journalism, Writers on a New England Stage, and our partnership with NHPR.
What drew you to the position at New Hampshire Public Radio and what sort of plans do you have for NHPR?
I’ve spent my entire career in journalism, reporting in places from Kansas City to Los Angeles and doing everything from helping run arts and business and fashion coverage to beat reporting. I’ve also spent a big chunk of my professional life in New York—17 years at The New York Times and the past seven at the nation’s largest public radio station, WNYC.
As a news organization with statewide reach, New Hampshire Public Radio is uniquely positioned to use journalism to spark conversations, empower decision making and help illuminate the issues that concern our friends and neighbors here in the Granite State. We do this in so many different ways: from over the air news reports, live talk shows, well-crafted tweets, in-depth storytelling in podcasts and in person, too, with events in communities all over the state. People are looking for information these days, but also looking for inspiration and hope. NHPR’s work can provide all of that – and we can set a hopeful example as an ambitious, entrepreneurial organization filled with people who care deeply about the state. Working with partners in New Hampshire and beyond, we want to build on the affection and respect that NHPR draws to strengthen the foundation of financial and community support that allows us to continue our award-winning work long into the future.
What about moving to New Hampshire was the most exciting?
My wife Pam and I have been married for almost 35 years. Our four children are grown (mostly!) and building their own lives, doing terrific things across the country. So it’s just us and our four cats at the moment. We’ve living for the time being in the North End of Manchester, and we are really enjoying exploring our new neighborhood, making new friends, and taking in all the cultural and dining options on offer. We spent the last 24 years in suburban New Jersey, and I commuted into New York City. So to have a short commute to our office in Concord, and to have the chance to explore a beautiful place with so many ways to get outside and enjoy nature, is a nice switch. I suspect we’ll figure out this spring where we’ll actually settle down.
Plus, you never lose your curiosity as a journalist. So for me, the chance to explore a new place from the ground up is really invigorating. And we’ve arrived in New Hampshire at such a fascinating time, what with the first-in-the-nation presidential primary, a statehouse divided between the two parties, big questions about the health of the Gulf of Maine and the future of our climate, challenges in the form of the opioid crisis, the housing crisis, the workforce crisis. It’s all beyond stimulating.
What value does the partnership between NHPR and The Music Hall bring to New Hampshire and the community?
New Hampshire Public Radio is delighted to be a long time partner with The Music Hall – such a beloved institution on the Seacoast and throughout the state. Both our organizations pride ourselves on innovation and being part of the broader community. To approach things from that same mindset – and know that curious, passionate, culturally aware folks tend to gravitate toward both of our missions puts us on the same page from the get-go. I’d like to think, too, that we are able to bring even more outstanding writers to New Hampshire by working together than we could if we worked apart.
What are your favorite parts of the Writers on a New England Stage partnership?
Coming face to face with authors, getting a chance to ask them questions and hear the thinking behind their words is a privilege. We have great conversations with authors on our news programs and The Exchange. But there’s something special about being part of the scene at The Music Hall!
As an Innovation and Leadership sponsor, what is the importance of this series and how does it fit with the NHPR mission?
I love how The Music Hall describes this series as “conversations about 21st century-living.” With topics as diverse as the future of lobster, author talks, sharing and storytelling with subject matter experts, the series promotes curiosity and knowledge.
And that’s something we can relate to. Public radio is a marketplace of ideas. People turn to NHPR – to be informed, inspired, and empowered. So our two missions align perfectly through this series.
You went to the Michael Connelly Writers on a New England Stage event in October. Did you enjoy the show?
Absolutely! Michael and I were reporters together long ago at the Los Angeles Times, but I didn’t know the backstory behind the development of his great characters like Harry Bosch and Jack McEvoy. Plus, Michael told me backstage what he’s planning for Jack in the novel he’s writing now. So I know what Connelly fans have to look forward to.