After a short stint as general manager of Park City’s National Public Radio affiliate a broadcasting veteran has announced plans to leave his post at KPCW-FM.
When he was hired as general manager, KPCW officials said tapping Jonathan Klein was a coup for the small-town station. Klein had worked as president of the CBS television station group that oversaw 14 stations nationwide. He had also worked in management at radio stations in Boston and Pittsburgh, Pa., before moving to Park City about six years ago.
KPCW hired Klein last winter in the wake of the departure of former station chief Blair Feulner, who resigned in 2008 after founding KPCW nearly three decades ago.
“When we were needing a new general manager, Jonathan said he would step in and essentially be the caretaker for a year to help stabilize and help bring some systems into place,” said Joe Wrona, a trustee and spokesman for KPCW. “He absolutely fulfilled his commitments so it’s just sort of natural that we need to start looking for our next long-term leader for the radio station.”
Klein had a number of goals to accomplish when he was hired last year. Wrona praised Klein for helping shepherd the station into new studios on Swede Alley, which the station purchased from City Hall.
“Things are never perfect with a new facility. There are certain things we want to make better,” Klein said. “We’re on the air. But is it perfect yet? No.”
To limit dead air and miscues he has recommended board members continue straightening “out some technical problems to make life easier here for especially the news staff,” he said.
“It’s a relatively complicated system that doesn’t have to be as complicated. Why it happened this way? I have no idea,” Klein added about equipment used by on-air staff and volunteers.
When he took the job last winter, Klein said he planned to manage KPCW for about a year.
“There was no apparent person who had a radio background and who lived in the area at that time, and the challenges were huge,” Klein said. “When there is change and you have to deal with the unknown, it’s difficult.”
Wrona said KPCW has already begun to advertise Klein’s position.
“We’re not looking for somebody like Jonathan Klein at this point,” Wrona said. “We’re looking for somebody who is going to come in and hopefully be general manager for the long haul, and help continue to transition KPCW back to its original mission statement, which is serving Park City.”
Klein said he will stay at KPCW until his replacement is named.
“Jonathan Klein is helping us with this transition,” Wrona said. “We expect this to take at least a month and perhaps a few months.”