David McGowan, President and CEO of WJCT Public Media, will retire on March 31, 2026. WJCT Public Media serves Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia as an independent, community-owned public media organization. McGowan has held the leadership role since January 2018.
The decision to retire follows a period of planning between McGowan and the organization’s Board of Trustees’ leadership that began in January 2025.
“Serving WJCT Public Media through this period of growth has been a tremendous honor. Everything we’ve been through these last eight years has only strengthened my belief in the power of public media to bring people together,” said McGowan. “WJCT Public Media is such a precious community asset, and I am grateful to have helped guide it during such an interesting time in our industry and in our region. I look forward to working with our Board during this transition.”
During his tenure, WJCT was recognized for innovative programming in news, music, education, and community engagement. The organization launched Jacksonville Today, a digital-first news platform funded by its Local Journalism Initiative. This platform received recognition from the LION Awards and Local Media Association’s Digital Innovation Awards. Other initiatives included the Jacksonville Music Experience and new live events at the WJCT Soundstage as well as expanded film series at WJCT Studios. The organization also developed broadcast and podcast programs such as “What’s Health Got to Do With It?,” “Bygone Jax,” and “Untold Stories.”
Under McGowan’s leadership, revenue and individual contributors nearly doubled since 2018. Audiences for local news on WJCT News 89.9 and Jacksonville Today reached or approached record highs. Use of Jax PBS’ streaming services increased steadily, while attendance at live events peaked following pandemic restrictions.
A search committee led by Chair Bill Hendrich, Immediate Past Chair Farley Kern, and Chair-Elect Anne Madsen has been formed by the Board of Trustees to identify the next President and CEO. The executive search firm DRiWaterstone will conduct a national search.
“David is a world-class executive; we have been fortunate to have him as our President and CEO. He is a remarkable leader, whose vision and strategic guidance inspired us all to reimagine how this organization can serve the community. We are grateful for his many years of exemplary service to our mission, and wish him the best in his well-deserved retirement,” said Bill Hendrich, Chair of WJCT Public Media’s Board of Trustees.
“From creating innovative new programs to further enrich our community, to strengthening our financial position through highly effective fiscal and operational management, David has positioned WJCT to move soundly forward,” said Anne K. Madsen, Treasurer and Chair-Elect of WJCT Public Media’s Board of Trustees. “We extend our heartfelt appreciation for his exceptional service to WJCT and our community.”
Before joining WJCT Public Media, McGowan held senior executive roles at cable and telecommunication companies in Europe—including as CEO of Invitel in Hungary—and previously served at organizations such as WETA in Washington D.C., where he was Senior Vice President for news and public affairs programming and production; he also worked at Time Magazine as Head of Media Development. Programs under his supervision won Emmys, Peabody Awards, and the Du-Pont-Columbia Journalism Award.
“Thanks to David’s vision and leadership, WJCT Public Media has evolved to become a strong, vibrant source of information, education and cultural programming — an invaluable resource to Northeast Florida,” said Farley Kern, Immediate Past Chair of WJCT’s Board of Trustees. “On behalf of our current and past Trustees, I thank David for successfully steering the institution through a time of tremendous growth in the region and unprecedented change in the media industry. We look forward to welcoming a new leader next year to continue the positive momentum he created.”
For more information about WJCT Public Media visit https://wjct.org.
