After 28 years at the helm of WXXI Public Media, Norm Silverstein will retire next year upon the appointment of a successor.
Silverstein currently oversees a portfolio that includes WXXI-TV, Public News/Talk 1370 WXXI/105.9 WXXI-FM, and Classical 91.5 WXXO Rochester NY plus rebroadcasters in the region., CITY Magazine, The Little Theatre, and operates AAA “The Route” 88.5 WRUR Rochester. He joined WXXI in 1995 after serving as SVP of Maryland Public Television and working as a news reporter in Washington and political aide to the Governor of Maryland.
WXXI President & CEO Norm Silverstein announced today that he will retire in 2024 after nearly 30 years at the helm of WXXI Public Media. The WXXI Board of Trustees will conduct a national search for the next President & CEO. Silverstein has agreed to stay on through the selection of his successor.
Under Silverstein’s leadership, WXXI has grown its services to the community exponentially. When he started at the station in 1995, it was operating one television station and two radio stations. Today it operates four public television channels, one cable channel for the City of Rochester, and six public radio stations. This upward growth has also been seen with net assets and staff, which have almost doubled under Silverstein’s direction.
During Silverstein’s tenure, WXXI acquired The Little Theatre, formed the Rochester Area Media Partners with the purchase of CITY Newspaper (now CITY Magazine), and most recently acquired an FM signal for NPR and WXXI News at 105.9.Silverstein came to WXXI at a time when the news media in general and public media in particular were struggling with how to embrace the digital age and incorporate new technology into the delivery of programming. His tenure at WXXI represents a period of transformative change by transitioning WXXI from analogue to digital broadcasting. He has been consistently recognized and valued as a leader by PBS and other public media stations throughout the system.
Digital media is now an essential part of daily life in the Rochester community and Silverstein has established WXXI as a trusted source of news, educational information, and cultural entertainment.
“I believe that WXXI is what Congress had in mind when the Bill was passed in 1967 creating the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) — television and radio that would make a positive difference in peoples’ lives and help strengthen local communities. The arts and cultural community in Rochester is stronger because WXXI believes in cooperation, not competition, and in putting the community first. You see that in almost everything we do,” Silverstein added.
Silverstein led the two most successful Capital Campaigns in the history of WXXI. The 21/21 Vision Campaign in 2004 raised $12 million and the Go Public Campaign in 2016 garnered $18 million. Under his direction, WXXI launched public television’s only regularly scheduled healthcare TV series, Second Opinion, which ran for 18 seasons on more than 280 PBS stations across the country.
During his time, WXXI has produced more than 30 documentaries that spotlight Rochester’s rich history and culture including Prelude I The Legacy of Garth Fagan Dance, Eastman at 100: A Centennial Celebration, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Boynton House: The Next Hundred Years, Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival, Restoring a Masterpiece: The Renovation of the Eastman Theatre, Paley on Park Avenue: New York City, Horses on Parade, Tailor Made: The Story of Rochester’s Garment Industry, and Wendell Castle: A Portrait, and Journeys Through the Finger Lakes. Many of these programs aired on PBS stations across the country.
While many successful projects have come to fruition during Silverstein’s time, one of his proudest accomplishments is WXXI’s national Move to IncludeTM initiative, a partnership with the Golisano Foundation that uses the power of public media to promote inclusion. The initiative grew out of WXXI and Al Sigl Community of Agencies’ Dialogue on Disability, a one-week initiative weaving programming and news coverage focused on disabilities. With the support of businessman and philanthropist Tom Golisano and the Golisano Foundation, Move to Include was formed in 2014, enabling WXXI to develop year-round programming to promote inclusion. Today, WXXI and the Golisano Foundation have grown the initiative and expanded its effort by sharing the Move to Include model with PBS stations across the country, who are doing the work in their communities.
“Norm’s commitment to local journalism, dedication to embracing technology for the betterment of public media, and ability to foster strong relationships with local, state, and national elected leaders are key attributes in the growth and success of WXXI,” said David M. Tang, WXXI Board of Trustee Chair. “His emphasis on building a robust news team and commitment to forming solid partnerships with non-profit organizations has enhanced the quality and reach of WXXI, making it a leading contributor in the region’s media landscape.”Silverstein’s ability to grow and develop a world-class team of employees who are dedicated to the mission of public media is proven in the work that it produces. Under his direction, WXXI has garnered more than 65 New York State Broadcasters Association Awards, 50 Telly Awards, 19 New York Emmy Awards, and 12 Edward R. Murrow Awards.
Before joining WXXI in 1995, Silverstein served as Senior Vice President of Maryland Public Television (MPT). Prior to his involvement in public broadcasting, he was a broadcast news correspondent in Washington, D.C. and served as Deputy Press Secretary and a senior aide to the Governor of Maryland.
Silverstein represents WXXI and Rochester on a number of national, state, and local boards. He chairs the Finance Committee of the New York State Broadcasters Association and is a former chair of the Association of Public Broadcasting Stations of New York (APBS), and the Public Television Affinity Group Coalition, which serves as a forum for addressing system-wide issues of interest to public media organizations. He is a former Board member of America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) in Washington, the National Women’s Hall of Fame, the New York State Council for the Humanities, and the Regional Advisory Board of Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield. He was also the past Treasurer of the board of Greater Public, the only national non-profit organization offering comprehensive development and marketing expertise to public radio and television stations.Silverstein holds a Master of Administrative Science (MAS) degree in management from Johns Hopkins University, a bachelor’s degree in political science from The American University in Washington, DC., and a Media AMP (Advanced Management Program in Media & Entertainment) from the IESE Business School of the University of Navarra, Spain. He resides in Pittsford, NY with his wife Jane Gallagher Silverstein.