Fred Martino
Fred Martino, Ph.D. is Director of Content at KRWG, leading our efforts on radio, television, and right here at www.krwg.org . He also serves as anchor/executive producer of the region's only television news magazine, the Emmy Award-winning Newsmakers, which airs Thursday at 7pm, Saturday at 5pm, and Sunday at 11am on KRWG-TV.
Fred was recruited by KRWG in 2008, when he joined New Mexico State University as an Assistant Executive Director of University Broadcasting and Director of Content for KRWG Public Media. He came to New Mexico after nine years as the Director of News and Public Affairs for WGVU-TV/AM/FM at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
He holds master's degrees in communication and public administration from Grand Valley. In addition, Fred earned a Ph.D. in educational administration with a focus on public media from New Mexico State University. Fred's research, "Local Public Media: Qualitative Research to Guide Educational Leaders," focused on his transformational work at KRWG Public Media.
Fred’s work at KRWG began with a new commitment to digital media. The move quickly paid dividends, as www.krwg.org was named the best online news site in the state by the New Mexico Associated Press in 2008. Later, we received several best website awards in our division from the New Mexico Broadcasters Association. The region’s homepage has continued to grow and evolve, becoming one of the most active sites in the NPR Digital Services family. In 2008, we also launched another successful digital venture, ensuring that all of KRWG-TV’s content is posted online. Hundreds of thousands of people have watched our videos online over the last few years…and we continue to grow.
Our growth on radio and television has also been unprecedented. We doubled our daily newscasts on KRWG-FM and added the weekly news magazine KRWG News This Week and call-in show Voice of the Public. KRWG-TV dramatically expanded the diversity of local programming, adding Issues & Answers specials and the weekly series Newsmakers and Fronteras-A Changing America.
Fred has also led efforts to bring diversity to the airwaves and to our digital audience here at www.krwg.org . Diversity in our staff, in the viewpoints we present, in the people we see and hear, and in the growing range of programming we develop. In 2012, Fred launched a new initiative with the Government department at New Mexico State University. The result: a panel of students participated in two televised debates with local candidates. Additional programs with area students in a variety of disciplines continue each semester. It’s another way KRWG is enriching the region’s educational opportunities while also bringing diversity to our programming.
With your support, we’ll continue to grow. We also welcome your comments and story ideas anytime. E-mail us…the address is feedback@nmsu.edu
Thank you for helping to make KRWG one of the most innovative public media organizations in the nation. We couldn’t do it without your help.