Mark Austin Thomas Named Co-Host of Marketplace Morning Report®
Contact: Brad Robideau
American Public Media
651-290-1113
brobideau@americanpublicmedia.org
Mark Austin Thomas Named Co-Host of Marketplace Morning Report®
(Los Angeles) February 10, 2006—óMark Austin Thomas has been named co-host of American Public Media's Marketplace Morning Report, effective March 6. With nearly 30 years of experience in public and commercial radio, Thomas joins Scott Jagow as one of the Marketplace Morning Report's two permanent hosts.
"We are thrilled to bring Mark's talent to Marketplace," said J.J. Yore, executive producer of Marketplace and vice president of programming at American Public Media. "His longtime experience in radio, both on and off the air, is a tremendous asset to us. Most importantly, Mark is one of most personable individuals we have ever met. We know our listeners will agree."
Before joining Marketplace, Thomas was the midday anchor at KPCC, Southern California Public Radio. He has served as news director at several radio stations, including KFI, and was program director at KLAC, both located in Los Angeles. Thomas was also senior supervising editor on National Public Radio's "The Tavis Smiley Show."
"Marketplace is the perfect home for me," said Thomas. "My passion is being on the air reaching and connecting with listeners. Marketplace's commitment to its listeners reflects that passion. Not only does Marketplace deliver the latest business and economic news in a style all its own, it helps listeners make sense of the news and understand what it means for them."
About Marketplace
Marketplace is a portfolio of programs that includes the Marketplace weekday afternoon program, the weekday Marketplace Morning Report and Marketplace Money, an hour-long weekend program focusing on personal finance. The programs are heard each week by approximately eight million listeners according to Arbitron estimates — more than any other business program on radio or television.
In its 18th year, Los Angeles-based Marketplace has won numerous awards, including an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia award and a George Foster Peabody award. Marketplace segments revolve around money and business, people, local economies and the world with the signature Marketplace sound and wit. Marketplace desks include Entrepreneurship; Sustainability; Innovation in Raleigh, N.C., in partnership with WUNC; Work and Family; Health in partnership with WGBH in Boston; and the Americaís Desk in Miami, Fla., in partnership with WLRN. Marketplace also has bureaus in New York, Washington, D.C., London and Beijing.
American Public Media™ is the nation's second-biggest producer of public radio programs, reaching 14.1 million listeners nationwide each week. National programs include A Prairie Home Companion,® Weekend America,® Saint Paul Sunday,® Marketplace,® Marketplace Money,® The Splendid Table,® Being® and special reports produced by its national documentary unit, American RadioWorks.® American Public Media is the national production and distribution division of Minnesota Public RadioÆ. Minnesota Public Radio, along with its sister company Southern California Public Radio, belongs to a larger family of companies within American Public Media Group, a national nonprofit organization whose purpose is to develop resources, services and systems to support public media for public service. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be obtained at www.americanpublicmedia.org.
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Source: Data are copyright Arbitron, Inc. Arbitron data are estimates only.Fall 2004 and Spring 2005