Beginning September 1, veteran editor and publisher, Lee Mergner, will join WBGO Newark Public Radio as Editorial Content Producer.
For over 30 years, Mergner served as an editor and publisher of JazzTimes. Mergner has also acted as organizer/producer for several jazz industry conferences, such as Jazz Congress (2018-2021, in partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center), the Jazz Connect Conference (2012-2017), the Jazz Industry Track at the IAJE conference (International Association of Jazz Educators 2001-2008), and the JazzTimes Convention in the 1990s. He is also a comfortable practitioner of broadcast media, having appeared regularly on television and radio programs as well as podcasts - notably BET and various public and commercial radio outlets.
WBGO President & CEO Steven A. Williams noted, "The depth and breadth of Lee's experiences in the world of Jazz are unrivaled and his gifts as a storyteller are universally respected and perfectly suited for WBGO." Williams continued, "Having Lee on our team is a extraordinary stroke of good fortune and it signals an exciting future for our already strong digital content arm."
Born and raised in Philadelphia, PA, Mergner has contributed hundreds of features, reviews and interviews to JazzTimes and other outlets, both in print and online. "I'm looking forward to jumping in with both feet at WBGO, a station that I have always considered the flagship station for jazz worldwide," he said. "I'm excited by the opportunity to create new cornerstones in digital content, working alongside my longtime friends and new colleagues at WBGO."
This new chapter will also include updates to WBGO.org, in order to serve the ever expanding WBGO audience.