Susanna Capelouto heading to CNN

Susanna Capelouto, Georgia Public Broadcasting's news director, has left to join CNN. She's been with GPB a total of 19 years, the first two part-time. She'll be a producer for CNN Radio working with another GPB alum, John Supulvedo, producing long-form audio stories. Capelouto said last week she now plans to become "a loyal GPB volunteer," network spokesperson Nancy Zintak told Current. Also last week, she was honored at the Georgia State Capitol by lawmakers with a House Resolution for her years of service to GPB; guests nibbled on a cake featuring her likeness on the icing. She reports to CNN on March 7.

"Motown Sound" fills White House for PBS show

The White House "reverberated like a long-ago basement sound studio in Detroit" on Thursday (Feb. 24), reports the Associated Press. The occasion: a PBS In Performance at the White House, "The Motown Sound." Performers included Smokey Robinson, John Legend, Seal and Stevie Wonder — first lady Michelle Obama confessed he's her favorite, "yes indeed." And Motown founder Berry Gordy was in the audience. See a clip here.

PBMA leaving NETA, will focus on pubcasting leadership training

The Public Broadcasting Management Association is departing its 30-year home at the National Educational Telecommunications Association.

It’s time, said PBMA Vice Chairman Tom Livingston, president of Livingston Associates in Baltimore. “We’re grown now.” Coulter Nonprofit Management in McLean, Va., will work with PBMA.

Livingston told Current that the group’s aspiration “is to become more significant in the leadership development area.”

The system is facing “unbelievable challenges,” he said. If pubcasting is to have a viable future, “it’s going to take some great leadership. Basically there’s been no coordinated leadership development work in public media for 15 or 16 years. And I believe we can see the results of that in the state of our leadership today.”

Livingston added that the group is grateful for NETA’s longtime support. “There are times when PBMA would have expired if not for NETA,” he said.

More in the next issue of Current.