PBS Hires Adaora Udoji for General Audience Programming Team

PBS has tapped Adaora Udoji to join its general audience programming team as VP of programming and operations, beginning November 15.

In her new role, Udoji will work with the team to evolve PBS’s content strategy to extend reach and optimize investments across multiple platforms. Most recently, she led a corporate innovation and venture program team at RLab, focusing on VR, AR, AI and other emerging technologies.

Previously, Udoji ran the media-tech startup News Deeply. She has roots in journalism, having covered events from the Iraq War to Hurricane Katrina for outlets such as ABC News and CNN. She also served as the co-host of New York Public Radio and PRI’s The Takeaway and has produced several short films and documentaries, including Girl Talk and Yemi’s Wedding.

Udoji has been recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and the Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Awards. She also contributed to a National Press Award, Peabody Award and was listed among the top 25 Most Influential African Americans by Essence magazine.

PBS Chief Programming Executive Sylvia Bugg, to whom Udoji will report, said: “I am thrilled to welcome Adaora to the PBS team. Her expertise in emerging technologies, paired with her award-winning reporting and filmmaking experience, makes her particularly qualified to help guide our general audience programming strategy. With her guidance, we will continue to build on PBS’s mission to develop and distribute content that meets the needs of audiences from diverse backgrounds.”

Udoji commented: “PBS is an iconic institution that plays a critical role in American life. I am deeply honored to accept this role, and I am beyond excited to work with the extraordinary team at PBS to advance the mission of public television.”