CHICAGO, March 31, 2025 — Chicago Public Media is pleased to announce a series of leadership changes designed to strengthen strategic direction, foster collaboration and support the organization’s focus on digital growth.
Effective today, Chief Content Officer Tracy Brown has been appointed into a new role as Chief Partnerships Officer where she will be developing creative, collaborative approaches to extend our editorial impact and to find new ways to financially support that work. Her editorial insight and strategic expertise will help bridge the newsroom and business operations, aligning our editorial vision with opportunities to grow philanthropic support, sponsorship revenue, and audience. Brown joined the organization in 2019 as the WBEZ Managing Editor. After two years, Brown was promoted to Chief Content Officer and was integral in bringing in the Chicago Sun-Times under Chicago Public Media and overseeing both newsrooms. This work is not new to Tracy, but rather an extension of her work as CCO, where she led efforts to support ambitious journalism programs across Chicago Public Media, including its new arts and culture desk, expanded reporting on climate, and the launch of the unique audio project Prisoncast!, an audio report for people inside Illinois prisons and their loved ones on the outside.
To succeed Brown, Jennifer Kho has been named Interim Editor-in-Chief. Kho joined the Chicago Sun-Times as Executive Editor in 2022. She restructured the Sun-Times newsroom around the topics and audiences most important to Chicagoans, creating a new digital strategy that grew the Sun-Times’s digital reach, deepened its connection to Chicago through listening sessions and increased community voices featured in Sun-Times content, and earned it dozens of awards. In her new role, Kho will be leading the reorganization of a unified Chicago Public Media newsroom, bringing together the journalists of WBEZ and Sun-Times to set a bold path for the future of Chicago Public Media.
As part of this new newsroom structure, Gilbert Bailon has been selected as Executive Editor, News Platforms and will be reporting to Kho. In this role, Bailon will be charged with leading the newsroom’s platform strategy, ensuring our journalism reaches the right audiences on the right platforms across print, radio, and digital. Bailon joined WBEZ as Executive Editor in 2023 after serving as Executive Editor at KERA public radio in Dallas, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and the Dallas Morning News. During his time at Chicago Public Media, Bailon has led several high-impact initiatives, including the Democracy Solutions Project — an 18-month collaboration with the University of Chicago and The Pulitzer Center that informed voters, engaged communities, and produced in-depth news coverage. He also oversaw months of comprehensive reporting around the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, and played a key role in launching the joint Arts & Culture desk, including the popular Green Room newsletter. WBEZ has seen strong growth in broadcast radio listenership in 2025 so far, seeing its highest ratings in two years in January and February.
“This is a pivotal moment for Chicago Public Media, and these leadership changes reflect our commitment to deepening our service to the people of Chicago through ambitious journalism, bold experimentation, and greater collaboration across our platforms,” said Melissa Bell, CEO of Chicago Public Media. “Tracy, Jenn, and Gilbert each bring vision, integrity, and a passion for public service journalism. Together, they are shaping a future for our organization that is rooted in community, guided by editorial excellence, and ready to meet audiences wherever they are.”
Additional changes to the newsroom structure will be announced in the coming weeks. These updates reflect Chicago Public Media’s dedication to championing independent journalism, accessible to all, and our commitment to reflect and connect the varied communities of Chicago.
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About Chicago Public Media
Chicago Public Media is one of the largest local nonprofit news organizations in the country, home to WBEZ 91.5FM, Chicago Sun-Times, and Vocalo. Chicago Public Media serves more than 4.1 million people weekly across broadcast, print and digital platforms. As a mission-driven organization, it is committed to providing the Chicago region with accessible and trusted news, information, and programming.
