A longtime executive with Maine Public will retire next month, the public broadcasting network announced Sunday.
Charles Beck will leave his post as vice president for radio and television content in January, officially ending a 40-year career with the network, according to a news release issued by Maine Public.
Charles Beck Maine Public
Beck led Maine Public through a transition period that began with the network being mostly government-funded to one that relies predominantly on listener support. He also assisted with the launch of Maine Public Classical, an entirely new radio network. In addition, he was involved with expanding access to Maine Public’s varied content on digital and streaming platforms.
“I feel both grateful and honored to have had the opportunity to play a role over all these years in helping make this valued public service available for the people of Maine,” Beck said in a statement.
Beck graduated with a double major in broadcasting and music at the University of Maine before joining MPBN Radio in 1980 as a reporter, announcer and classical music host. During the early part of his career, Beck took on producer and host duties. His most visible role was as host and producer of the early morning show (5-7 a.m.), a weekday program known as “Bed & Breakfast.” During its run in the 1980s, “Bed & Breakfast” was a combination of music, news, interviews, live performances and humor.
In 1988, Beck took a leave of absence and earned a master’s degree in communication management. When he returned, Beck focused his attention on management and programming. He eventually was placed in charge of overseeing content on both Maine Public Radio and Maine Public Television.
Clare Hannan, Maine Public’s chief operating officer, praised Beck for successfully positioning the network to serve its audience for decades to come.
“In his close to 40 year tenure with Maine Public, Charles Beck brought his exceptional vision for television and radio programming to our statewide audience. Through his efforts, we have maintained enviable audience ratings, broadened our content offerings by adding a Classical Radio Network, and continued to set a high standard for our broadcast services,” Hannan said.
Maine Public, which was formed in 1992, has office and studio locations in Bangor, Lewiston and Portland.
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