Jonathan C. Abbott is an American media executive who was the president and CEO of WGBH Educational Foundation from 2007 until his resignation in 2022. ^[1]

Biography

Abbott grew up in New York City, where his father, Forrest Abbott, was the treasurer and controller of Barnard College. ^{[2] [3]} His uncle, Edward C. Melby, Jr., was the dean of the New York State College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. ^{[4] [5]} He attended The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine and received his B.A. from Columbia University and M.B.A. from Stanford University. ^[1] He began his career in broadcasting in Columbia University's student-run radio station WKCR-FM. ^[1]

He joined KQED in San Francisco after graduating from Stanford, running the station's marketing and development, before moving to PBS in Washington as senior vice president of development and corporate relations. ^[6]

Abbot joined WGBH-TV as vice president and General Manager in 1998 and was named president and CEO in 2007. ^[7] During his 15 years in the position, he oversaw the development of new channels, expanded the station's presence over digital platforms, and helped GBH raise $215 million in the largest capital campaign by a public media outlet, and increased its endowment more than eightfold to nearly $525 million. ^[6] He also merged GBH's western Massachusetts TV affiliate WGBY with New England Public Radio to form the multiplatform New England Public Media. ^[8]

In 2013, Abbott was elected a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. ^[9] He is also a recipient of the John Jay Award from Columbia College. ^[10]

Abbot lives in Newton, Massachusetts with his family. ^[6]

In February 2022, Abbott announced plans to step down at the end of the year, and was replaced in December by Susan Goldberg. ^{[7] [8]}

References