Fort Wayne PBS chief to retire after 40 years in public media
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Described as a steady hand guiding public media in Indiana for over four decades, Bruce Haines has announced he will retire as president and general manager of PBS Fort Wayne in 2025.
During Haines’ tenure at the station—which spans 17 years—PBS Fort Wayne has been recognized many times over through regional Emmy Awards and national Telly Awards.
In a press release, Haines said he’s proud of the team he built over the years. He’s also proud that PBS Fort Wayne is the only locally owned TV service in the region.
“It’s rewarding to see the growth in the content we deliver, both locally and nationally, which serves our mission and connects in new ways with so many viewers,” Haines said. “Serving the community through PBS Fort Wayne has been a great honor, and retirement only means more time to support the station and enjoy its programming.”
Haines grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to Indiana in 1977 for a commercial radio job. He soon became the director of Ball State University’s public radio station and obtained his MBA there. In 1987, Haines moved to Fort Wayne to lead Northeast Indian Public Radio where he spent 21 years before moving to PBS Fort Wayne in 2008.
The release said Haines oversaw a $3.1 million capital campaign to upgrade all the station’s production and operations to high definition as TV moved from analog to digital broadcasting. Haines is also credited with increasing PBS Fort Wayne’s local content offerings and increasing the station’s reach through streaming services.
PBS Fort Wayne won four Telly Awards for local productions last year in addition to three in 2022.
The TV station’s board of directors says it has formed a search committee to select Haines’ successor.