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Alan S. Chartock | |
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| Born | (1941-07-25)July 25, 1941 (age 84) |
| Occupation(s) | CEO,WAMC |
| Spouse | Roselle Chartock |
Alan Seth Chartock (born July 25, 1941)[1] is a former president and chief executive officer ofWAMC/Northeast Public Radio, aNational Public Radio affiliate, from 1981 to 2023. He was professor of political science atSUNY New Paltz and is a professor emeritus of communications at theState University of New York (SUNY), and is executive publisher and project director for theLegislative Gazette, a weekly newspaper staffed by college intern reporters coveringNew York State government.
Chartock served in a variety of on-air roles at WAMC, including but not limited to hosting theCapitol Connection,Vox Pop, andConversations with programs, sitting on panels forThe Roundtable andThe Media Project, serving as a political commentator, and filling a central role in the thrice-annual fund drives. He also writes a syndicated column on politics which appears in newspapers throughout New York state.
Born inNew York City, Chartock worked in the state legislature for SenatorManfred Ohrenstein. He attended theNew Lincoln School, graduated from Rhodes High School. Chartock is a graduate ofHunter College, received a master of arts fromAmerican University, and a doctorate fromNew York University. He is married to Dr. Roselle K. Chartock, an author and professor of education atMassachusetts College of Liberal Arts inNorth Adams. They reside inGreat Barrington, Massachusetts and have two grown children, Dr.Jonas S. Chartock and Dr. Sarah R. Chartock.
Chartock is of European Jewish descent.[2]
Chartock participated in a broad swath of WAMC's radio programs, serving as host of theCapitol Connection,Legislative Gazette, andCongressional Corner; appearing onthe Media Project; and being interviewed as the "political observer" at WAMC on a number of the on station, including asThe Roundtable,Midday Magazine, andNortheast Report. Chartock also hosted morning portions of on-air fund drives.
Chartock's presence on the air was increased after retiring from a full-time position teaching atSUNY Albany.
Chartock's retirement was announced on May 25, 2023.[3]
Chartock has won numerous awards at SUNY, including the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching and the SUNY Council of University Affairs and Development Award for Educational achievement. He was one of the first recipients of the SUNY Award for Excellence. In 2007, Chartock was chosen to receive the 2006 Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Teacher from the SUNY New Paltz Alumni Association.
He is the recipient of an honorary doctorate for public service fromthe Sage Colleges[4] and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters fromWestern New England College[5] and Westfield State College.
Chartock says he is concerned about governmental restrictions on free speech.[6] He is dismayed by what he calls the proliferation of corporate-run radio stations, which he believes express extreme right-wing views without giving opposing viewpoints.[7] He has calledPete Seeger "an American hero".[8]
According to Gadi Dechter of CityPaper.com, Chartock "publishes a blog on WAMC's web site that has featured sharp attacks on theRepublican party, theBush administration, and 'neocons' in general."[9]
Stephen Yasko, manager ofWTMD (89.7 FM), an NPR member station inTowson, Maryland which plays mostly adult-alternative music, contends that any quality-control challenges which might be created by NPR's decentralized nature are outweighed by the advantage of unique local programming.
"Public radio stations reflect the values and texture of the communities they serve," says Yasko, who has also worked in the NPR member services department. "If NPR or any national organization had too much control or input into every station's local personality, then you would lose the very thing that makes us what we are. So if Alan Chartock is what Albany and upstate New York created and what works for them, that's a beautiful thing, no matter what some outsiders might say."[9]
Under Chartock's leadership, WAMC grew into a network of 14 stations (all broadcasting identical programming) and a web-based platform serving portions of seven New England and Middle Atlantic states, bringing news, information and cultural programming to what station leaders claim is an audience of nearly 400,000 monthly listeners. The station's thrice-yearly fund drives have a goal of $1 million each as of 2013.
In May 2023, the station announced that Chartock was retiring effective immediately.[10] His departure was announced after the then-81-year-old had taken time off earlier in the week to consider ending his career and after his on-air time had been reduced, station officials told the AlbanyTimes Union[11] Chartock's resignation came just months after the station's board of trustees decided to boost his base salary by more than $100,000—a move that brought his base compensation to roughly $350,000 a year.[12]
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