Award-winning LA television executive named new general manager of Arizona PBS

Mary Mazur, an award-winning television executive who has played a key role in leading one of the nation’s top public media organizations, is joining Arizona PBS as the station’s new general manager.

Mazur, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Los Angeles-based KCETLink Media Group, will lead Arizona PBS, one of the country’s largest public television stations, which reaches nearly 1.9 million Arizonans each week through four channels.

Starting in February, Mazur will lead day-to-day operations of Arizona PBS, reporting to Arizona PBS CEO Christopher Callahan, who also serves as dean of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

“Mary Mazur has established herself as one of the top public media innovators in the nation’s second-largest TV market, spearheading exciting new programs and community engagement initiatives that foster lifelong learning,” Callahan said. “We are thrilled to welcome her to Arizona PBS and look forward to her guiding our station in an ever-changing media environment.”

As general manager, Mazur will lead more than 65 full-time employees at Arizona PBS, guiding program development, community engagement, strategic partnerships, marketing and philanthropy.

“It is an honor to join such a passionate team and I am thrilled to take a leadership role at such a dynamic and forward-thinking organization,” Mazur said. “I am looking forward to getting to know and collaborating with community partners to expand the reach and impact of the terrific programming and production coming from Arizona PBS.”

Mazur has had a successful career in both commercial and nonprofit public media. She served as executive producer of nationally distributed programs such as the early childhood care series “A Place of Our Own” and its Spanish-language companion program “Los Niños en Su Casa,” the multi-part documentary “Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State,” and the drama series “PBS Hollywood Presents.”

She is the recipient of two George Foster Peabody Awards, an Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award and a regional Emmy Award. Under her direction as chief content officer for KCET, the station received more than 380 awards for programming, including four Peabody Awards and three duPont Awards.

As chief operating officer, Mazur oversaw KCET’s move from its historic lot in Hollywood to a new state-of-the-art facility in Burbank. She was part of the senior executive team that ushered in the merger between KCET and Link TV to form KCETLink Media Group and currently has oversight of KCET’s revenue departments.

Prior to joining KCETLink Media Group, Mazur was senior vice president of series development at Cosgrove/Meurer Productions, where she was responsible for all drama and reality program development. Earlier, she worked in a similar capacity as senior vice president of development for Patchett Kaufman Productions.

Before joining the production ranks, the Santa Clara University graduate was vice president of series development for CBS Productions. In addition to her network experience at CBS, Mazur also worked at NBC, where she was director of drama development.

Mazur comes at a time of significant growth at Arizona PBS since becoming part of the Cronkite School in 2014. Recently, Arizona PBS co-hosted a nationally televised debate between U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick and U.S. Sen. John McCain. Arizona PBS and the Cronkite School also have commissioned three major polls in the run up to this year’s election. Other initiatives include an expanded weekday news and public affairs lineup and online news presence, a new magazine for members, and a 24/7 children’s channel to launch Jan. 16.

Arizona PBS has been part of ASU since the station launched in 1961.