1. Veteran Television Executive Jefferi Lee Named General
Manager of WHUT-TV
WASHINGTON (November 9, 2011) – Today, Howard University
announced Jefferi K. Lee as the new General Manager of
WHUT-TV. Lee brings nearly 30 years of broadcast media
experience as a network executive.
“We are thrilled to have Mr. Lee join us as the new leader for
WHUT-TV,” said Howard University President Sidney A. Ribeau.
“Howard Television has been a beacon for more than three
decades. We envision a bright future for the station as a leader
in public broadcasting with particular emphasis on issues
affecting African Americans and people of color.”
At the helm, Lee plans to realign the station and its strategic
priorities around President Ribeau’s vision of the University.
This includes forming key partnerships with businesses,
organizations and campus-wide collaboration.
"I am honored to be a part of the Howard University family as
the new General Manager of WHUT-TV,” Lee said. “Howard has
a rich cultural legacy and has an extensive resource of talent
throughout the campus. I look forward to working with the
administration, faculty, staff and students as we continue to
make a significant contribution in serving the Washington
Metropolitan area.”
For 17 years, Lee helped lead Black Entertainment Television
as the executive vice president of network operations and
programming. In the high-profile position, Lee directed day-to-
day operations of the cable network and more than 300
employees. Over the last decade, he has managed his own
communications consulting firm, Lee Productions. He also
served as senior executive for Bio-Defensive Research Group in
Columbia, Md.
Lee was educated at the University of Maryland, College Park’s
department of radio, film and television program. He has
lectured at Howard University and taught as a visiting professor
at the University of Texas at Austin.
WHUT-TV, Washington, DC, was the first public broadcasting station licensed to a
predominantly African-American organization, Howard University. Founded in 1980, WHUT -
TV reaches more than 2 million households in the greater Washington metro area annually.
The Emmy award-winning station airs more than 3,500 hours of public affairs, educational
and original programming each year including the flagship public affairs program Evening
Exchange.
Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and

2. colleges. Founded in 1867, students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to
undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Since 1998, the University has
produced two Rhodes Scholars, two Truman Scholars, a Marshall Scholar, 24 Fulbright
Scholars and 11 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on campus African-
American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more
information on Howard University, call 202-238-2330, or visit the University’s Web site at
www.howard.edu

3. WHUT Hosts a Teacher Town Hall to Address the Dropout Crisis
in the D.C. Metro Area
Station is partnering with WETA and WAMU as part of public media's American
Graduate: Let's Make It Happen initiative to keep students on a path to graduation
WHUT and WAMU will broadcast the town hall next month
Washington, D.C. (May 21, 2012) – Right now, close to 60 percent of Washington, D.C. students
do not graduate from high school. To address this crisis locally, public media stations WHUT-TV,
WETA and WAMU 88.5 will host a Teacher Town Hall that brings together more than 100 teachers
from the District, Maryland and Virginia to discuss education today, with a particular emphasis on the
challenges they face in their classrooms. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 5 at 5:00 at WHUT.
The Teacher Town Hall is part of American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen, a national public media
initiative made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to identify and implement
solutions to the dropout crisis.
“Each year, one out of every four students makes the life altering decision to drop out of school
resulting in severe consequences for their future and our country,” said Patricia Harrison, president
and CEO of CPB. “Through ‘American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen,’ America’s public radio and
television stations – locally owned and operated – are engaging local non-profit partners, business
leaders, parents and teachers to help young people stay on the path to a high school diploma.”
In the D.C. area, WHUT, WETA and WAMU are working together as American Graduate DC,
collaborating with community partners to raise the region’s graduation rates.
The American Graduate Teacher Town Hall, moderated by WAMU’s Matt McCleskey, will give teachers
an opportunity to share their classroom experiences, suggestions and ideas for keeping students
engaged in school.
WAMU 88.5 will broadcast the Teacher Town Hall on Thursday, June 7 at noon and 9 p.m. WHUT will
also air the event Sunday, June 10 at 7 p.m. and again Tuesday, June 12 at 9 p.m.
“Education has always been at the center of public broadcasting,” said Jefferi Lee, general manager of
WHUT. “That’s why we are proud to be a part of this important national initiative and are honored to
work with the local community to make sure DC’s students stay in school and graduate. We cannot
allow a generation of our young people to fall through the cracks.”
Earlier this year as part of its American Graduate work, WHUT established digital media arts clubs in
five schools across the District. Howard University students, trained in the use of digital media and
storytelling, are leading the clubs, which tap youths’ interest in digital media and social media. The
clubs provide an opportunity for students to acquire media production and journalism skills as well a s
critical thinking and problem solving skills that are essential in the 21st Century job market.
On WAMU, education reporter Kavitha Cardoza wrote a series of nine articles examining the causes
and consequences of the dropout problem in D.C. and nationwide.
American Graduate DC stations represent three of the nearly 70 public media and television stations
around the country that are working directly with their communities to address the dropout crisis.
Local partners include District of Columbia Public Schools and National Black Programming
Consortium.
About American Graduate
The public media initiative, American Graduate: Let's Make It Happen, is helping communities
across America identify and implement solutions to address the high school dropout crisis. Made
possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the multi-year campaign is designed
to raise awareness and dialogue through national and local multiplatform programming.

4. Targeting communities with highest dropout rates, the initiative also increases local
engagement and action through collaborations and partnerships, and increases student
engagement through teacher professional development and classroom curricula. Public
radio and television stations – locally owned and operated – reach 99% of the country over
the air, have built models for successful intervention in early learning, and have deep
connections in the communities they serve. More than 600 partnerships have been formed
locally through American Graduate and CPB is partnering with America's Promise Alliance and
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Visit American Graduate on Facebook, Twitter or
AmericanGraduate.org.
About WHUT
WHUT-TV, Howard University Television was founded in 1980 in Washington, D.C. as WHMM. At its
inception the station became the first public station in the United States to be licensed and operated
by an African-American institution - Howard University. The station broadcasts reach over 2 million
households in a 60-mile radius. The station endeavors to underscore Howard University's overall
mission in its commitment to excellence, leadership and public service. For over 32 years on air
WHUT has become a leader in broadcast communications by providing quality programming for the
Greater Washington, D.C. viewing community that is relevant and informative, while offering
exceptional professional training in television production, engineering and management. For mo re
information, please visit www.whut.org.
About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in
1967, is the steward of the federal government's investment in public broadcasting. It helps support
the operations of more than 1,300 locally-owned and -operated public television and radio stations
nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program
development for public radio, television and related online services.
About StoryCorps' National Teachers Initiative is part of American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen.
Many of the conversations recorded as part of the National Teachers Initiative will reflect the diverse
experiences of educators and students, from both rural and urban school districts with high dropout
rates. StoryCorps will record and preserve the stories of more than 625 teachers across the nation in
the 2011-2012 school year.
ABOUT HOWARD
Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools
and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate
and professional degrees. Since 1998, the University has produced two Rhodes Scholars, two Truman
Scholars, a Marshall Scholar, 30 Fulbright Scholars and 11 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces
more on campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For
more information on Howard University, call 202-238-2330, or visit the University's Web site at
www.howard.edu.