The general manager of KUED Channel 7, Fred Esplin, has been named the University of Utah's vice president for university relations.
Esplin has held the position on an interim basis since July, but his appointment was approved by the University's Board of Trustees on Monday.The general manager of KUED since 1981, Esplin saw KUED grow in financial support, from close to $400,000 in private and corporate donations every year to almost $4 million annually.
Under his leadership, KUED also moved from the basement of the un-remodeled Gardner Hall to the Eccles Broadcast Center, "one of the nicest public broadcasting facilities in the country," he said.
"I've been in public TV my whole professional life, and I really agonized over this (job change)," Esplin said. "It's a wonderful opportunity and I love the university, but public broadcasting and KUED are my life blood and have been for nearly 30 years."
As part of his new responsibilities, Esplin will still have some administrative oversight of KUED Channel 7, as well as KUER-FM 90, the Alumni Association, university communications, government and community relations and Red Butte Garden and Arboretum.
Esplin succeeds Ted Capener, who retired after 14 years at the U.
Larry Smith, chief financial officer of KUED and associate director of the Utah Education Network, will serve as interim general manager of KUED while the U. searches for Esplin's replacement.
A native of Cedar City, Esplin worked in development promotions for PBS in Washington, D.C., and for WITF-TV and FM and the Pennsylvania Public Television Network in Hershey, Pa.
While in Utah, he served on the boards of PBS and the Pacific Mountain Network and locally on the boards of the Utah Arts Council, Utah Humanities Council and the Utah Shakespearean Festival.