SALT LAKE CITY — Ted Capener, host of PBS Utah’s “Civic Dialogue” and “Utah Conversations” since 2006, has signed off at the station.
Capener, who served as vice president of university relations at the University of Utah until 2000, started at what was then KUED in 1986 when he was asked to host “Civic Dialogue” by Fred Esplin, former general manager for the station and vice president for institutional advancement at the U. The mission of the public-affairs program was to bring in-depth information about current issues to viewers of the public television station.
In 2006, “Civic Dialogue” morphed into “Utah Conversations with Ted Capener.” Capener interviewed more than 250 guests with interesting stories from across Utah and beyond.
“For nearly two decades Ted was an effective advocate for KUED (PBS Utah) with the University of Utah administration. He made the case for a new home for KUED and KUER (a public radio station owned by the U.) and provided support to both stations,” Esplin said in a statement.
Capener began his broadcasting career in 1958 with KSL radio in Salt Lake City. From 1964 to 1972, he was vice president for news and public affairs at KSL. He also was head of Bonneville International’s Washington bureau for nine years, serving 14 radio and television stations. In 1983, he was named Bonneville’s senior vice president for news, public affairs and research. He was elected to the national PBS board of directors in 1986 and served four years as chairman.