Philly Radio: News Chief Chris Satullo OUT At WHYY

Chris Satullo

WHYY, the public-broadcasting television and radio affiliate in Philadelphia, disclosed to stunned staffers Thursday that Chris Satullo, the head of news and civic engagement, would leave the organization and that his last day at its offices on Independence Mall would be Friday, according to philly.com.

WHYY CEO Bill Marrazzo called Satullo's departure a "change in the executive leadership team." Satullo's last official day at WHYY will be Sept. 11, according to a memo, but he will be "off site" after the close of business on Friday.

Thursday afternoon, Satullo met with dozens of newsroom staffers, some crying, outside in the heat at Franklin Square Park at Seventh and Race Streets, near the WHYY offices, and gave an impromptu goodbye speech.

AWHYY staffer said, "We are all shocked and saddened. Chris took WHYY's modest local news operation and grew it into a significant player in the city's media community."

Other WHYY employees declined to speak on the record about Satullo's departure. One called Thursday a "terribly sad day."

WHYY declined to comment. "Because we respect the privacy of our employees, we don't discuss why anybody leaves the organization," WHYY spokesman Arthur Ellis said.

Satullo, a longtime editor at The Inquirer who for years headed the newspaper's Editorial Board, joined WHYY in 2009. Though he was a vice president at WHYY, he worked directly with reporters on stories and projects, staffers said.