Steven Bass

Steven Bass was named president and chief executive officer of Oregon Public Broadcasting on January 1, 2006. OPB operates a community-licensed network of nine radio stations, five television stations and dozens of translators that serve Oregon and southwest Washington. In addition to its role as a local broadcaster, OPB has a large news staff that covers regional issues on radio, the internet and television; operates a 24-hour HD and online indie music service; produces several of the most-respected and most-watched local public television series; and is one of the largest producers of national programming for PBS.

Serving previously as founding president & CEO of Nashville Public Television for seven years, Bass oversaw that station's transition from government ownership to independent, non-profit. While at NPT, he served as executive producer of four programs for PBS, including Hank Williams: Honky Tonk Blues, which was broadcast on PBS in 2006 as part of the American Masters series, and released on home video by Universal. Other executive producer credits include Bill Monroe: The Legend Lives On (2003); Christmas at Belmont (2003); and The Carter Family (American Experience, 2005).

Prior to joining NPT, Bass served as vice president & manager of television stations for WGBH/Boston and vice president & general manager of WGBY/Springfield, MA, for seven years. In his tenure at WGBH, Bass revitalized the station's services to its local community through new local programs and expanded broadcast services.

Prior to his work with WGBH, Bass spent nine years at PBS in Washington, D.C.

From 2002 to 2004, Bass served as chairman of the Association of Public Television stations, the Washington-based trade association that represents public television stations to Congress, the FCC and other government entities. Bass is also founding chairman of the board of Telitcom Development Corporation (an economic development organization in Springfield Massachusetts), and has served on the boards of the Massachusetts Corporation for Educational Telecommunications, The Urban League of Middle Tennessee, the Greater Nashville Chamber of Commerce and the World Affairs Council of Oregon. He also is principal clarinetist with the Oregon East Symphony in Pendleton, Oregon.

Bass holds a bachelor's degree from Bucknell University, with majors in economics and music. He also holds a Master of Arts in business from the University of Wisconsin's Graduate School of Business, where he concentrated in arts administration.

Along with his wife, Sara, a former administrator with the Office of National Drug Control Policy at the White House, he resides in Lake Oswego with their two daughters Catie (17) and Caroline (14).