Steven Belser Joins The WNET Group as Vice President, Distribution and New Revenue Beginning November 9, 2026

NEW YORK, Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The WNET Group, parent company of PBS flagship THIRTEEN, welcomes Steven Belser as Vice President of Distribution and New Revenue beginning this week. Belser will unify programming, rights and clearances, research, and distribution goals to lead WNET content distribution strategy across platforms, building audience reach and growing revenue. He joins the senior leadership team and will report to Edward F. O'Keefe, President and CEO, The WNET Group. Jen Danielson will step down from her role as Vice President, Distribution by early 2027.

Belser brings more than 20 years of media experience with leadership roles at Vox Media, Tribune Media, Bloomberg Media, and VICE Media. His expertise bridges content and revenue across distribution, subscriptions, licensing, and brand partnerships.

As Vice President and General Manager at Vox Media, he managed Vox.com, The Verge, Recode, and Polygon. At Tribune Media, he led national content, distribution, and monetization across the company's 42-station broadcast network. He was a founding team member at Bloomberg's QuickTake and at NowThis Media and served as head of content at VICE Media and Chief Growth Officer at McCourt Global/Unfinished Media.

"As we explore new ways to reach audiences and expand our impact to build a sustainable future for independent public media, Steven's experience and entrepreneurial perspective will be especially valuable," said Edward O'Keefe, President and CEO of The WNET Group. "I am confident he will bring fresh thinking, energy, and opportunity to our organization."

"The kind of trust WNET has with its audience is hard to earn. Generations have grown up with Great Performances, American Masters, and Nature, and now we have a chance to bring those programs, and what we make next, to new viewers on the platforms they already use," Belser said. "I'm excited to work with Ed and the team to build closer relationships with those viewers and create new, durable revenue for WNET." 

Belser studied media at the University of Arizona and New York University and is a longstanding judging member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the News and Documentary Emmy® Awards. He lives in New York City with his wife and two children.

About The WNET Group
The WNET Group creates inspiring media content and meaningful experiences for diverse audiences nationwide. It is the community-supported home of New York's THIRTEEN – America's flagship PBS station – WLIW, THIRTEEN PBS KIDS, THIRTEEN WORLD and WLIW Create; Long Island's only NPR station WLIW-FM; ALL ARTS, the arts and culture media provider; and FAST channel PBS Nature. Through these channels and streaming platforms, The WNET Group brings arts, culture, education, news, documentary, entertainment, and DIY programming to more than five million viewers each month. The WNET Group's award-winning productions include signature PBS series Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, and Amanpour and Company and local programs like Treasures of New York. Inspiring curiosity and nurturing dreams, The WNET Group's award-winning Kids' Media and Education team produces the PBS KIDS series Cyberchase, interactive Mission US history games, and resources for families, teachers and caregivers. A leading nonprofit public media producer for more than 60 years, The WNET Group presents and distributes content that fosters lifelong learning, including initiatives addressing poverty, jobs, economic opportunity, social justice, understanding, and the environment. Through Passport, station members can stream new and archival programming anytime, anywhere. The WNET Group represents the best in public media. Join us.

SOURCE WNET