Chris Bolt
General ManagerChris Bolt, Ed.D. has proudly been covering the Central New York community and mentoring students for more than 30 years. His career in public media started as a student volunteer, then as a reporter/producer. He has been the news director for WAER since 1995. Dedicated to keeping local news coverage alive, Chris also has a passion for education, having trained, mentored and provided a platform for growth to more than a thousand students. Career highlights include having work appear on NPR, CBS, ABC and other news networks, winning numerous local and state journalism awards. Recent reporting has focused on health and medicine, environment, elderly, substance abuse and culture reporting.
Chris has a doctor of education in executive leadership from St. John Fisher College and a master’s in broadcast journalism from the Newhouse School.
In addition to coverage of our community, equally satisfying has been the success of so many WAER alumni, students who have won and succeeded in jobs in news, sports and elsewhere in media, many of whom won awards at local, state and national levels as students. He has also taught classes at Newhouse and at OCC. Chris also enjoys connecting WAER with the community through moderating debates, facilitating and hosting public meetings, giving media training workshops and other events.
Chris and his wife Anne live in downtown Syracuse. They have two grown sons, Carter and Donovan, who both remain in the area. Their family enjoys all things Upstate New York, including myriad outdoor activities in the Adirondacks, Finger Lakes, music and other cultural events, and just about anything on a trail or on the water.
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Newhouse School grad student links loneliness due to pandemic, political divisions with health problems, suggests how findings could shape PR public health campaigns.
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The Mavericks, Kenny G, and The O’Jays headline June music festival, with additional performances by Syracuse locals.
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A Syracuse University researcher found social media led to change in how the Army responds to the public. The case study involved a missing female soldier's tragedy.
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Syracuse University professors studying AI in media share surprising thoughts about threats & benefits of the technology. Tools on the way can also help seek the truth.
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Syracuse University students work with World War II found on documentaries of untold personal stories from the great war. They get invaluable real-world experience.
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Holiday time means important business challenges for small retailers, events and activities for people and families, and challenging times for some in Central New York.
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Newhouse Associate Dean Regina Lutrell and Research Assistant Carrie Welch examine the outsized marketing of the Barbie Movie. The success could shape future marketing efforts.
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Election coverage starts on 88.3 FM at 9:00 p.m.
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The Reading League will host a two day conference in Syracuse, to educate teachers, legislators and others about evidence-based reading.
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The final vote was 2,105 opposed and 890 in support.