KCUR's assistant news director Madeline Fox was selected as one of just 35 early- and mid-career public media employees in the 2024 cohort of Rising Stars, chosen by the industry trade publication Current.
Fox was selected from among more than 170 nominees, and was nominated by her colleagues for her exceptional contributions to KCUR, the Kansas City community and public media at large.
Asked by Current what she was inspired by, Fox answered "My reporters!"
"It has been an honor to guide my education reporter through a seclusion and restraint story that won a regional Murrow Award for investigative reporting, and my City Hall reporter through an impressive scoop about the forced departure of the head of civil rights compliance," Fox says.
Fox first came to KCUR in 2017 as a beat reporter with the Kansas News Service. After stints in public media stations in Florida and Wisconsin, she was hired as News Editor at KCUR in October 2022.
She was named interim news director in February 2024, leading the newsroom's coverage plans for the Super Bowl and subsequent Chiefs victory parade where a mass shooting broke out.
Fox led not only the swift pivots needed in coverage but ensured reporters in the field remained safe and received support following the traumatic events. Following the incident, she oversaw ongoing reporting and helped set up a collaboration with KFF Health News for continued coverage of the injured and impacted that day.
"Everyone at KCUR already knows Madeline is a rising star — we've witnessed and benefitted from her talents since she began her first editing job at KCUR two years ago," said KCUR Director of Content-Journalism C.J. Janovy. "But it's great to see her national peers recognizing that same excellence. We're extremely proud of her."
“Public media is so fortunate that these outstanding young professionals have chosen to bring their passions, talents and incredible work ethic to our field,” said Current Executive Director Julie Drizin of the 2024 Rising Star cohort. “Recognizing and rewarding diverse, younger talent helps support their career growth and helps public media expand its service to more diverse and younger audiences."
Asked what advice she would give to young public media professionals, Fox said: "Find something you’re not good at outside work, where the stakes are low if you mess up. It’s nice to balance that against our work, where errors in judgment can have significant consequences."
