Not too many people in radio have been a chief engineer, station owner, equipment salesman and a digital radio advocate — not to mention a supporter of better radio for the visually impaired.
Hal Kneller has done all that. Now Kneller is leaving Harris Broadcast to become international business development director for iBiquity Digital, developer of the HD Radio digital broadcasting system.
He replaces Perry Priestly, who recently left iBiquity.
Kneller most recently was senior manager of business development, digital radio and of public radio initiatives at Harris Broadcast.
Separately, he recently stepped down as chair of the technology committee for the International Association of Audio Information Services (IAAIS) after an eight-year stint on the board.
Kneller rejoined Harris in 2002 as radio district sales manager for Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with a focus on HD Radio. He was promoted to manager, public radio initiatives in 2004, working with NPR and its member stations and other public radio providers, including state networks. He was also Harris’ liaison between the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program.
Prior to 2002, Kneller was director of engineering for WGCU-FM/WMKO(FM) at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, Florida. He also owned Heartland Broadcasting Corp., licensee of three stations in Zolfo Springs, Florida.
Kneller will report to Scott Stull, vice president of broadcast business development. He remains based in Florida and begins his new job 29 February.
