NPR Distribution has tapped Julio Cardiel to lead the Public Radio Satellite System as director of engineering, effective Jan. 27. He replaces Mark Murphy, who retired in 2015.
As director of engineering for NPR Distribution, Cardiel will oversee many technology initiatives for the distribution network through which programming is delivered to participating public radio stations throughout the United States.
“The director of engineering has to wear many hats at NPR, frequently having to change or combine them on the fly, and Julio’s experience and character is a perfect fit for this environment,” Vice President of NPR Distribution Michael Beach said in the press announcement. “He brings critical thinking and problem-solving expertise that will serve the entire public radio community very well, and I’m looking forward to working with him in the years to come.”
Cardiel most recently spent six years as the senior director of national video distribution operations for Comcast Corp. in its Denver office. There, he worked on network operations, network monitoring, IP and satellite distribution and change management, and he helped build more than 10,000 services or channels, which positioned his function as the primary national distribution hub for Comcast.
He previously worked for 14 years as a senior manager of network operations at DirecTV, responsible for network and broadcast operations and field engineering.
“As someone who will be leading a department comprised of many long-time NPR veterans, my priority is to maintain and preserve the culture that is already here,” Cardiel said in the press release. “The real value of the PRSS is the people here, and I am looking forward and excited to work with each member of my team.”
