NPR named Bob Kempf, former vice president of product and technology at local media website Boston.com, as vice president of Public Interactive, a Boston-based application services provider for public media.
NPR acquired Public Interactive from Public Radio International in 2008. NPR Digital Media SVP Kinsey Wilson credited Kempf with helping to drive “significant traffic gains” at Boston.com, the online companion of the Boston Globe.
Kempf began the job this week. NPR said that Public Interactive’s mission will expand to help stations develop content, expand their online audience and identify revenue opportunities. The organization PI will work with NPR’s digital media group to beef up the collaboration between NPR and its member stations and advance the network’s goal of developing a multi-platform local/national news network.
Kempf has experience in local online publishing including digital ad sales, business development, e-commerce, product and technology development and business strategy. At Boston.com he added features that created opportunities to aggregate content from other sources and convene local communities. He’s been vice president of Interactive Media for Gatehouse Media MA and director of Internet Product Development for Dow Jones subsidiary Ottaway Newspapers.