University of Texas Fires KUT Public Media GM Debbie Hiott After Festival Dispute

The University of Texas at Austin has fired Debbie Hiott as General Manager of KUT Public Media, following a public dispute over the inaugural KUT Festival in May. Hiott was informed Monday and given the choice to resign or be terminated; she chose termination. The termination letter cited loss of confidence in her leadership after the festival, which university officials forced off campus due to security concerns. Hiott publicly challenged the university's claims, arguing KUT had complied with all requests. The firing has raised questions about governance of university-affiliated public media. Anita Vangelisti, interim dean of Moody College of Communication, announced the dismissal to staff. Gerald Johnson, Executive Director for Innovation and Partnerships at Moody College, has been named interim GM. Hiott, a veteran journalist and former Executive Editor of the Austin American-Statesman, joined KUT in 2019 and was elected to the NPR Board of Directors in 2024. NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher praised Hiott as a respected board member. The university has not provided a detailed explanation.