Little Rock public radio station KUAR named Daniel Breen -- the station's Morning Edition local host -- as news director, General Manager Jonathan Seaborn has announced.
Ryan Gregory, the station's operations coordinator, has been appointed to program director, Seaborn said.
The news director's position has been vacant since Breen's predecessor, Michael Hibblen, left the station in January to work for Arkansas PBS.
"Daniel Breen has been an exceptional reporter, anchor, and producer for KUAR," Seaborn wrote in a message to listeners on the station's website. "Daniel's work has not only been featured on NPR but also on various public radio stations in the South. Additionally, his contributions as the host and producer of the engaging arts and culture interview show, Arts Scene, have been remarkable."
Breen, 29, has a bachelor's degree in mass communication from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and has received accolades from the Arkansas Society of Professional Journalists and the National Federation of Press Women, Seaborn wrote.
Gregory "has been a vital force behind the scenes at UA Little Rock Public Radio. With his extensive experience in the broadcast industry, Ryan has excelled in overseeing the day-to-day operations of both KUAR and KLRE," Seaborn wrote. KLRE, a sister station to KUAR, programs classical music.
Gregory earned a degree in radio/television production from Arkansas State University, the general manager wrote.
Gregory previously worked at KARK as a photojournalist, newsroom manager and promotions producer, according to Seaborn. Gregory, who is from Newport, also worked for 14 years at Arkansas PBS, contributing to the Education and Traffic departments before becoming interim director of programming.
Seaborn is new to University of Arkansas at Little Rock Public Radio. He joined as general manager in January after working as chief content officer at Texas Tech Public Media.
UALR Public Radio is the home of KUAR FM 89.1 and KLRE Classical 90.5 and serves as the region's NPR news and information provider.