Who's behind the news?
Who's behind the news?
Oakland, California, USA
Youth Radio, formerly branded YR Media, is a nonprofit youth media organization based in Oakland, California, providing journalism, music production and media-arts training to young people, predominantly from low-income and minority communities.
The organization was founded in Berkeley, California, in 1993 as Youth Radio by journalist Ellin O'Leary, its first executive director, and moved to Oakland in 2007, purchasing a headquarters building at 17th and Broadway. It later rebranded as YR Media and expanded operations to Los Angeles, Boston, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., and, in 2023, Chicago. Facing financial strain from the Chicago expansion and delayed grant disbursements, YR Media laid off staff and shut down indefinitely on November 8, 2024, following CEO Kyra Kyles's resignation. In June 2026, a group of alumni, former staff and board members reopened the organization under its original Youth Radio name and headquarters, led by new executive director Maeven McGovern, restarting training programs with a first cohort of 16 participants.
Youth Radio has received the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Award (2000), a Peabody Award (2001), multiple Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award (2010), and has partnered with outlets including NPR, The New York Times, Teen Vogue and Pandora.
Executive Director: Maeven McGovern
Founder: Ellin O'Leary
Youth Radio serves young people, primarily youth of color from underrepresented communities, providing training and career pathways in journalism, media, technology and creative arts.
Address
1701 Broadway
Oakland, CA
Website
https://yr.media
Sources
The Oaklandside. Oakland nonprofit YR Media shuts down, lays off staff
KQED. Youth Radio Reopens in Oakland, Providing Programs to New Cohort
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