Stillman College graduate will oversee multiple California radio stations in his new executive role. Learn more in the story from staff at KUSC.
Meet the new President of USC Radio Group, James A. Muhammad. He will oversee Classical California, including KUSC and our sister station KDFC in San Francisco.
With the goal of nurturing a love of classical music for all, Classical California serves audiences across California via FM broadcasts, numerous streams, websites, social media and YouTube channels, in addition to live events.
James is currently the President & CEO of Lakeshore Public Media based in Merrillville, Indiana. Known for his transformative leadership style, James has grown Lakeshore Public Media into a nationally recognized media operation, winning prominent awards such as the Chicago/Midwest Emmy and the 2022 Nonprofit of the Year from the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce.
A public media veteran, James began his career as an intern at Alabama Public Radio in Tuscaloosa where he later became one of America’s youngest classical announcers. He also held leadership positions at NPR station WCBU at Bradley University and West Virginia Public Broadcasting. He has a B.A. in mass communications from Stillman College where he attended on a choral music scholarship and an M.B.A. from Valparaiso University where he sits on the national council for the college of business.
“James is a highly accomplished public media executive with a lifelong passion for classical music. He engages audiences with meaningful, innovative programming together with a steadfast commitment to community partnerships. We are so glad that James will be leading USC Radio Group forward into its next era,” says Samuel Garrison, Senior Vice President of University Relations at the University of Southern California which owns the FCC licenses for KUSC FM and KDFC FM.
James says: “It is an honor to be selected as USC Radio Group’s next president. The organization’s mission aligns perfectly with my personal beliefs and how I was raised. I am the proud son of a music educator, choral music director, and organist whom I watched share the majesty and transformative power of classical music freely. It’s the mission of Classical California to do the same. I’m so excited to be part of that.”
James will start his new role in mid-September. He is passionate about classical music, is looking forward to sunny California, and is already an avid listener to our stream.
