Peter Morrill, long head of Idaho PTV, now interim manager of Boise State Public Radio

Boise State University on Wednesday announced Peter Morrill will take over starting Jan. 4.

Morrill retired in 2013 after about 30 years at Idaho Public Television, including as general manager.

The public radio station’s longtime general manager, John Hess, resigned earlier this month, as the station was beginning its winter pledge drive.

“Peter has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to public media and to the state [of] Idaho, and his experience and expertise assures that Boise State Public Radio will continue to play a valuable role in the community and won’t miss a beat as we conduct a national search for a new general manager,” Mark Wheeler, dean of Extended Studies at Boise State, said in a news release.

The station has undergone changes over the past several months, after complaints from newsroom staff members that Boise State administration was overreaching and trying to influence coverage. The station is a unit of the university and receives funding and administrative support from it.

After the ethics complaint, Boise State said it found no wrongdoing by its administration but suggested the station and university make changes. The station was moved from the Office of the President to the Extended Studies department, with Hess reporting to Wheeler instead of to President Bob Kustra. The station’s ethics code also has been revised — a project that Boise State Public Radio’s news director called “one of [Hess’s] last major efforts here.”

Hess did not respond to messages from the Statesman this week.

“Boise State Public Radio every day plays a unique and critical role in the lives of Idahoans. It’s exciting for me to be part of this vital service during its leadership transition,” Morrill said.

This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 4:00 PM with the headline "Peter Morrill, long head of Idaho PTV, now interim manager of Boise State Public Radio."