The National Federation of Community Broadcasters (NFCB) has hired Maxie C. Jackson III to be the group's new president and CEO. Jackson replaces Carol Pierson who is retiring after 12 years in that role. He will begin January 2010.

Jackson is currently the senior director of program development of New York Public Radio (WNYC) where he has been involved in strategic planning for national and local programming, outreach and audience development efforts, and new media and marketing initiatives. He was involved in the launch of The Takeaway, a CPB-funded effort to create a national morning drive program that would attract and actively engage audiences of color.

Before joining WNYC, Jackson served as radio program director for WETA in Washington, DC, and acting general manager of WEAA in Baltimore.

He is currently a member of the board of directors for The Development Exchange, the executive board of Eastern Region Public Media, the Maker's Quest 2.0 Talent Committee of The Association of Independents in Radio, and the Program Director Advisory Group of Public Radio International. He served on the executive board of the African American Public Radio Consortium.