Longtime WUTK General Manager Benny Smith intends to retire at the end of the year, according to an email to College of Communication and Information faculty, obtained by The Daily Beacon. 

Smith has been with the station since October 2004, establishing a strong reputation around the Knoxville music scene. 

“We appreciate his many years of service and will work with Benny over the next few months to create a smooth transition as we welcome our students back to campus,” wrote Joseph Mazer, dean of the College of Communication and Information. 

The email, sent to faculty within Tennessee’s College of Communication and Information, specifies that WUTK and WUOT will continue to maintain separate identities. Matt Keaton, underwriting and marketing manager, will maintain WUTK’s daily operations on an interim basis while reporting to WUOT’s Jody Hamblett. 

As for station volunteers, the email says they will likely not be utilized as they have been in the past. A plan is being put into place for how to utilize volunteers as the radio station moves forward. 

Under Smith’s leadership, WUTK has received numerous awards and honors. Early in July, Smith was named “Knoxvillian of the Year” by BLANK Newspaper among other awards for the station. 

Smith had been the subject of a rumor mill online due to his absence from the student radio station. Smith has been at the station since returning to a full-time role in October 2004. 

After the initial social media firestorm, UT spokesperson Kerry Gardner told The Daily Beacon that Smith was still employed by the university, but said the university does not comment on “personnel matters.” 

Smith declined to comment on the matter.

Smith’s role at WUTK 

Smith has been the general manager at WUTK since October 2004, managing the programing for the station among other duties. 

Since his absence began Co-Music Director Carter Moore, a senior at Tennessee, and Keaton have handled the day-to-day operations inside the station. That includes programming the station, which the two have learned on the fly to keep the station on the air. 

The future for who will move into Smith’s role in a permanent capacity remains unclear. 

Full email sent to Faculty regarding a change in leadership at WUTK 

Dear CCI Faculty and Staff,

I want to communicate with you updates regarding WUTK before sharing information with the broader community.

Benny Smith, who has been serving as general manager of WUTK, has shared with me his intent to retire at the end of the year and we are working cooperatively to that end.

Benny has dedicated his career to WUTK and mentoring students. Under his leadership, WUTK has garnered a number of awards, including “Knoxville’s Best Radio Station” many times.

We appreciate his many years of service and will work with Benny over the next few months to create a smooth transition as we welcome our students back to campus.

As announced to the college in March, WUTK began a collaboration with WUOT effective April 1, 2024, with each station maintaining their separate identities. Matt Keaton will oversee WUTK’s daily operations on an interim basis, reporting to Jody Hamblett. Jody and Matt will ensure the station remains squarely focused on the student experience and help provide resources and support. WUTK will continue to be what it always has been, a learning laboratory that prepares students for successful careers in the media industry.

WUTK’s volunteers have provided dedicated service for which we are grateful. While we don’t anticipate utilizing volunteers in the same way, we are working on a plan to incorporate volunteers back into WUTK. We will also look for new ways to call on volunteer and industry expertise to benefit and provide opportunities for our students.

WUTK and WUOT are each integral components of the college and provide hands-on learning experiences for students, training the next generation of journalists and media professionals. Both stations have separate and distinct missions but are united in their goal of providing experiential learning opportunities for students.

Thank you for your continued support of WUTK, and we look forward to continuing to provide best-in-class learning experiences for our students.

Joseph Mazer

Dean