News/Austin News/Breaking/Jun 16, 2026
UT Austin fires KUT general manager Debbie Hiott
UT Austin removed Debbie Hiott as general manager of KUT Public Media, effective immediately. The leadership change follows tension over KUT's first festival and affects one of Central Texas' major public media organizations.
Anita L. Vangelisti, interim dean of UT's Moody College of Communication, notified KUT and KUTX staff on Monday that Hiott had been dismissed. An interim general manager was expected to be named as soon as Tuesday to keep station work moving.
The firing follows a dispute over the May 1 KUT festival, when UT required a large part of the event to move off campus, citing safety and security concerns. Hiott joined the organization in 2019 and has served on the NPR board since 2024.