Bruce L. Christensen
Bruce L. Christensen is a former American television executive. In his career, he served as CEO of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), dean of the Brigham Young University College of Fine Arts and Communications, and in the leadership of Bonneville International Corporation.
Christensen holds an MSJ degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. He received his BA degree from the University of Utah. He began his career in 1965 as a reporter working for KSL. He later worked for BYU University relations and then as general manager of the University of Utah’s KUED-TV and KUER-FM.
Christensen moved to Washington, D.C., to serve as president of the National Association of Public Television Stations and then became CEO of PBS in 1984 and served for nine years. During his tenure, a number of programs and series, including The Civil War, Eyes on the Prize, The MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour, as well as half a dozen children’s programs, were developed. From 1993 to 2005, Christensen served as the dean of the Brigham Young University College of Fine Arts and Communications.
Christensen served as a member of the Board of Directors of Bonneville International Corporation from 1996 to 2000. In 2002, he became president of KSL radio and television and senior vice president of Bonneville International. He retired in 2009.
During his retirement, he served as interim dean at Utah Valley University’s School of the Arts.
Christensen is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He and his wife, Barbara, have four children.
