WHYY reporter Tom MacDonald is a lifelong Philadelphia-area resident who has worked in the region since the mid-1980s. Tom started in commercial radio covering the MOVE standoff with police for WFIL-AM. He was also City Hall Bureau Chief, covering government and politics for more than a decade, for WWDB-FM.
Tom has been heard on numerous stations in the region during the decade he worked for Metro Traffic, doing news, traffic, and weather.
Tom has also been heard nationally, filing reports for NPR, ABC News Radio, NBC Radio, and CBS Radio.
He has won the Associated Press award for his coverage of the protests of the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia and a Religious Communicators award for a post-9/11 documentary he did with the late Peter Jennings.
More from the Contributor
Day-care inspections, Philly structural safety on City Council agenda
Philadelphia City Council is back in action after more than a monthlong winter break. And the first meeting of 2014 was quite busy. ...
11 years ago
Listen
End arrests, issue citations for small amount of pot, Philly councilman says
A Philadelphia City Councilman wants to ease up on arrests for those caught with small amounts of marijuana. Councilman Jim ...
11 years ago
Listen
Even Washington has more snow plows than Philly
Does Philadelphia have enough snow plows? Some who live on small streets may say “no,” but Mayor Michael Nutter, as you might ...
11 years ago
ListenPennDOT putting something extra into the mix to melt snow, ice
PennDOT says despite the arctic blast, it is having some good luck clearing the highways. Spokesman Gene Blaum of PennDOT sa ...
11 years ago
ListenSen. Casey calls for higher minimum wage to fight poverty
Citing new poverty statistics, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-Pennsylvania) is calling for raising the federal minimum wage. Sen. ...
11 years ago
Listen
Snow coming at most inconvenient time
Today’s snowstorm has begun. PennDOT says it’s up to the task of clearing snow that falls in between the morning and evening ...
11 years ago
Listen
Philly region honors MLK with 1,500 service events
For 19 years, the Philadelphia region has been celebrating the life of Dr. Martin Luther King with a day of service. About 5 ...
11 years ago
Listen
Christie’s second term begins under cloud of ‘bridgegate’
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie begins his second term of office today with the cloud of the George Washington Bridge scandal hanging over ...
11 years ago
Listen
Probably not the way New Jersey’s Kim Guadagno wanted people to get to know her
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno has been under the radar for most of her first term, but now she’s in the spotlight. G ...
11 years ago
Listen
MLK is a day of service in Philadelphia region
Steets and schools in Philadelphia and the region will be teeming with volunteeers today in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King’s ...
11 years ago
ListenHeat help in Philly could run out without some help of its own
The colder than normal winter — coupled with budget cuts — is causing havoc for an organization that helps senior citiz ...
11 years ago
Listen
Philly City Council checks up on telemedicine
In the first Philadelphia City Council hearing of 2014, council members looked into the provision of medical services through “tele ...
11 years ago
Listen