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
Federal grant helps counsel Philly homebuyers on buying and retaining their homes
The plan will use $350,000 in federal Community Project Funding secured by Rep. Brendan Boyle to help people buy a home or prevent foreclosures.
4 years ago
Fishtown celebrates a big redo for a city pool that’s officially re-opened for business
The Lederer pool had been closed for years due to a lack of proper maintenance and crumbling infrastructure. Now it's state of the art.
4 years ago
Amid a COVID recovery, major fire disrupts Chinatown businesses
The fire has caused an almost complete shutdown of the Chinatown business area because of closed streets and hoses stretched to douse the flames.
4 years ago
Work begins on one of Rebuild Philly’s biggest project yet: $20 million rebuild at Vare Rec Center
The facility will have a new athletic field, a new recreation center, sprayground, and other amenities, including both indoor and outdoor classrooms.
4 years ago
Philly named as a host city for 2026 FIFA World Cup
Philadelphia is one of more than a dozen cities in North America that will host the FIFA World Cup games in 2026.
4 years ago
Listen 0:51Philly City Council reaches deal on budget with property and wage tax relief
Budget negotiations were fraught with concerns over steep increases in property valuations that threatened big tax hikes for many Philly homeowners.
4 years ago
Philly loses control of Army-Navy Game. After this year, the city won’t host again until 2027
Philadelphia has hosted 89 of 122 matchups between the two service academies, but the organizers of the contest want to take the game elsewhere.
4 years ago
SEPTA boosts police pay to $62,000 in an effort to improve safety and officer retention
The move is one of many designed to improve safety on the SEPTA system which will see spending on safety efforts increase by 50%.
4 years ago
Philly expands summer activities to help young people stay busy in creative ways
From camp experiences to extended hours at PAL locations, city officials are looking to provide a creative outlet for Philly young people this summer.
4 years ago
The city is working on ways to make the city safer in the wake of a deadly mass shooting that left three people dead and 11 others wounded.
4 years ago
Slow start for voting in New Jersey primary
With only a few contested races, and mail-in balloting available, few turned out to do traditional voting in the South Jersey area.
4 years ago
After anti-violence protest, Philadelphia students get meeting with Sen. Casey
Senator Casey met with students from the group “Enough is Enough,” who say they want to see the change start in Washington on the gun violence issue.
4 years ago











