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
Bucks and Montco activists skeptical about Pentagon PFAS task force
The new Secretary of Defense says he wants to review how chemicals in firefighting foam contaminated groundwater near military bases nationwide.
7 years ago
Philly’s top prosecutor calls for end of death penalty in Pennsylvania
Krasner filed a motion arguing the state has used the death penalty arbitrarily, thus violating protections against cruel punishments.
7 years ago
Philly police have new orders for interacting with transgender, nonbinary people
The PPD is rolling out a new policy, which will be one of the most progressive in the country, on how officers interact with transgender and nonbinary people.
7 years ago
Philadelphia working to help homeless find day work with immediate pay
Philadelphia officials are trying a new approach to aggressive panhandling and interacting with people experiencing homelessness in general.
7 years ago
Philly believes it can win hosting rights for 2026 men’s World Cup
Comcast VP David L. Cohen to lead the effort to bring World Cup games to Philadelphia, making the pitch based on hosting the DNC, papal visit and NFL draft.
7 years ago
Philly DA says it’s not his fault violence is getting worse
Krasner says his reform approach focuses on nonviolent offenders, such as those arrested for drug possession, not those accused of shootings.
7 years ago
SugarHouse Casino gets name change as part of $15 million makeover
The SugarHouse Casino will become Rivers Casino Philadelphia this fall.
7 years ago
Philly’s Immigrant Heritage Month begins with new sculpture at LOVE Park
Philadelphia kicks off a month-long celebration of welcoming immigrants.
7 years ago
Two of the ‘MOVE 9’ speak days after serving four decades in prison
Janet and Janine Africa were released from prison Saturday after serving more than 40 years in the death of a Philadelphia police officer.
7 years ago
Kenney says ‘no’ to debate with Republican challenger
Philly Mayor Jim Kenney says he won't debate his GOP challenger, citing documents posted on the website Unicorn Riot saying Bill Ciangalini met with a white supremacist group.
7 years ago
Philadelphia uses threat of property takeover to collect overdue taxes
The city begins sequestration proceedings against tax-delinquent landlords to collect what it's owed. Renters are not threatened during the process.
7 years ago
Armed with new evidence from backlog of rape kits, Philly DA ready to prosecute
Police have finished testing a backlog of 1,500 rape kits for DNA evidence. Authorities have discovered that more than 60 of those samples match DNA in the police database.
7 years ago