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
Philly controller says soda tax could have been averted
Philadelphia’s city controller says the city should never have established a soda tax. It’s one of several disagreement ...
8 years ago
Philly disputes claim soda tax is hurting businesses
Philadelphia officials say the growth of beverage-related businesses has not declined since the city levied a tax on soda and other sweet ...
8 years ago
3,000 suggestions later, Rizzo statue’s future still in limbo
The chance to have your say about what Philadelphia should do with the statue of former Mayor Frank Rizzo is over. But it will be ...
8 years ago
Sheriff deputies remove 5 protesters from Philadelphia City Council meeting
Sheriff’s deputies forcibly removed five people from Philadelphia City Council’s weekly session Thursday. Megan ...
8 years ago
NAACP demands equal justice in building collapse case
The Philadelphia NAACP said it wants the black contractor involved in the 2013 fatal Center City building collapse to receive the same tr ...
8 years ago
Philadelphia launching ad campaign to attract African-American visitors
A new effort in Philadelphia is seeking to attract more African-American tourists to the city by tapping new and conventional media.  ...
8 years ago
Philadelphia district calling for better attendance
The School District of Philadelphia is using celebrity calls to remind parents and children it’s vital to be in school every day. ...
8 years ago
DACA dollars the goal of new fundraising effort
While the Trump administration has stopped accepting new applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, some “dreamers ...
8 years ago
Hundreds from region heading for Florida to help restore power
With millions without power in Florida, dozens of utility crews from the region are headed south to assist with restoring service.
8 years ago
Philadelphia officials hope Amazon will deliver new headquarters to city
Amazon is looking for a new building with room for up to 50,000 workers. The ideal spot will be near a metro area with more than a ...
8 years ago
Holtec opens new facility on Camden waterfront
A more than 300-million dollar high tech manufacturing facility is up and officially open in Camden. It’s one of the more hi ...
8 years ago
New effort aims to bring cultural arts learning to eight low-income Philly neighborhoods
For years, arts and culture groups in Philadelphia have tried to make it easier for kids in poor neighborhoods to come and visit. ...
8 years ago
Listen 2:36