Firing Someone? Take a Deep Breath First

Social Media gets the news around fast. The news being spread can often be distorted.  In the case of Shirley Sherrod and Juan Williams decisions were made hastily. Those with an agenda pounced quickly, fanning the flames to promote their own agenda.

An article by Linda Bond Edwards suggests a better way to handle this type of situation.

http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20101212/BUSINESS/12120328/Take-time-to-make-good-employment-decisions

Linda Bond Edwards is a partner in the Tallahassee office of Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell. Her practice is devoted to labor and employment law, mediation and arbitration.

WBUR’s new ad campaign is a rarity for public radio - The Boston Globe

WBUR’s new ad campaign is a rarity for public radio - The Boston Globe

The competition for public radio's news audience continues in Boston. WBUR has a new billboard campaign. WGBH has the ability to cross promote with it's other radio stations and it's public TV station. So, how is it going? "Last month, WBUR drew a weekly audience of 455,400 listeners to its daytime programming, while WGBH attracted 258,900 listeners."


Billboard campaigns for public radio in the past have had mixed results. Certainly, they increase awareness. In my experience, there has been little evidence of audience growth as a result of the campaigns I've been involved with.

Check out the article by Johhny Diaz in the Boston Globe from December 11, 2010.

Tavis Smiley-KCET Relationship Strained

Tavis Smiley-KCET relationship ending badly - KansasCity.com

Tavis Smiley was the only PBS show being produced at KCET in LA. In January KCET drops all PBS programming. Is dropping Smiley from the line-up at KCET an unintended consequence of management's decision to split from PBS? Maybe not, according to an article in the LA Times by Scott Collins.

A Call For Fox To Help Fund NPR

An Op-Ed piece in the Washington Post by Steve Coll calls for commercial broadcasters and cable outlets, like Fox News, to fund public broadcasting. The idea is not new. I've heard the idea discussed since the early 8o's when I was studying Mass Communications. The idea is, a set aside from commercial broadcasters would be the best way to fund public broadcasting. This would help ensure Public Broadcasting's future and help it fulfill its mission to serve under-served communities.

Public Radio is grappling with this issue. Despite growth to about 30 million listeners in the past decade, public radio stations are looking for ways to increase diversity in its audience. Steve Coll included in his article the BBC's handling of criticism that its coverage was left leaning. BBC managers studied their coverage and did not find they leaned in any particular direction but, did find they were not covering stories that appealed to conservatives. According to Coll, the BBC solved their problem by broadening their coverage. Coll recommends a similar self-examination for NPR.

At the recent PRPD Conference in Denver, a panel that included representatives from the CBC talked about how they broadened their coverage to be more inclusive. (Panel: The Next Step Up: Inclusiveness -  Farai Chideya (Moderator); Keith Woods, NPR; Kashmir Birk, Bioss; Susanne Marjetti, CBC)   The CBC deliberately became more inclusive in their coverage to reflect the diversity of their communities served.  The panel members from the CBC their audience grew. Not just numbers, but also in diversity.

I strongly recommend this piece. There are many more ideas that can be drawn on to build a stronger Public Broadcasting system.


Steve Coll, a former managing editor of The Washington Post and a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner, is president of the New America Foundation.

Support for Public Radio Growing

It has been a Fall filled with uncertainty for Public Radio. The sluggish economy along with the turmoil surrounding the firing of Juan Williams has resulted in unease within Public Radio. Despite these issues, the news is good from several stations. Public support continues to rise. Here are some recent stories and releases about membership campaigns around the country.

Capital Public Radio, Sacramento's NPR affiliate, wrapped up the most successful fund drive in the station's history last week, according to president and general manager Rick Eytcheson.

The station did not release final pledge figures, but Eytcheson said, "It'll be our first time over $500,000." (Modesto Bee)

Read more: http://www.modbee.com/2010/10/25/1397723/capital-public-radio-has-successful.html#ixzz13T9eeYdm




HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Hawaii Public Radio met its $808,000 fall fundraising goal and ended its 10-day pledge drive Friday afternoon to return to regular programming.  Read More:  http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=13375120




WHQR 91.3, the local public radio station, raised $155,000 during its fall pledge drive, exceeding the goal of $125,000. In addition, it took only seven days to get there instead of the usual 11 that has been the standard for spring and fall pledge drives in recent years. (Star News Online)


In enthusiastic WAMC fashion, the on-air fund drive began at 6 a.m. on Monday, October 4, 2010 and ended in six days and a morning with 6,912 pledges. Dedicated WAMC members and listeners locally and nationally called and pledged on-line all day and into the night and manned phones to help make this happen. Says Alan himself, "Because of the wonderful and generous WAMC audience, we made it with time to spare. "We are immensely grateful to everyone who helped.  by WAMC/Northeast Public Radio

PULLMAN - Northwest Public Radio’s sixth one-day campaign on Oct. 21, “Super Thursday,” attracted more than 2,600 online and telephone pledges and raised more than $295,000. 

NWPR is a community service of The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, and listener support is its single largest source of revenue.

A healthy membership base is vital for NWPR to continue as an essential news and information source, said dean Lawrence Pintak.

“Our citizenry is hungry for the in-depth, unbiased and quality news reports heard every day on Northwest Public Radio,” he said. “This service is truly essential and will only become more so as we continue to build our regional news program.”  WSU Today

WDUQ-FM (90.5) raised more than $354,000 in its annual fall fundraising drive that ended Saturday at noon.
Of the total raised, more than $75,000 came in the final 24 hours of the drive, and more than $20,000 was donated during jazz programming on Friday. Mark Bertolet, director of marketing and communications for the jazz and NPR station, said the fundraising effort indicated there was support in this area for the station's programming. By Michael A. Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10297/1097656-455.stm#ixzz13TFwgWC8

Public Radio Pledge Humor and Alec Baldwin

Public Radio Pledge Drives. Funny?
They're more like a the movie Ground Hog Day...or a root canal that never ends. (Root canals actually do end, it just seems like they go on forever.) Listeners perceive fundraising to be painful. PPM data demonstrates about half of the audience tunes away during the drive. This can make raising money on-air difficult.

Occasionally, there is something funny during a drive. The latest group of spots creating buzz for the system is a set of five featuring Alec Baldwin.  (KPLU has posted the spots on their website). Baldwin first made fun of public radio on Saturday Night Live. Many of my collegues were afraid the humor was dragging down the image of public radio. The bit made me laugh. We even had a show on our air that was a little like the food show being parodied.

The effectiveness of humor during pledge (if done right) should not be a surprise. Think about some of the spots created by Tom and Ray - Wait, Wait - Garrison Keillor - This American Life.

The Listener Focussed Fundraising Project that came out of Audience 98 examined various modes that appealed to listeners and didn't appeal to listeners during a drive.

Six Modes of Fundraising Messages Identified by Listener Focused Fundraising
Project. The modes line up (from those perceived by listeners as most likely "tune-outs" to most likely "stay tuned") as:

Frantic: More sound than message. It's noisy (ringing phones, loud or
busy music beds under pitches, etc), urgent, and nervous. We think it is
high energy, the listeners do not. Very unlike the usual sound of the station.
Listeners perceive this mode as highly negative.

Blame & Pleading: Characterized more by sound than message. It
includes threats, whining, "poor mouthing," guilt, self-victimization, and
weakness (such as a stated lack of control over financial circumstances that
require asking listeners for money). Very negative.

Give & Get: Sound and message. It's the sounds of selling, similar to a TV
infomercial, with the message "give to get stuff." Usually the "getter" is the
listener (sweepstakes, drawings, premiums) but it can also be the station
(challenge grant matches). Mostly negative to lightly neutral.

Funding Facts: Sound and message. "How to give" and "Why we need the
money" messages, always characterized by a calm, rational, respectful
tone. Informative, honest, professional, succinct. Neutral to positive.

Personal Importance Personified: Sound and message. Resonates with
our listeners' values, beliefs and interests, always characterized by a calm,
rational, respectful tone. Centers on appeals about the heart of our public
service, programming. Very positive.

Lighten Up, Public Radio: Sound and message. An intelligent humor
mode about taking our fundraising less seriously. Not always involving
public radio celebrities, but when they pitch it's in character - in the roles
they play on the air. (Tom and Ray Magliozzi are the quintessence of this
mode). Highly positive.

People in the system always seem surprised when well-crafted humor works. Obviously, you cannot use humor all the time. The limited number of well-crafted spots will burn out rapidly. But spots, like the five produced at WNYC featuring Alec Baldwin, can help lighten up the drive.  Obviously, you cannot use humor all the time. The limited number of well-crafted spots will burn out rapidly. Humor might not always be appropriate, especially when coming out of heavier news items featured during public radio's news programming.

Now that I've been on the outside for a while I find myself thinking, "Please, stop being so earnest all the time."  Actually the words I use are more blunt than that, but I want to hired again someday.

Bi-Partisan Panel Says New Jersey Can No Longer Afford NJN

An article published by newjerseynewsroom.com says New Jersey's bipartisan panel is recommending that the state can no longer afford NJN. They recommend that a private buyer be found and New Jersey get out of the public media business.
Read more about it here: http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/state/bi-partisan-panel-finds-state-government-can-no-longer-afford-operating-njn-tv-and-radio#

Richard Stockton College offers a dollar to take over NJN broadcasting - pressofAtlanticCity.com

Richard Stockton College offers a dollar to take over NJN broadcasting - pressofAtlanticCity.com

This an interesting article from the Press of Atlantic City about NJN. Stockton College has offered to take over the network for a dollar.

According to the article by Juliet Fletcher, there are two other offers for NJN. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie wants to unload the network by December when state funding runs out.

KCET drops PBS

KCET drops PBS, risks viewer loyalty to avoid $6.8M yearly dues

It's a risky decision indeed.

One of the questions we faced on a regular basis at Connecticut Public Radio was the high cost of National Programming. Was the programming really worth it? Could we cut our losses if we just cut a few of the really expensive programs like Car Talk or A Prairie Home Companion. It was even suggested briefly that Morning Edition was too costly. Couldn't we just cancel these programs to reduce our expenses? Surely there must be something almost as good that costs a lot less? If we do that can't we put some of the savings into local efforts?

Fortunately, we took a careful look at how our audience was using the station. I even wrote an article about it for Audience 98, Public Service Economics.

We used listener hours to determine how the audience was using our programming. We then compared revenue per listener hour against cost per listener hour to determine our return on investment. The three programs mentioned above generated a large portion of Connecticut Public Radio's listener hours. The costs per listener hour were more than offset by the way our listeners used the station.

For the sake of argument, suppose we took A Prairie Home Companion and Car Talk off the air to save $32,000 in 1998. Because those programs were carried by two other public radio stations, we would have lost most of those listener hours and the revenue they represented.  In 1998 Car Talk represented about $68,000 in listener sensitive income. A Prairie Home Companion represented about $110,000 in listener sensitive income. Listener Sensitive Income is a combination of the revenue from listeners, local underwriters and local foundations. The combined return on investment was $106,000.

These numbers are a lot smaller than the $6.8 million in dues paid by KCET. The number of viewer hours represented by KCET audience is a lot larger than the 56 million listener hours generated by WNPR.  KCET has probably put a lot of thought into their decision, but they are likely to lose several million viewer hours to the other PBS stations that serve the LA Basin. The drop in viewer hours will represent a drop in viewer sensitive income. The question is, did the viewer sensitive income offset the cost of the PBS programming?
Will the new local focus generate enough viewer interest to offset those costs?

The Power Of Song

Interfaith Conversations: The Power Of Song - Courant.com

At a recent PRPD conference there was a lot of discussion about how to bring public radio music programming to life. The fear is that downloading and services like Pandora will make music on Public Radio obsolete. Some of the discussion has been about picking the right music. More of the discussion has been about how to engage the audience. After all, a public radio service depends on listener support to sustain itself. The music service must be engaging enough to motivate listeners to support the programming. That means not only a consistently appealing selection of music, but hosts that can connect the music to the listener.

Susan Campbell's column in the Hartford Courant brought this into focus. In music, there are shared moments that can reach the soul. During the presentation by the Interfaith Amigos, a Rabbi, a Christian Minister and a sheik, they talked about their continuing dialog. They're bringing their message of love for one another that is a big part of the three Abrahamic faiths. Campbell wrote in her column, "And then? Something happened. The audience joined in, and back in the sinners' section where I sat, they even swayed to the music, and that's not just people who were alive when that 1933 song was big. These were kids, too. People looked at one another like they couldn't believe they were sitting in a Hartford church singing an old song, and then? They opened their mouths and belted out the chorus." "Mackenzie and his friends are onto something. You sing together, it's hard to hate."

Public radio programming, when done well, can tap into that sense of community. Well thought out topical connections can put the music into context, and at times reach something in all of us. A musical jukebox like Pandora can't go there. Public radio music programmers, producers and hosts can pick all the right stuff but, by putting the music in the right context we can create moments when the music can mean something more.

Public Radio Exchange Pulls in Major Grants

PRX Raises $2.7 Million from Corporation for Public Broadcasting, MacArthur Foundation, and Ford Foundation

The grants include funding from:

• The Corporation for Public Broadcasting - $1.5million
• The Ford Foundation - $900k
• The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation - $300k

When I was PD and Director of Radio at CPBN, the content from PRX allowed us to present voices and ideas not necessarily available through NPR, PRI and APM.

It helped broaden the context of the issues and ideas that affected the communities we served. It was also a way for our producers to get added exposure for the work they were producing.

Freakonomics for Radio

American Public Media and New York Public Radio Announce Production Deal with Freakonomics Co-Author Stephen J. Dubner

WNYC and American Public Media have come up with an interesting program idea...Freakonomics for the radio.

The launch this fall will include podcasts, web content and bi-weekly features on Marketplace. In 2011 plans are to offer the features weekly on Marketplace. Five one-hour specials will also be available.

There's a lot more information about the offering at PRWeb. The link to the release is above.

Peconic Public Broadcasting Gets Another Extension

According to and article in 27 East News, Peconic Public Broadcasting and Long Island University have agreed to another extension in PPB's efforts to raise enough funds to buy WLIU. Since they were granted the extension, I'm assuming PPB has made significant progress in raising more than $600,000 needed to close the deal.
The station is situated in the Hamptons on the east end of Long Island featuring local public affairs, jazz and public affairs programming.
If Peconic Public Broadcasting fails to meet its obligation, the station will be sold to the highest bidder. The rumor (not confirmed) is the highest bidder is a faith based organization.
Right now PPB is seeking matching funds for a George Soros grant. They're also working with a bank to get a loan for the remaining amount. The extension is for 25 days.

Public Broadcasting Atlanta Teams with Arts Organizations

The Atlanta Opera Supports Arts Marketing Collaborative 2010/08/31

The Atlanta Opera Opera announced today they will join an effort by AtlantaPlanIt.com to increase awareness of Atlanta's arts offerings. AtlantaPlanIt.com is a service of Public Broadcasting Atlanta. 40 organizations have joined the effort so far. It is hoped that 400 hundred will become involved.

Public Broadcasting Atlanta is increasing its impact with the cultural community. If they take this to next steps they will not only be reaching out, but will become engaged with the community. It's the same as networking. The sharing of ideas and resources can make the institutions involved in this effort stronger.

For a better idea of what AtlantaPlanIt hopes to accomplish look over their website.

About Atlanta PlanIt

Atlanta PlanIt is a unique Web site exclusively dedicated to arts and cultural entertainment information and organizations in the metro Atlanta region.  First created by the Metro Atlanta Arts and Culture Coalition (MAACC) in the summer of 2004, Atlanta PlanIt is prospering at its new home at Public Broadcasting Atlanta (PBA), where it is slated to serve as the arts and culture component for Lens on Atlanta, set to officially launch in 2010. 

Are you an arts organization and don’t see your info on PlanIt?
Visit our submission guidelines page.

What is Lens on Atlanta?
Lens on Atlanta is a first-of-its-kind online social community site that gives regional institutions, community organizations, activists and individuals a free social media/Web platform that will allow them to build stronger relationships, engage the community and raise awareness of community initiatives.

About Public Broadcasting Atlanta
WABE 90.1 FM and PBA 30 brings NPR News, music, the arts and PBS programming to hundreds of thousands of listeners and viewers each year. Today, people turn to public broadcasting for their news, music, arts and entertainment. Yet, few people realize that public broadcasting began as “educational television” — strictly a learning resource. As a broadcast service of Atlanta Public Schools in partnership with the Atlanta Educational Telecommunications Collaborative (AETC), PBA has never lost sight of its original mission. Education remains at the core of our operation at every level, from preschoolers to our elders.

Visit Lens on Atlanta
Visit Public Broadcasting Atlanta

Peconic Public Broadcasting Could Default August 31

WLIU still needs to raise $300,000 by August 31. If they fall short, Long Island University says they will sell the station to the next highest bidder.
There's more on this story in the Riverhead News Review. If you're interested, you can donate on-line at http://www.wliu.org/site2009/index.php

KUHF Looks to Double Audience

Chron.com is reporting that the University of Houston is seriously considering purchasing KTRU from Rice University. The Trustees at Rice have already approved the deal. The U of H governing board votes on the proposal, Tuesday, August 17.

KUHF is currently running a dual format station with both classical music and NPR news. The purchase of the KTRU will allow KUHF to program NPR news on  KUHF and classical music on KTRU which will become KUHC. KUHF is estimating that their total audience will grow from about 380,000 to 800,000 within three years. The increase in public service programming will benefit the station and the community it serves.

 KTRU currently airs an eclectic mix of music, but as a community service is grossly underachieving. The audience is too small to show up in the Abritron ratings service.

The price of the sale is reported to be $9.5 million. 

Classical Music Ebbing Away?

WEKU format change means a switch in classical music offerings - Business - Kentucky.com

Another Public Radio station has refocused their programming to include more public radio news and information programming. WEKU has added news and information programming mid days from public radio program sources. The reasons include serving more listeners and increased listener income.

WEKU is offering classical music on-line. I'm not sure how many on-line listeners it is going to take to make the service sustainable. So far about a half-dozen classical music listeners have asked WEKU for assistance in streaming classical music. The station will continue to offer classical music over night. Other types of music will be offered on the weekend.

Station manager Roger Duvall says they are seriously looking into acquiring another signal to devote to classical music programming. Duvall says their effort to acquire another stick for classical music programming has quelled some of the criticism.

Royalty Rates For Music Stations

Jazz | AllAboutJazz.com

According to the proposal presented in this article...most non-commercial stations would have royalties capped at $1,000 a year. Commercial broadcasters would be on the hook for considerably more. The fee for a station earning more than $1.25 million a year would be 1%. A station with yearly revenue of $4 million would pay $40,000 a year in royalties.

The deal is being hammered out between NAB and Music First. Fees for streaming are said to considerably less. The agreement is still in negotiations.

WHQR Hires Station Manager

Star News Online is reporting that Cleve Callison becomes WHQR's new station manager in September. The hiring is the next step in the road back for the Wilmington, North Carolina station beset with financial troubles in 2008 and 2009. Cleve was most recently Station Manager of WUMB at Miami of Ohio.

Play these pianos, they're yours

Play these pianos, they're yours

Cincinnati Public Radio is celebrating a combined 150 years of broadcasting by engaging the community with "Play Me, I'm Yours," an interactive art installation by the British artist Luke Jerram. I first got a chance to witness the installation in New York in June. Dozens, then hundreds of people were gathered around a piano as people of various talents performed. There were a lot of smiles.

Cincinnati Public Radio has an interactive webpage on their Website that maps the locations of the piano and will also keep people update as the pianos move to various locations around the greater Cincinnati area. The website encourages comments. "After Play Me, I'm Yours" ends its run, the pianos will be donated to community art centers and local children in need of an instrument.

WUSF buys WSMR Splits Formats

WUSF buys WSMR, looks to programming format changes - Tampa Bay Business Journal

WUSF is joining the growing list of public radio stations who are willing to split out their news and classical formats. There is risk involved. WUSF bought WSMR for $1.3 million. WSMR will carry the classical format but the signal footprint does not cover the same geography as WUSF.

Those who will be in the WSMR signal area will be blessed with full-time classical music programming. The Tampa/St.Pete market will now be able to listen to NPR news and information programming all day. This strategy seems to be working in New York, Boston, Cincinnati and Minneapolis/St.Paul.

There are plenty of comments on the blogs and online news outlets.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/aug/04/041550/wusf-fm-switches-npr-format-moves-classical-progra/news-breaking/

http://blogs.tampabay.com/media/2010/08/tampa-public-radio-station-wusffm-to-purschase-wsmrfm-in-sarasota-for-12million-shifting-classical-m.html

Saving Public Media in New Jersey

A group out of Princeton is suggesting some radical changes that will result in a revitalized NJN.
The report came out of the Sandra Starr Foundation, a small Princeton nonprofit. Among the recommendations:

Sell off some TV properties

Invest in New Media

Have WNYC run the radio properties

The report says NJN failed to invest in public radio in time because it is a PTV centric organization. The report also suggests the current organization is not prepared to manage the changes needed to launch new media or develop the public radio network. The report should generate plenty of heat and controversy.


A Future for Public Media in New Jersey: How to Create a New Basis for Public Radio, TV, and Online Media in One of American Journalism’s Worst Covered States

Classical Music in St. Louis

Late this Spring commercial classical station KFUO became Christian Contemporary. KFUO was the only full time classical music station in the market. KFUO promised to run classical music on their HD2 outlet after the format change. Since hardly anybody owns an HD set...hardly anybody is listening.  Late last week KWMU announced they were adding a few hours of classical music to their programming on Saturday night. That's not enough to satisfy the classical music fan.

Classical music has proven to be popular enough on public radio stations in St. Paul, New York, Boston, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and a few other places to be self-sustaining. These stations primarily broadcast classical music and the fan base in these markets is large enough to support these stations. Is the market large enough in St. Louis? Is there enough demand. I'm guessing the answers are yes.

According to Arbitron the St. Louis metro market has 2,308,100 listeners six and older. If a public radio station were to broadcast classical music on a full time basis, a conservative estimate of the cume rating could easily be 6% or about 139,000 cume listeners a week. If about 10% of the audience were to become members, the station might expect member revenue to be about $1.4 million. It would not be unreasonable to expect underwriting revenue to be around $300,000. Add in a community service grant and some foundation money, the station could easily expect total station revenue of about $2,000,000.

Of course, all of this hinges on the availability of an adequate FM signal in the St. Louis market. And a lot would depend on the debt load created by purchasing an existing signal, but the projected revenue could easily cover the expenses of a classical music station in St. Louis.

I should note that the Lutheran owners of KFUO got a reported $26 million when they sold their station to Joy FM. KFUO(Now KLJY) has a huge signal of 100,000 watts. The antenna is is over 1,000 feet above the terrain which makes for a broadcast radius of about 60 miles. It's an appealing signal for KLJY

St. Louis Public Radio announces classical music schedule | St. Louis Globe-Democrat

St. Louis Public Radio announces classical music schedule | St. Louis Globe-Democrat

KWMU is adding three classical music programs to its Saturday night broadcasts.

This announcement comes after the sale of KFUO to a Christian broadcaster.

KFUO typically generated a share of about 2.0%. That ranked the classical music service 20th in the market. Their ranking may not have been appealing to advertisers, but the audience size may be big enough for a self-sustaining public radio station. If there is a frequency available in the St. Louis area, there's an opportunity to serve an unserved audience.

KQED Moves to Expand Local Coverage

KQED adds staff, radio and online news reports - San Francisco Business Times

KQED is adding staff and newscasts while increasing its web presence. In the last paragraph of the article it is noted that KQED just finished a week long furlough by staff to cut expenses. The expansion might not be fully funded. According to the article in the San Francisco Business Times "Officials hope to use enhanced philanthropic contributions and sponsorships to pay for the additional services."

Read more: KQED adds staff, radio and online news reports - San Francisco Business Times

KEIF-LP fined for underwriting infractions, and antenna and power issues

Radio Business Report/Television Business Report - Voice of the Broadcasting Industry

The article in RBR.com spells out what the FCC found to be violation of the guidelines of allowable underwriting.

Among the issues were the use of rate cards and language in the materials used to promote the spots aired by the station.

The credits aired by KEIF-LP may have been in violation of the guidelines. The ruling seems to reach beyond announcements aired by citing language used off air to promote the advantages of airing credits on KEIF. Is the FCC trying to regulate how public radio's development professionals recruit underwriters?  

Classical Music Still Feels at Home on Public Radio

Classical Music Still Feels at Home on Public Radio

Stations that have invested in classical music have seen positive results. In all cases gains seem to have been made by public radio stations that devote the entire day to classical music. This is especially good news for WNYC and WGBH. Both stations worked out deals for frequencies...WQXR and WCRB...devoted to the format.

According to Radio World:

“The increase can likely be attributed to several factors: an increase in the number of stations programming the format; … a steady decline of Classical music stations in the commercial band, driving more audience to public Classical stations; and the inheritance of some audience that public News/Talk had lost,” Arbitron stated. The format’s gender composition also has become more male, up to 49% from 45% four years ago; and though still skewing older, its age composition got younger over a year, with the sub-55 audience growing from 29% to 32%. "


AQH shares of tow or three percent for classical music on commercial stations may not have been enough to be sustainable, but on listener supported stations it might be a great starting point.

WOSU Makes a Bold Move Shift Signals

WWCD, WOSU shift signals

WOSU finally gets a news/talk service on the FM dial. In a deal with the owners of commercial station WWCD, WOSU will be able to broadcast classical music 24/7 at 101.1 FM in the Columbus area. The article in the Columbus Dispatch says WOSU will now simulcast the news from their AM station (820 AM). There are two significant factors.

• The highly educated NPR audience prefers the FM signal over the AM signal. WOSU should see sustained growth for its news and information service.
• The classical audience now has a dedicated service. This tactic is working well for WCRB in Boston and WQXR in New York.

Lawmakers give New Jersey Network time to become ‘self-sustaining’ - pressofAtlanticCity.com

Lawmakers give New Jersey Network time to become ‘self-sustaining’ - pressofAtlanticCity.com

This article articulates the challenges facing NJN in the near future. The State of New Jersey has given NJN some time as the state studies how best to restructure the public broadcaster.

Current thinking is that the State of New Jersey should walk away and NJN become independent. Standing in the way is a huge deficit of $16.7 million. According to the article there may also be irregularities in the way NJN's foundation raised support.

If NJN is able to become a non-government non-profit organization it will need to look seriously at the sustainability of its programming including their flagship program "NJN News," a nightly half-hour news program.

NJN's Interim Executive Director Howard Blumenthal is quoted in the article from a written statement, "...that all the pieces of the network were working toward a fiscal solution. “NJN management and staff are working with members of the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority (NJN’s governance board), the NJN Foundation (NJN’s fundraising board), the Governor’s Office and legislators to develop a plan that secures a healthy future for NJN and public media in New Jersey. We will continue to meet with foundations, corporations and individual donors to share our vision for a future of greater public service, and make a compelling case for support of NJN as a vital source for information and ideas."

After format swap, WGBH lags behind WBUR in ratings

After format swap, WGBH lags behind WBUR in ratings
Found in the Boston Herald.com by Jessica Heslam.

The 1.0 share for WGBH has to be disappointing. It is not the end of the world.

There are two great comments that put this into perspective.

Boston radio consultant and Lesley University professor Donna Halper said this is a marathon - not a sprint. “I’ve been consulting for 30 years and there is no history of a talk radio format, particularly on public broadcasting, storming in and taking over the world,” Halper said.

While WBUR has WGBH beat so far, Fleming said his station is still concerned about the newcomer, but it’s forced them to “focus in on what we do well.”

If this is going to work for WGBH, they will need to take the long view. The news is not so bad for their classical service. WCRB has 2.2 share in April and a 2.6 share for the winter quarter according to Arbitron and the Radio Research Consortium.

Colorado Republican Wants to Cut CPB

Colorado Representative Republican Doug Lambron says he is introducing legislation that would eliminate the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Details are in an article in The Colorado Independent. Rep Lambron says the country no longer needs this choice in a time when 500 channels are available through cable and other pay-for-use services like the internet. Pam Osborn, spokesperson for Colorado Public Broadcasting said in the article that 18% of the television audience still gets their TV "free" over the air. Many of them cannot afford $100 a month for cable or internet phone service. 

Can PBS and NPR be Self-Sustaining?

Lambron also said that NPR and PBS will survive without CPB. That day may be coming for NPR with direct funding from on-line and internet radio users. But, NPR is not anywhere near the critical mass needed to sustain itself. Most of its funding comes from member stations. Stations get some funding from CPB, some funding from contributors and some funding from underwriters. The article ignores other program suppliers like Public Radio International, American Public Media, WFMT and the Public Radio Exchange. PBS does not directly create any programming.

Public Broadcasting is Driven by Memberships

Membership contributions for public radio are driven by programming. Listeners send money to public radio when they rely on its service and consider it important in their lives. According to research from ARA (Audience 98), public service and public support are linked so tightly that listener support can be used as a proxy for the public service that causes it. Public support, like public service, is the product of two factors: the value listeners place on the programming, and the amount of listening done to the programming.

We found at the station I worked for the listeners who valued the station most (core listeners) were most likely to support us. Typically the core tuned in about ten times a week for a total of about 10 hours a week. On-line usage does not come anywhere close to that threshold, at least not yet.

Not a New Idea

This is not the first time cuts have been proposed. The Reagan administration actually cut funding in the 80's with a rescission of at least 50%. The recession came as the result of a flap over program content on PBS. The Reagan Administration wanted more control over the content.  Newt Gingrich later proposed "The Glide Path to Zero" where all funding was to be cut for public broadcasting. There have been other proposals. The most recent proposal came from the Bush Administration. Some states strapped for cash are proposing cuts. The stations hurt most by these cuts are the smaller stations, usually in rural areas.

A Change is Coming

The funding equation will change as listeners and viewers change how they acquire their content. According to what I’ve been reading, that change is coming in this decade. What that means for local affiliates is not clear. If NPR does find itself in the position where it can cut the local affiliates loose, the affiliates will have a difficult time supporting their coverage of local and regional issues. Most public radio listeners today come to their stations looking first for the national programming. Without those listeners, stations will find sustainability to be a problem. Funding local news on public radio will be difficult. In this case, new alliances and new funding models will need to be found in order for public radio and television to continue provide in-depth news and information programming.

UA-12112039-1

Public Radio / Community Engagement

Some public radio stations are reaching out and trying to engage the community. It's an altruistic effort that is making these radio stations a valued member in their communities.
As a public media manager  are you wondering why you should care? Check out the National Center for Media Engagement. In their website are The Top Ten Reasons to Engage Your Community Beyond Broadcast.

Montana Public Radio will offer a free workshop, “Your Mission, Message and the Media." Christine Dascenzo, MTPR’s outreach coordinator, will lead the workshop, which aims to provide tactics to improve communication that nonprofits can implement on their own, such as how to create strategic messages, maintain their brand and network online. 

Read more in the Clark Fork Chronicle.

WMPG, Portland, Maine teams up with Blunt Youth Radio to create radio and community ties. 

Since 1994, Blunt Youth Radio Project has brought together up to 50 teenagers from a variety of schools to produce a weekly, call-in, public affairs radio show on WMPG-FM, 90.9 and 104.1, the non-profit, community radio station of the University of Southern Maine. The hour-long show features two teen hosts who interview guests on topical issues, interspersed with public radio-style feature reports, produced by the team's reporters.

There's more at Seacoastonline.com

WWOZ, New Orleans has been involved in Gulf Aid. Gulf Aid was a concert to benefit to help with the clean-up and those affected by the spill. The concert was in May. Gulf Aid continues with updates on the station's Website.

In the interest of full disclosure, I did apply for a position at NCME. It's been about a month since I last heard from them which leads me to believe they've moved on. Despite this turn, I think what they propose about public media engagement makes a lot of sense. This is an idea worth any station's consideration, and something I hope to bring with me wherever I land.

Bill Buzenberg on Center for Public Integrity’s aim to “catalyze impact,” fundraise in a competitive field

Bill Buzenberg on Center for Public Integrity’s aim to “catalyze impact,” fundraise in a competitive field

The funding issue comes up all the time when discussing non-profit journalism. In an interview with Laura McGann of the Nieman Journalism Lab, Bill Buzenburg talks about the competition for funds and three of the ways the Center for Public Integrity is raising funds.

"We’re raising money in three ways. We do have foundation support. We’re talking with something like 86 foundations, many of whom do support us. We also are raising money from individuals — small donations with membership, much like public radio. Larger donations from people with resources. We do have a strong base of individual donors. And the third way is earned revenue, and we’re working on various scenarios of how we can earn that."

Four Foundations End Hold on WDUQ

The announcement that four foundations had decided to withdraw their hold on WDUQ has left me with questions.

 “The group worked hard for a month to determine how the radio station would add value to the original project in relation to the cost. What we in the foundations group have determined is that we are not enough along in that analysis and in our solicitation of community input, and will not be by July 2.” In published reports and in an interview with WDUQ, representatives of the foundation effort said the group was looking to find ways to grow journalism in the region at a time when many news outlets are facing financial difficulties. "


Did the foundations have difficulty getting input? Did the foundations find the problem too broad to come up with a solution for WDUQ? Did the foundations underestimate the complexity of the issue?  


Saving  in-depth  journalism is an issue that goes beyond public media with interest coming from many parties. The Knight Commission has some interesting analysis and thought on this issue. Recently there was an interesting Article in the Atlantic about Google's ventures into saving journalism.


Saving WDUQ as an NPR station would help in keeping the community informed. There are no other NPR news outlets serving the Pittsburgh market. Saving WDUQ as an NPR station is only a part of the answer.


Did the foundations want to answer something much broader? If so, I have to agree two months is much too short a time frame. Getting started...trying something to keep the public informed can begin anytime.

Oil Spill Coverage Varies for Public Radio on the Gulf

I took a trip around the Gulf of Mexico (a virtual trip) to find out what some of the local public radio stations are doing on their websites to highlight coverage of the gulf oil spill. I thought the oil spill might be an opportunity for public broadcasters to draw their communities together.
Below are the sites that stood out.


KUHF Houston, TX has a feature on how the hurricane forecast complicates issues and anxieties surrounding the spill.
Oil Spill Adds New Anxiety to Hurricane Season

"Hurricane season begins tomorrow.  The federal government expects 8 to 14 hurricanes this summer, when the average is only 6. Adding to the anxiety is the question of what happens if a hurricane hits the oil spill? Carrie Feibel takes a look into what might happen when a natural disaster crosses paths with a man-made disaster.


The webpage for the feature includes a hurricane and oil spill fact sheet.
There's more coverage inside from the Health, Science and Technology Desk.
I could not find a way for the audience or the community to interact with the station about this issue.


WWOZ New Orleans, LA (a station with a heritage music format) offers an impressive presence on the web. WWOZ engaged its listeners. The fundraiser raised over $1 million. There was an easy to find link on the front page.           
WWOZ Others Respond to BP Oil Disaster

On April 20, 2010, an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon oil rig (leased by British Petroleum) set off an historic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, just off the Louisiana coast. Efforts to stop the leak and keep oil out of our wetlands and bayous are ongoing, but the effects on fishing and wildlife on the Gulf Coast and beyond could be profound. Read on to find out what 'OZ is doing about it—and what you can do to help combat this growing ecologicaul and environmental crisis

WWNO, New Orleans has a box on their site dealing with the spill. WWNO is offering extensive local news coverage. The only weakness - I could not find a way for listeners to become involved and engaged on the website.  


Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Center

WWNO's Local Coverage NPR's National Coverage NOAA Incident Response Central

WHIL, Mobile offers a link on the front page and an oil spill drop down on the Home Tab.
There is information on how listeners can become involved and volunteer inside the website.


http://www.whil.org/subpage.asp?pageID=126


As I moved around the Gulf Coast I noticed that stations in Texas had little to offer on their websites with the exception of KUHF. Florida stations relied on their news coverage. WUSF has some local coverage through their news department. WLRN is covering the issue with their talk show Florida Roundup. I had to dig to find this information. The sites from these stations did not offer a way for the stations' listeners and website users to become involved and engaged with the station. Stations in areas most likely to be affected seemed to be most engaged at this time.

Fundraising is a challenge for WDUQ

Pittsburgh Public Media, a group of station staffers and community volunteers wants to keep WDUQ pretty much the way it is now with a mix of NPR news and Jazz. Raising money toward the purchase of the station is problematic. Money raised during the pledge drives cannot be used toward the purchase of the station. The group does not have access to the current donor lists. PPM is trying reach out to the current members through social media and a website. The article does not mention how much PPM has raised toward the purchase price. Duquesne University says it wants full value for the station. It is estimated to be worth $10 million.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10151/1061679-67.stm#ixzz0pXMBDaKi


To find out more about Pittsburgh Public Media go to: http://www.pittsburghpublicmedia.org/

Kan. gov. saves money for public broadcasting - KHGI-TV/KWNB-TV/KHGI-CA-Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, Lincoln

Kan. gov. saves money for public broadcasting - KHGI-TV/KWNB-TV/KHGI-CA-Grand Island, Kearney, Hastings, Lincoln

Public Broadcasting in Kansas gets a reprieve. With just weeks left to the end of the fiscal year, the cuts would have been felt deeply by public broadcasters in Kansas. The cuts would have been deepest in rural areas. Local programming, the programming with the potential for the deepest impact on the local community, was on the line.

KEDM Holding An Emergency Fund Drive

Is KEDM close to falling below minimum standards for CPB funding?  This was in the Monroe, Louisiana News-Star.

KEDM Public Radio has scheduled an emergency three-day fund drive next month to shore up a local funding requirement by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

The region's only public radio station, which is housed and supported by the University of Louisiana at Monroe, has set a goal to raise $30,000 or risk having programming restrictions being placed on it. Joel Willer, ULM's director of University Broadcasting, said the station fell short of its fundraising goals during its annual fall and spring fundraising drives.

The emergency fundraiser is June 2-4.

"Basically what CPB is looking at is that they want us to raise 48 cents per potential listener in our service area, which translates to $152,000 a year," Willer said. "We have been really falling short for some time and it's finally catching up to us.

"We need to meet the minimum or start facing restrictions on programming. As it stands, we are about $45,000 short."

The station's funding sources include the university, listener memberships and underwriting from businesses and CPB. However, CPB requires that the station raise 48 cents for each of the estimated 305,105 potential listeners in its coverage area.

"In this case, even if the university was able to write a huge check for the amount, it would not take care of the requirement," Willer said. "The $30,000 will get us a good way to where we need to be."

Willer said the station is working with its Community Advisory Board trying to find local business donors to meet the overall $45,000 funding need. The radio station is sending out additional mailings to its membership and listeners who have never been members in addition to sending out mailings to lapsed members asking them to rejoin.

"It's a matter of getting the message out," Willer said.

Community Advisory Board member Lyle Miller said the radio station's main challenge is to develop new supporters to expand its base. For several years, the station has focused on selling sponsorships, particularly to corporate partners. KEDM's annual budget is around $300,000.

"So many times we lean on our corporate sponsors, but we can't depend on the same core people time and time again," Miller said. "It will certainly be difficult (to raise the needed funding) because this is not the best of times to do that.

"Our supporters and the university have been very magnanimous, but we really need to broaden our base of support. To be successful, we need to show the importance of public broadcasting to the younger generation. Sooner or later, listeners need to come to the table."

Traditional news outlets are being challenged by "new media." But, to what end? What happens to a democracy when true, in-depth reporting cannot support itself and disappears. Here are some interesting comments on the future of journalism that also includes previous findings from the Aspen Institute. One conclusion ...It is time to try things. Another...funding is still a major issue.

Of the Press: Models for Transforming American Journalism

Posted by KnightComm on Apr 30, 2010 in Featured, Local Journalism, Spotlight

KnightComm is pleased to provide an advance download of the Aspen Institute Communication and Society Program’s publication, Of the Press: Models for Transforming American Journalism. The report addresses a critical aspect of the Knight Commission’s deliberations: the need to develop innovative business models for “sustainable, meaningful, local journalism”. It is written by Michael R. Fancher, former executive editor of The Seattle Times and a participant in the writing of the Knight Commission report.

Download Publication

Of the Press: Models for Transforming American Journalism details the insights and forward-thinking frameworks resulting from the 2009 Forum on Communications and Society (FOCAS) in which over 40 leaders, innovators and entrepreneurs addressed the crisis facing journalism, highlighted by recent closings and bankruptcies of numerous traditional news outlets. The Report describes the innovations, experimental business models, and evolving philosophies that could be harnessed to preserve journalism as a critical instrument in American society. The idea to gather leaders and innovators to address the changing news marketplace was closely related to the work of the Knight Commission on the Information Needs of Communities, itself an outcome of an earlier FOCAS and which calls for ”innovation, competition, and support for business models that provide marketplace incentives for quality journalism”.