NPR's Foreign Coverage Gets Support from CPB. Poynter.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting gives NPR $500,000 for foreign news coverage | Poynter.
For those of us who believe that events throughout the world are connected...that what happens in Jerusalem and Beijing affects what happens here...this is good news.  The grant will help fund coverage in some areas where it is difficult to do so.  The $500,000 grant to NPR supports continued foreign news reporting from some of the world’s most challenging regions in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.


Audience research for public radio supports the idea that listeners come to the service to find international coverage. 


What are the reasons you use this service?

FCC Committee Advises Backing for CPB

The Consumer Advisory Committee of the Federal Communications Commissions says that PBS is providing a valuable and high quality news service to the public. The committee advocates FCC backing for the Public Broadcasting Service according to a report released yesterday by RBR-TVBR.Com. CAC also liked CPB's "public affairs programming, diversity of opinion, public safety alerts, and children’s programming and a wide array of cultural content.”   

RBR-TVBR's Tom Seyler says if the CAC wants to give CPB a boost, it needs to find a way to separate CPB's funding from the political process.


That's the way the system is supposed to work now.

Public Radio and Cluster Analysis

What if Public Radio used cluster analysis? Commercial stations use it to enhance the size of their share. For some potential underwriting clients size matters. NPR uses the Halo effect to sell underwriting. But, it also touts the size of its audience. 26 million listeners is pretty impressive. In the Hartford Market there are three group owners. Here's their Cluster Analysis figures for January according to Arbitron.




Cluster Analysis
CBS Radio, Inc. (36.1)
Clear Channel Media & Entertainment (22.6)
Buckley Broadcasting (8.3)

Take another look at the chart on top. The shares of the public radio stations that serve the Hartford Market are represented by the bars except for the bar on the far right. That's public radio's cluster analysis. Which share may seem more appealing to a client that wants to reach our highly motivated and intelligent audience? Would a 7.7% share be more appealing than a 1.0% share?

Of course, the five stations represented in the chart would need to create a marketing partnership. And, they would need to agree on how to share the revenue. If the idea worked it would mean that the stations with a smaller audience would have some underwriting revenue.

In order for the idea to work the bigger stations would need to buy into the idea that it is important that the smaller stations in their market survive. I'm not sure this concept is important to my colleagues. So...is it? What about in markets or states where state funding is being cut off? Would this attempt at creating revenue be helpful?

Weekends matter too on Public Radio

As a consultant and somebody searching for opportunities in public media, I've run into a lot of weekend programming that just isn't the same as the weekday programming. What's different? There's a programming shift. Not sure of what I mean? There are two places you can start. A recent blog by Fred Jacobs called "Working for the Weekend" highlights George Bailey's "NPR Weekend Programming" research. Fred came up with six takeaways. They all relate to the last. Do your homework.

1. Great programmers can program anything.
2. Know your audience.
3. Weekends matter. (Have a live presence because things happen)
4. Great programming transcends ratings methodology.
5. Do what George did. (use Metrics and Analytics )
6. Do your programming homework.

Part of my frustration as a listener is the lack of a live presence on the weekend in my market. Two major events happened in New England on the weekend. At the end of August and the end of October there were major storms that knocked out power for days. There was great coverage after the fact but, hardly anything during these events. The public service aspect of these storms was missing because the breaks at my local stations are pre-produced. It was a missed opportunity.

More Budget Cuts for Public Radio

Public Broadcasting in Virginia may see the elimination of all state funding by 2013 if Governor Bob McDonnell has his way. The cuts will affect station in rural areas the most. Residents in Highland and Bath Counties get most of their news from their public radio station the Allegheny Mountain Radio Network.
Newsleader.com's Spencer Dennis wrote about the plight of public radio and the community it serves in this rural area.

Public Radio Specials Seek Funds on Kickstarter

Earlier this evening I was led to Kickstarter to check out Heavenly Sight: A Vision out of Blindness through a social media connection. Stephen Rathe of Murray Street Productions asked Can I get you to check out our HEAVENLY SIGHT project on Kickstarter today? we have a 1:1 Match (how pub media) till end of the night. Thanks http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1099992656/heavenly-sight-a-vision-out-of-blindness

So I did.

I've always been drawn to Roots and Americana Music. As a teen I hung out at coffee houses in Milwaukee. Yep, Milwaukee used to have a coffee house scene. The Avant Garde, The Coffee House and later the Blue River Cafe were some of the places I used to go with my friends. Acts from Chicago used to come up almost every weekend. Steve Goodman and John Prine were regulars. The Blues were big too. I got see and hear Dave Van Ronk, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee and and The Reverend Gary Davis up close. They were no more than ten feet in front of me.

The Reverend Gary Davis is one of the artists featured in the doc which is in need of your help to be fully funded. They've got a video clip to give you an idea of what the doc is all about. Just click on the link above.

In case your wondering what Americana Music is all about you can find out more at http://americanamusic.org/

Kickstarter is a funding platform focused on a broad spectrum of creative projects. These guidelines articulate our mission and focus, as well as the rules of conduct for our community.