Glass: ‘Car Talk’ reruns will stifle innovation at NPR | Poynter.

Glass: ‘Car Talk’ reruns will stifle innovation at NPR | Poynter.

There's a debate going on between Ira Glass and Eric Nuzum, NPR's VP of programming.
For program directors who are paying attention, this issue will resolve itself. I'm assuming that, in time, sagging ratings will mean that programmers will move CarTalk to other, less valuable time slots.

When Garrison Keillor "retired" about 20 years ago, the replacement show and repeats (I think there were repeats) did not fare as well. Neither did the new show Garrison created. Ratings sagged. When the audience numbers diminish, so do the fundraising numbers. Something needed to be done. Something was done. Garrison brought back A Prairie Home Companion.

That is not likely to happen this time.

Programmers and content creators have some time to find (or create) a replacement. Just don't wait forever.

WMFE Finds a Buyer

Is it real this time? Will WMFE finally be sold?





The Daytona Beach News - Journal is reporting that the University of Central Florida Trustees have agreed to purchase the License of WMFE-TV. FCC Approval is still needed. The University currently operated WUCF out of Brevard. The purchase will extend the station's reach. If I am reading this right, after the deal is approved WUCF will no longer run the station owned by Brevard Community College (WBCC). The college will run the station and offer educational programs.

You can read the entire article here.

Journalist Suspended for Comments

Politico suspends Joe Williams for racially tinged remarks about Romney | Poynter.

When journalists are encouraged to share personal opinions on MSNBC and Fox News (Or Twitter or anywhere else) are they stepping over the line? I thought so when I worked in public radio. Others think so too. Politico suspended Joe Williams for his remarks on MSNBC about Mitt Romney being very much relaxed around white people. Williams has been warned before about his tweets about Romney.

MSNBC has standards when it comes to their own employees. You might remember that MSNBC and Keith Olberman parted ways over his political contributions. He was suspended. Olberman then quit.

NPR was criticized by Fox News and others for the firing of Juan Williams after his biased comments about Muslims on Fox News. It was not just this event that led to his firing.

AP has standards when it comes to their journalists using twitter.

Should journalists be held to a higher standard? Should they keep their opinions out of public view? Or, with the popularity of Fox News and MSNBC, is anything goes the new standard?

West Virginia Public Broadcasting Funding Issues

West Virginia Public Broadcasting is struggling. According to an article in the Charleston Gazette, funding from corporations and, listeners and viewers is down sharply since the start of the recession in 2008. WVPB depends on state funds for over 50% of its funding. Because the state is strapped for funds, WVPB is being told to plan on a 5% cut in funding for 2013-2014.

Options  being discussed include:

• Cuts in staff
• Cuts in programming
• A statewide News/Talk program on Public Radio.

The last option is an investment in programming that may result in increased support. That is, if it increases listener loyalty. That involves a lot more than simply putting up a program. There's the investment in staff and equipment and consideration of how the program will affect the station's P1 listeners. Will adding more news/talk alienate listeners who support the station because of their classical programming?

Depending on state funding for 50% of the West Virginia Public Broadcasting's revenue is problematic.  Membership and development departments in other states have been much more successful in garnering support from listeners and viewers. Although, Public Television has been harder hit since the start of the recession than Public Radio.  WVPB may find it difficult to gear up direct support to make up the difference in a year.

Poynter survey on least and most civil news

Survey: Fox most uncivil, PBS most civil news organization | Poynter.
Poynter released survey results on civility in America today.

• Fox News and MSNBC are still the most uncivil news services. 
• PBS is still considered the most civil. 
• 82% of Americans believe the news media is more interested on controversy than the facts.
• Fox and MSNBC or considered more civil than they were last year.
• NPR did not make the list despite having over 26 million weekly listeners.

KUSF Sale Completed

The FCC has approved the  transfer of KUSF's license to the Classical Public Radio Station. The sale had been held up because of questions surrounding the payment for programming provided by KUSC (The Classical Public Radio Network. The FCC does not allow non-profits radio stations to sell air time for profit.

The sale was not universally appreciated in the community.

If you are following along at home here is how the deal is going to work according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

"KUSF can now transfer its broadcast license to the nonprofit Classical Public Radio Network, a classical music station operated by the University of Southern California. The sale was announced in January 2011, with KDFC, the Bay Area's only classical music station, moving up the FM dial to 90.3 and booting out KUSF's student radio programming.

The student radio station retained use of the KUSF letters, but is now only accessible online."

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/06/07/BA0Q1OUKC6.DTL#ixzz1xDgDVo4v

Political Ads Mean Business

Political advertising: influencing business, not just politics

According to an article published by Medill Reports, billions of dollars will be spent on political advertising. The report states that television will benefit the most. Projections are that over $5.6 billion will be spent to place ads on TV. Over $900 million will be spent on cable. The PAC,s, superPAC's and national political party committees prefer TV over digital because it is too easy to skip over ads on digital media.   It's is  interesting to note that the PACs and superPacs prefer push advertising over the pull advertising of the digital media. They prefer to be in our faces...much like their our way or the highway politics. The Pew Reasearch Center says in their recent report the parties are becoming smaller and more partisan with Republican becoming smaller faster than the Democrats.

I heard a report last night that said the amount of money spent in Wisconsin for the recall was greater than the amount spent for the presidential election in 2000.

Medill Reports is written and produced by graduate journalism students at Northwestern University’s Medill school.