PTV In Yakima Closes Doors

Local No More

KYVE in Yakima, Washington closed its offices last week. It was the last vestiges of local public television for the community. The station has been in decline for the past few years according to an article in the Yakima Herald Republic. Local programming ended in May

Rebranded / On the Air

The station remains on the air as a repeater of KCTS, Seattle. KCTS officials are looking into ways of returning some localism. One idea is to open a development office in Yakima.

A Call to Shut Down MPTV?

An opinion piece in the Milwaukee Journal/Sentinel calls for major changes in the way Milwaukee Public Television is funded. According to the piece by John A. Bernaden taxpayer support makes up 75% of the station's budget.

MPTV is run by Milwaukee Area Technical College. In a struggle over control of the station, MPTV disbanded their independent Friends organization.

Bernaden makes three suggestions for change.  The first is to hire an independent nonprofit organization to manage the station.  The second is to make an alliance with the other Technical College districts in Southeastern Wisconsin. The third would be to shut the service down.


What MATC and MPTV. is not that unusual. I come from the world of community licensees where we raised almost all of our own funds. What is unusual is that MPTV depends on 75% tax support.


John A. Bernaden might have an agenda of his own. He is former chairman of MPTV Friends Inc.

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#

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