Sesame Street - We've Strayed A Long Way

New episodes of Sesame Street will be aired on HBO first. 

I guess it's good news for the Sesame Street Workshop. They're getting an infusion of revenue to double the new episodes per season. The new episodes will eventually air on Public Television.

The Workshop has been running deficits for a while. It seems voluntary public support wasn't enough to sustain the program.

After the five year deal, will public television still be in the loop? Will HBO still fund Sesame Street or cut it loose?

After reading the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967...it seems we've strayed a long way. Are we headed in the direction of those who can pay will have access to quality programming? What about the rest of us? Has the marketplace decided educational programming for our young only goes to those 'who can afford it?

The Congress hereby finds and declares that —

1. it is in the public interest to encourage the growth and development of public radio and television broadcasting, including the use of such media for instructional, educational, and cultural purposes;
2. it is in the public interest to encourage the growth and development of nonbroadcast telecommunications technologies for the delivery of public telecommunications services;
3. expansion and development of public telecommunications and of diversity of its programming depend on freedom, imagination, and initiative on both local and national levels;
4. the encouragement and support of public telecommunications, while matters of importance for private and local development, are also of appropriate and important concern to the Federal Government;
5. it furthers the general welfare to encourage public telecommunications services which will be responsive to the interests of people both in particular localities and throughout the United States, which will constitute an expression of diversity and excellence, and which will constitute a source of alternative telecommunications services for all the citizens of the Nation;
6. it is in the public interest to encourage the development of programming that involves creative risks and that addresses the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly children and minorities;
7. it is necessary and appropriate for the Federal Government to complement, assist, and support a national policy that will most effectively make public telecommunications services available to all citizens of the United States;
8. public television and radio stations and public telecommunications services constitute valuable local community resources for utilizing electronic media to address national concerns and solve local problems through community programs and outreach programs;
9. it is in the public interest for the Federal Government to ensure that all citizens of the United States have access to public telecommunications services through all appropriate available telecommunications distribution technologies; and
10. a private corporation should be created to facilitate the development of public telecommunications and to afford maximum protection from extraneous interference and control.

News Coverage - Going Deeper

Looking For Depth

There are stories that lend themselves to in depth coverage. In depth coverage is something public radio listeners expect. They want to look beyond the headlines. These stories also lend themselves to continuing coverage.

After the crash of 2008, listeners looked to public radio and television to give a broader perspective to the great recession. Because of the slow recovery and other issues, this story is still with us.

Disappointing Numbers

Lower than expected job numbers came out last Friday. The number of new jobs was about half of what was expected. NPR reports that 126,000 new jobs were created. Experts were thinking the economy would add 245,000 new jobs in March.

March Employment Report Shows Growth — But Disappointing Numbers

For U.S. Workers, The March Of Progress Slows Down

Contributing Factors

Some are saying the weather had a lot to do with the disappointing numbers. Because of the series of storms that rolled through in February and March...the construction industry took a hit. So did oil drilling.

Taking the Long View

There might be something deeper according to Doug Handler, chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight. The economy has been expanding for six years. The thought is this might be a cooling in the economy after a period of sustained growth. Looking further at the longer trend, unemployment over the past year has improved from 6.6% to 5.5% in one year. March may have been a blip...or it may be the tip of the iceberg. Either way, the story lends itself to coverage that goes beyond the headlines. It can go beyond the two in depth stories linked to above.

Something Bigger

As I look through the story ideas below, it occurs to me I'm defining APM's Marketplace's Sustainability Desk. or Marketplace itself. I'm also thinking in terms of using station resources to create something that will have a lasting impact on the listeners we serve. There needs to be a place where overarching stories come to live. A program where these big issues can be discussed. A destination program where we can go deeper. You might be thinking, "No way. We don't have the resources." Think again, You don't have to go it alone. There are partnerships and alliances that can be created to find the resources.

Depth

There are other issues that are effected and effect the employment figures including:

• Unemployment in your region
• The real jobless rate.
• Have people given up?
• Underemployment/Temporary employment.
• The working poor.
• Discrimination. (Estimates of the cost of racism reach as high as two trillion dollars a year.) 
• Unemployment and race 
• Sexism.    
• Ageism.
• Faithism.
• Low wage jobs.
• Job training.
• SNAP benefits.
• Unemployment and social services.
• Unemployment benefits.

These are just some of the issues that could be explored, but I think you get the idea. Jobs matter to our listeners. The economy matters to our listeners. I think we owe it to them to cover this with more than the headlines or just one three-and-a-half minute feature.

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.

Public TV's (only) Ratings Winner

Downton Abbey is proving to be a ratings winner. According to the New York Times, 10.2 million viewers tuned in to the season premier.

The total number of contributors for Public TV have been in decline since 2002. The number of contributors for Public Radio has been increasing. In fact, the number of contributors for Public Radio and Public Television intersected in 2012. (Look Here)

Reversing the trend for Public TV will take more than Downton Abbey. PTV could use three or four more programs like this to create positive buzz and create consistent growth. Growth in audience around compelling programming will result in growth of viewer support. Fundraising is effective when the development department has great content driving audience.

Lead in Mugs

An Unsafe Premium
Vermont Public Radio discovered that one of the mugs it offered in the middle of the last decade has high levels of lead. VPR reports they tested all 34 of the mugs produced in the past decade after concerns were raised recently. 11 mugs contained lead. One was found to have unacceptable levels. Members are being notified not to use the mug. The issue is being reported in Foster's Daily Democrat.

What's Next?
Many of public radio's and public TVs mugs come from a couple of sources. Where they are actually manufactured might be an issue. Does this mean public broadcasting (and other non-profits) should get their mugs tested? I have several mugs I got as premiums. I'm drinking out of one right now. It does give me pause.

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.

Head of PBS Says It's Up to the Audience

When I first became involved in Public Radio we had stickers all over the station that said, "Think Audience." PBS CEO Paula Kreger says it's up the audience whether or not Public Television grows.

My experience in public radio is that the audience is indeed the ultimate judge of what they are willing to support. The question for public television will be,can their core content support itself? Is the audience loyal enough to rally around "American Experience", "Nature" and the "NewsHour?" Will more programming like this in the schedule generate enough audience and loyalty be self sustaining? And, can the local affiliates find sufficient funding for local productions?

A substantial core audience can make that happen. At Connecticut Public Radio we defined that as about 40% of the total audience tuning in 10 times a week for about an hour each occasion. CPTV had a much larger audience but, occasions didn't come close to what we had for radio.

The exception for CPTV is  UConn Women's Basketball. That has a large and loyal following.

Can Public Television offer substantial programming for a substantial audience? Will the Public Radio model work for Public Television?

There's a lot more about what Paula Kreger has to say in the Chicago Tribune:

PBS kicks off winter TCA tour: Prexy-CEO Kerger willing to 'make tough decisions' in 2012

Public Broadcasting In Florida Struggling

After all state funding for public broadcasting in Florida was eliminated by Governor Rick Scott , stations are left struggling to make ends meet. Eric Deggans reports in the Tampa Bay Times that stations are looking for funding from usual and unusual sources. One station has done a scrap metal drive. That will be followed by a golf tournament. Others are looking for more underwriting and increasing the length of member drives. Some stations have eliminated services like reading services for the blind. Others are cutting back on local programming.

Florida public broadcasters search for solutions to their funding crisis - Tampa Bay Times

The Deal for NJN is Raising Questions

Some are regarding the deal by WNET to run NJN is political payback.
That's the gist of the comments reported on by  NJ.com.

"But Steve Adubato Jr.’s latest role at the center of the deal allowing WNET to manage New Jersey’s public television has raised cries of political cronyism, with some key Democrats charging the agreement is a gift to Adubato’s father — Stephen Adubato Sr., the feared and well-connected political dealer known to most as "Big Steve."


Read more: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/some_democrats_view_njn_takeov.html

It could be payback in other ways. Governor Christie compared the government funding of public broadcasting to the old Soviet Union.


 “In my view, that should have ended with the Soviet Union," he said. "It's ending here in New Jersey a little later than the fall of the wall in Berlin. But we're getting there.”


Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/06/06/njs-christie-compares-public-broadcasting-to-soviet-union-before-announcing/#ixzz1P63rwn53

Budget Cuts For Public Broadcasting In Wisconsin

The Wisconsin State Journal is reporting that Governor Walker is proposing an 8% cut for Public Television and Public Radio in Wisconsin. Because they also receive funding from the UW-Extension, public broadcasting could get a double cut.
"The agency that helps operate public radio and TV, the Educational Communications Board, would lose about 8 percent of its state funding if his proposal is approved. The ECB works in collaboration with groups like UW-Extension, meaning public radio and TV could face more cuts."
Wisconsin is not the only state proposing cuts to public broadcasting. Cuts are on the way in Virginia. Cuts are proposed in Maine. New Jersey is considering cuts.
Stations will need to focus efforts on listener and viewer sensitive income. That is, programming will need to be self-sustaining.

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."

Grants Budget May Get Slashed in Kansas

According to an article in the Wichita Eagle, funding for public broadcasting may get cut by about $900,000 in Kansas. The state Legislature proposed the cuts this past weekend. The amount is more than half the grant money originally set aside for public broadcasting. For station in the more populous eastern Kansas, the cuts represent about a 4% drop in funding. For stations in the rural western part of state, the cuts will be more deeply felt and could all but eliminate local programming.

Those stations traditionally receive more funding because they cover more territory and have fewer             viewers and listeners. Smoky Hill covers 71 counties in Kansas; High Plains, half the state.
"It amounts to 15 percent of our operating budget," said Lynn Meredith, general manager and CEO of Smoky Hills Public Television. "It is going to affect local programming," Meredith said. "We are already running with a fairly slim staff."


 In all cases, stations have about six weeks to figure out how to offset the shortfall before they take effect on July 1.

Budget slashes funds for public broadcasting - Becky Tanner

Cuts for Public TV and Radio

Revenues for state governments continue to decline. For public media, it means cuts in funding. For smaller stations the cuts are deeper. An article in the Duluth News Tribune interviews managers at the local public TV and radio station about what the cuts mean for them. In both cases cuts to local programming. The TV station will probably cut staff. I thought you might find the attached article interesting in light of cuts proposed by other states.