PBS CEO Warns That Federal Cuts will Sink Some Stations

[c172]

PBS CEO Warns That Federal Cuts will Sink Some Stations


BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - The chief executive for PBS is sounding the alarm about public broadcasting's future if federal funding is axed.

CEO Paula Kerger said Sunday that public TV stations heavily dependent on federal funds couldn't survive without it, including in rural or underserved areas.

Kerger acknowledged there have previous efforts to cut federal support for public broadcasting. But she said the latest one is occurring in a period of extraordinary events.

President Donald Trump has called for an end to federal funds for PBS and National Public Radio.

Kerger told a TV critics' meeting Saturday that she can make the case for the role PBS plays in American lives. But she said it's crucial that viewers let their congressional representatives know what it means to them.

Well, yeah. No, duh. 

I'm not sure how I feel. I am a big NPRhead. It's my main radio jam. And I felt similarly about PBS, when I was a kid. That was early '80's. Since then, I have watched PBS all of once, and that was this year, and I forgot why I wanted to watch it. 

But for me, the vibe had changed. At least on my local affiliate, those old 15-second advert spots that were done by the announcer (who had almost an NPR voice) have been replaced by full fledged commercials, a la CBS, NBC and the like. 

Deep down, I know that PBS has always been unduly influenced by Big Corporate, but now it's in your face.

I do feel like a good government should have a mandate for educational media, but I sort of prefer the old days.

[Minimalist]

I'll take it over the FOX FUX any day.

[vorlon13]

Is OTA TV dying regardless ??

How many houses in your neighbor hood have a TV antenna on the roof ??

Instead of pulling the plug on some stations, perhaps PBS needs to be looking at pulling the plug on all stations and look at a cheaper internet based delivery vehicle.

BTW, for independent documentaries and probably quite a bit of other content, is PBS an unnecessary middleman ?? What's stopping indies from going directly from their final edit to online distribution ??

What ever administrative burden PBS is imposing could instead be funding more content. Seems like we need more exposes these days as it is and eliminating bottlenecks in the distribution stream might vex the very people who we need to see exposed the most.

[brewer]

All I know is that they better not cut Sewing with Nancy!

[vorlon13]

I bought the instant read thermometer they use on Cook's Country.

Tough to pony up $70 for a food thermometer, but damn, it is a really good thermometer.  Hardly used my old crappy one (it never stabilized on a reading) and I use the new one all the time.

Thermapen:

[KevinM1]

If any TV entity can (and should) embrace going online, it's PBS. They have decades' worth of still relevant educational programming in their vault. New Masterpiece series could be released in a binge watch format. Same with imports like The Great British Baking Show. Even the News Hour could be streamed.

Moreover, isn't the vast majority of non-imported PBS programming centrally produced anyway? I know that in the past that local stations had a fair amount of unique programming (Bob Ross' show started at the Municie, Indiana station, for example), but it seems like most of it is just standardized programming. I think my local station has maybe one or two NH-focused shows a week.

It sucks that people are going to lose their jobs, but it really seems like a cut of Federal funds will merely hasten what was bound to happen anyway. They really should've been transitioning to online-only about five years ago.

[Jackalope]

Re: the subject

This is of course not an unintended consequence.

I expect public radio and television are going to find a way to weather this, as shitty as it is.

[Minimalist]

If any TV entity can (and should) embrace going online, it's PBS.

The places most impacted will be ( like health care ) rural parts of states.  Of course unlike health care I doubt PBS pulls in big ratings for Limey shit like Poldark or Sciency stuff like Nova.  Those redneck bastards are watching Hee-Haw and Lawrence Welk re-runs.  With maybe the Beverly Hillbillies thrown in for good measure.  Live streaming would probably get more to their core audience.

[The Grand Nudger]

Is OTA TV dying regardless ??

How many houses in your neighbor hood have a TV antenna on the roof ??

Instead of pulling the plug on some stations, perhaps PBS needs to be looking at pulling the plug on all stations and look at  a cheaper internet based delivery vehicle.

BTW, for independent documentaries and probably quite a bit of other content, is PBS an unnecessary  middleman ??  What's stopping indies from going directly from their final edit to online distribution ??

What ever administrative burden PBS is imposing could instead be funding more content.  Seems like we need more exposes these days as it is and eliminating bottlenecks in the distribution stream might vex the very people who we need to see exposed the most.

That's against the very -idea- of public television.  Public television is TV that's free...and until people can get free internet, that means over the air.  

If any TV entity can (and should) embrace going online, it's PBS.  They have decades' worth of still relevant educational programming in their vault.  New Masterpiece series could be released in a binge watch format.  Same with imports like The Great British Baking Show.  Even the News Hour could be streamed.

Moreover, isn't the vast majority of non-imported PBS programming centrally produced anyway?  I know that in the past that local stations had a fair amount of unique programming (Bob Ross' show started at the Municie, Indiana station, for example), but it seems like most of it is just standardized programming.  I think my local station has maybe one or two NH-focused shows a week.

It sucks that people are going to lose their jobs, but it really seems like a cut of Federal funds will merely hasten what was bound to happen anyway.  They really should've been transitioning to online-only about five years ago.

I watch all mah PBSes online. They were onboard before HBO and Netflix were............if NOVA wasn't still booming through my house I don't know what I'd do, that shit is the fabric of my childhood, lol. We can't get cable -or- an over the air signal where I'm at. My silo is one of the repeaters for the whole county's wifi. Costs us a shitload for non-LOS service (granted, I need a t1 feeding me NOAA and EPA access to work), but it;s worth it, and it makes life better for the families out here who wouldn't have access otherwise. Some of you yall need to keep in mind that you can't get the internet -or- a digital signal everywhere.

[Silver]

No one really watches PBS anyway.