Quick Takes

Pacifica roiled in a dispute over KPFK

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Reporting by the Los Angeles Times on rancor within KPFK, Pacifica’s Los Angeles station, prompted this response from Pacifica Executive Director Greg Guma, posted on Rolas de Aztlan. During its recent board meeting, the Pacifica National Board endorsed a resolution expressing appreciation for the “innovative leadership” of KPFK General Manager Eva Georgia [posted under Guma’s letter], and Guma spoke publicly about the dispute. “Pacifica is being defamed and threatened by a small group who see it as an easy target,” Guma said, according to a statement posted on Rolas de Aztlan. “This represents a cynical, organized attempt to intimidate Pacifica, to undermine its finances, to spread disinformation . .

Quick Takes

PRTQ tests finalists’ interview skills

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For Round 3 of the Public Radio Talent Quest, the seven remaining contestants conducted and sat for pubradio-style interviews. Listen, vote and comment on their latest work by clicking on the pictures or names posted here.

Quick Takes

KPBS producer laments loss of local shows

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Pat Finn, producer of Full Focus, the local weekday public affairs show produced by KPBS-TV in San Diego, laments the station’s recent decision to pull the plug in this editorial. KPBS is also canceling A Way With Words, its local radio show focused on language; the move eliminated 12 staff positions associated with the two programs. While both shows had some success in the past, Doug Myrland, g.m., said in a statement, “trends indicate their future potential for audience and revenue growth is minimal.”

Quick Takes

CPB gives MPR emergency grant to fund bridge coverage

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CPB just gave Minnesota Public Radio an emergency $25,000 grant “for costs related to coverage of the collapse of the interstate bridge in Minneapolis last night,” the corporation reports. MPR has provided continuing, multiplatform coverage of the catastrophe since it happened at 6:05 p.m. central, Wednesday (timeline).

Quick Takes

It’s got a pulse

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Like Vermont Public Radio’s new weekdaily Vermont Edition, the program’s theme has a bit of the unexpected, the network says. In the MP3 of the theme, you’ll hear the usual insistent throb of newscast themes going back to the early BJ-Leiderzoic Era, but this one sounds more like James Brown’s pulse instead of James Lehrer’s. Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, based in Vermont, did the theme. That’s Grace on organ. VPR launches the noon newscast Aug.

Quick Takes

New blog covers Colorado public media

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Critics of Colorado Public Radio recently launched the Colorado Public Radio blog, which aims to cover all public and community stations in the state but applies special scrutiny to the Denver-based network of NPR news and classical music stations. Frances Koncilja, a former CPR board member who resigned this spring and publicly complained about a lack of transparency and inclusion at CPR, contributes to the blog.

Quick Takes

Elmo, Big Bird and other toys recalled

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More than a million Chinese-made Mattel/Fisher-Price products, including Sesame Street character toys, are being recalled because their paint may contain toxic levels of lead, Bloomberg and other media reported. The 83 designs are listed on the Consumer Product Safety Commission website. Sesame Workshop said it “will develop more stringent procedures” to hold licensees to safety standards. The products had been sold since May, Mattel’s news release said. Pictured: one of the Sesame Street character toys on the CPSC website.

Quick Takes

WYPR “darn close” to blanketing Maryland

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Baltimore’s WYPR will extend its service to Maryland’s Eastern shore with the pending purchase of WRXS in Ocean City, a top-40 commercial station broadcasting on 106.9 FM. “The idea is for WYPR to be heard across the state of Maryland,” said Andrew Bienstock, WYPR p.d., in today’s Baltimore Sun. The expansion “brings us darn close.” FCC approval of the acquisition is expected next month. Later in the fall, the Baltimore station will boost its signal to 15,500 watts and begin broadcasting a separate program stream in high-definition.

Quick Takes

What next for Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal?

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Media analysts and writers forecast what will happen now that Rupert Murdoch has succeeded in his quest to buy the Wall Street Journal. Richard Siklos reports in the New York Times that Murdoch will likely go after his newspaper and the Financial Times by “aggressively undercutting advertising and investing heavily in editorial content–particularly in Washington and international news.” Poynter Online’s Rick Edmonds also predicts an expansion of the Journal’s Washington bureau, and not as many defections among the Journal’s editorial staff as many would expect. The special committee created to preserve the Journal’s editorial independence “won’t amount to much,” Edmonds writes.

Quick Takes

National Archives cuts DVD deal with Amazon

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The National Archives announced a non-exclusive agreement to sell digital copies of its historic films on Amazon.com. The first DVDs, a collection of newsreels from the 1950s and 60s, went on sale July 16. The Washington Post contrasted the Archives’ agreement with the Smithsonian’s controversial contract with Showtime, the premium cable network.