Quick Takes

Harcourt exits to “build some equity for myself”

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Nic Harcourt, KCRW’s eclectic music tastemaker for 10 years, will leave the Santa Monica, Calif., station later this month. “It’s not the politician’s thing, like, ‘Oh, I’m spending more time with my kids’,” Harcourt told the Los Angeles Times [scroll down]. “The bottom line is I’ve been in public radio for 10 years, and regardless of how great my job is, I make public radio money, and I have two 5 year-olds. I have to think about their future … I’m going to busy.

Quick Takes

Inquirer questions compensation for WHYY chief

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WHYY in Philadelphia distinguishes itself among public broadcasting outlets for excessive compensation of its chief executive, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported yesterday. Citing the latest tax filing for Philly’s major pubcasting outlet, the Inquirer reported that President and CEO William Marrazzo’s total compensation of $740,090 in 2007 included $415,993 in salary, $317,240 in benefits and $6,857 in expenses. “Marrazzo’s total outstripped that of chief executives at WNET and WGBH, with five and six times WHYY’s revenues,” the Inquirer reported. “It also exceeded the compensation of the heads of the Public Broadcasting System and National Public Radio, networks that serve stations countrywide.” Board Chairman Jerry Sweeney told the Inquirer that Marrazzo’s compensation is tied to performance and necessary to retain him as top executive.

Programs/Content

Vocalo.org shakes up Chicago airwaves with unconventional radio format

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The afternoon team at Chicago’s newest noncommercial radio station is on the air, talking crime and punishment. Most public radio shows would steer a conversation about the city police force along a course charted by producers well in advance and predictably typecast with expert pontificators. Not Vocalo.org. Host-producer Robin Amer shares news of a personnel change in the Chicago police, a nugget fresh from the website of the Chicago Sun-Times. Co-hosts Dan Weissman and Luis Perez grill her for details from the just-published bulletins in front of her.

Quick Takes

Christopherson resigns as NJN director

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New Jersey’s state-owned NJN network confirmed yesterday that Elizabeth Christopherson, executive director for 14 years, will leave the job Dec. 1. She told the NJN staff in a memo on Monday. Spokeswoman Ronnie Weyl said the director has a new job, yet to be announced. Christopherson has not won state leaders’ support for NJN’s proposal to become an independent nonprofit.

Quick Takes

Analog signals: Another one bites the dust

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The University of Michigan’s WFUM-TV in Flint, Mich., is the latest of a growing number of pubTV stations to plan an early turnoff of analog broadcasting. WFUM will turn off both its analog and digital transmitters Nov. 19 for three days while Thomson technicians move the DTV signal generators into its Channel 28 transmitter. The analog will stay off. On Nov.