Quick Takes

Monday roundup: NYC mayor taps POV‘s Lopez, controversial Rogers out at GPB

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• Cynthia Lopez, who has helped shape POV for the past 14 years as its executive vice president and co-executive producer, is the new commissioner of the New York City Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting. The agency markets the city as a prime location for production and assists production companies throughout the five boroughs. Mayor Bill de Blasio announced the appointment at a Friday afternoon press conference, calling Lopez “a remarkable media professional.” He noted that this is the first time the office will be led by a person of color and that Lopez has long been “a force for greater inclusion in this industry.”

Simon Kilmurry, POV executive director, told Current that the appointment is “fantastic for Cynthia, and it’s very exciting for us to have a public media person — and a documentary person — in that job.” He said POV has “a deep bench,” with many experienced candidates in-house. “We’ll take our time to find the right person” as Lopez’s replacement, he added. Watch video of the announcement here:

• Controversial politician Chip Rogers is out at Georgia Public Broadcasting, just over a year after he landed a six-figure job there, reports the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Quick Takes

PBS, NPR compete for Webby Awards in multiple categories

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Websites affiliated with PBS and NPR have been nominated for Webby Awards in more than 20 categories. PBS Video and NPR’s Responsive Design Project are contenders for top recognition for best practices on the Web, one of the most high-profile awards to be presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences later this spring. PBS led public media organizations in garnering the most nominations. PBS Video received a nomination in the general website media streaming category, and The PBS Idea Channel is vying for two Webbys in categories for first-person online film and video and best web personality/host. Additional nominees include PBS Kids Digital, in the youth category, and Shanks FX and PBS Food, nominated in categories of how-to and DIY content.

Quick Takes

Report: New light-rail line causing problems for MPR/APM

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The new Green Line of the Minneapolis-St. Paul light-rail line is beginning to wreak havoc on the studios of American Public Media/Minnesota Public Radio, according to an April 18 Minneapolis Star Tribune report. The new line, which passes in front of APM’s headquarters, starts operating June 16. Metro Transit has begun test runs on the line, and APM claims the shaking and vibrations are interfering with work at its offices. “The floor is vibrating, the ceiling is shaking, the structure is making noise, and that affects the recordings,” Nick Kereakos, chief technology officer and operations vice president for MPR and APM, told the Star Tribune.

System/Policy

Public Media Futures Forum explores impact measurement and analysis

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“Understanding Impact,” a two-day symposium, will explore how public media organizations can measure and analyze the impact of their work. Convened by the Public Media Futures Forum and the Center for Investigative Reporting, the event is taking place at American University in Washington, D.C. Check out the schedule below. Due to technical difficulties, we are unable to offer a live stream of today’s proceedings. Please see CIR’s live blogging page for updates. Schedule
Thursday, April 17

10–10:30 a.m. — Welcome

Ed Beimfohr, Associate Dean, Operations & Strategic Initiatives, American University School of Communication
Mark Fuerst, Director, Public Media Futures Forums
Robert Rosenthal, The Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR)

10:30–11:10 a.m. — CIR case study: Veterans Reporting

Amy Pyle, CIR
Aaron Glatz, CIR
Lindsay Green-Barber, Ph.D., ACLS Public Fellow, CIR

11:20 a.m. – 12 p.m. — A Theory of Community Impact

Amy Shaw, Sr. VP for Community Engagement, KETC/Nine Network, St.

Tech

On new website, Aereo lays out argument for favorable court ruling

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Startup Internet TV service Aereo has launched a website to make its case to the public in advance of a U.S. Supreme Court hearing next week. The court’s ruling after Tuesday’s arguments could make or break the service, which allows subscribers to view and record television broadcast programs online. Broadcasters, including PBS and New York’s WNET, have sued Aereo, claiming the company is violating copyright law by converting broadcast signals to streaming video. Launched Thursday, Aereo’s website, ProtectMyAntenna.org, lays out the company’s case for why it should prevail and provides links to all court filings to date. The case before the Supreme Court, American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., et al., v. Aereo, Inc., stems from a pair of lawsuits brought by noncommercial broadcasters and commercial networks including ABC, CBS and NBC.

Programs/Content

Some see decentralization as salve to Pacifica’s fiscal, leadership woes

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As Pacifica Radio marked its 65th anniversary of broadcasting, foundation and station leaders are talking publicly about governance reforms that involve “decentralizing” control of its five stations. Pacifica National Board Chair Margy Wilkinson, who is battling for control of the Foundation with former executive director Summer Reese, discussed the proposal April 9 on KPFK-FM, the Pacifica station in Los Angeles. “There are real governance issues,” Wilkinson said during an appearance on the KPFK show Truthdig. “I think the way the foundation is put together does not make for a very highly functioning organization.”

Though she didn’t wade into specifics, Wilkinson called for “some decentralization and some greater autonomy at the local stations.”

“I see a role for Pacifica, but I think right now, the way national is functioning is not particularly helpful to the stations,” Wilkinson said. The proposal to reduce Pacifica’s control over local stations has support in Houston, where leaders of Pacifica’s KPFT have called for greater independence.