Looking for the helpers? That’s all of us

YisroelB501/Wikimedia Commons

View of the Los Angeles wildfires from a rooftop in West Hollywood.

Current is proud to partner with Station Resource Group and veteran public media leader Israel Smith to raise funds to help our colleagues affected by the wildfires raging in Los Angeles and environs. Here’s the link where you can donate. Please read on!

These unnatural and destructive disasters — fires, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, tsunamis, storms — are exacerbated by catastrophic climate change. Wildfires are typically started by arsonists or people taking stupid risks in a dry forest or field. They’re also caused by human beings taking unconscionable risks with our planet — from climate deniers in the White House to, perhaps, your own family.

Public media stations in the U.S. employ nearly 20,000 people, though layoffs are shrinking the workforce. A lowball estimate of staff for national pubmedia organizations is 1,500. And then, there are the freelancers, consultants, contractors, filmmakers and podcasters who enrich our field. I see public media as a small town of 22,000-ish people. And Current is the local town crier, the source of news about people and the organizations you work for.

And right now, the hard-working staff of LAist, KCRW, PBS SoCal, KPFK/Pacifica, Classical California, KCSN, KLCS, Marketplace and NPR West are literally feeling the heat. (Apologies if I forgot a station!)

Last year I wrote about the devastating impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton on North Carolina, Florida and elsewhere. I reminded those of us in public media, and informed newbies, that Greater Public used to manage a mutual aid program called “Colleagues Helping Colleagues.” It was a moving expression of how we in public media take responsibility for one another in our small town. Each campaign gave us the chance to walk our talk, show we care and comfort our peers who’ve lost relatives, pets and homes.

Greater Public had to end that program a few years ago when the frequency of climate disasters made sustaining the fund unmanageable. 

Last week I tried to do something about that. I asked American University to allow Current to fundraise for our L.A. colleagues, such as journalists working all hours to get vital information out to their communities and engineers on call 24-7 to keep stations on the air.

While waiting for an answer, I reached out to two public service media organizations for help. The Institute for Nonprofit News offered to collect and distribute the funds, and News Revenue Hub agreed to set up the donation form. Relief was on its way. 

Then Izzi Smith, who works for WBUR and consults with stations through his company Listen Again Tomorrow, told me that he had launched a fundraising campaign with SRG as fiscal sponsor, which is not a cake walk. SRG CEO Bill Davis is the former CEO of LAist. I can’t think about L.A. without thinking about him.

I was jazzed that Izzi asked Current to partner on this effort. Of course, I said yes. So I donated, posted to social media and wrote this column.

In his GoFundMe appeal, Izzi wrote, “Members of the public media community in and around Los Angeles have been devastated by wildfires. They include people we see and hear every day, and people behind the scenes we may never know, but power our collective public service.They have served their communities while their own lives have been thrown into chaos.”

“We often speak of the essential strength of the public media system. NOW is a moment to demonstrate that strength in support of our colleagues in L.A.”

I asked Izzi why he took on this awesome responsibility. “The fires in L.A. are personal for me, and certainly for Bill,” he wrote. “I work with and have had colleagues in the area for decades. … With many folks in crisis, this was how we thought we could help the most people in a meaningful way.” This compassion gives me chills. Give me chills by joining me as a supporter today!

Who will qualify for this mutual aid? Any individual who can show proof of current employment at an L.A. pubmedia station is eligible. The first to apply will get funded, until the funds are exhausted. 

If we are all so terrifically generous that funds are left over, SRG will donate any remaining money to another relief organization working in Southern California. The campaign will stay open at least through January and SRG expects to begin giving out mutual aid towards the end of February.

That’s what’s available to individuals. What about the stations? Where will they get financial support? Perhaps from wealthy Hollywood donors who still have homes. What about CPB?

It’s clearly their job and responsibility to send emergency grants to stations. But, as CPB’s spokesperson told me during the 2024 hurricanes, grants are given only to those who ask for a specific amount for a specific use. That does not include handing out funds directly to individuals, but it could help stations hire freelance reporters to give their journalists a break or bring in backup engineering support from other stations.

CPB has said it makes these grants as quickly as it can, which everyone knows is typically in slo-mo. Are stations required to submit a detailed grant application? Are they expected to provide a similar level of grant reporting as they do for their CSGs and program grants? I’d be surprised if the answers were no. 

In a Jan. 9 press release, CPB President Pat Harrison said, “As the unprecedented wildfires continue to devastate Southern California, our thoughts are with all those affected. Under the most challenging circumstances, local public media stations in the area are providing critical, accurate and lifesaving alerts and local news and information, on air and online, to more than 18 million people. The stations are also providing real-time guides and go-to resources for those facing the immediate threat of the fires

“We are committed to supporting our public media stations and the communities they serve as we navigate this crisis together.” 

It’s important that Harrison reminded everyone that public media staff are first responders, literal lifelines of vital information to their communities. But I don’t think that the statement goes far enough. It should be longer and deeper than the 89 words attributed to Pat Harrison, words that don’t sound like they came out of her mouth but instead were carefully crafted by a team of message makers. I honestly expect more from the mayor of our small town.

I’ve personally known many who’ve worked at CPB; some of these relationships go back to the 1980s. In my decade at Current, I have closely observed CPB in action and inaction. In my heart I believe that everyone at our “private corporation” deserves our gratitude for bringing their talent, time and spirit to public media’s survival. The events in SoCal are about survival, too.

The wildfire should be the first thing you see when you visit cpb.org. Obviously, this public media emergency should take precedence over the required regular announcements of a CPB Board meeting … that nobody attends. It’s more urgent than a new animated series coming to PBS Kids eight months from now

While CPB’s website is aimed at the public, I suspect that it’s mostly people in our small town who drop by. Many more than listeners, viewers or critics of public funding.

CPB should also be more explicit with all of us and the public about the specific support they have typically provided to federally funded stations. And say their names: LAist, KPFK, PBS SoCal, and so on.

Finally, may I be so bold as to suggest that the leaders and stewards of our beloved public media system should join this urgent campaign by personally donating to this common cause. There’s no good reason not to. As our stations say on air during fund drives: “Every dollar counts!”

10 thoughts on “Looking for the helpers? That’s all of us

  1. Thank you, Julie and Team Current, for this article. Izzi deserves all the credit for getting this off the ground and SRG’s Liz Beebe deserves all the credit for managing all the back-end administrative details. Thanks to everyone who has already contributed—and to those who will contribute as a result of reading your article!

    • THANK YOU, Bill for taking on the complicated task of arranging to be a fiscal sponsor. It’s a bigger deal than most people know. 🙏🏽

      Given your decades as a public media leader, laser focused on audience engagement and authentic community service, I am saddened that our friends and colleagues and stations in LA are suffering, overworked, fearful, exhausted and traumatized. These disasters have years of implications for all who are touched by these wildfires.

      And I am truly impressed by they ways our radio and TV stations and CalMatters are cooperating by co-publishing all of each other’s news content. I discovered that when I visited all LA+ stations sites. It was truly moving to me. That’s ground-breaking reminder that we’re all in this together, and that competition is last century and can no longer apply in this media landscape.

      Bill, I hope none of your family, friends, comrades, funders and former colleagues are all okay. This is a fast moving fire and a fast moving story. While working unpaid overtime, separated from their own families, I’m certain that some of your people have had their lives upended by this equal-opportunity force of destruction. 💔

      May all of your people be alive, well, and finding the emotional and practical support they need in this crisis. And may all get what they need in the weeks and years down the line. 🤞🏼

      Fondly,
      Julie

  2. I’m glad that Izzy and Bill’s project is getting this attention. And while CPB (like any large organization) can always improve, I can tell you that the implication from this article is incorrect on its face. At least it has been for us at Blue Ridge Public Radio. Within days after Helene we were in touch with CPB. Here are the facts: They were lightening quick. Our Dir of Donor Engagement (Development) was coached through a fast grant submission process. We tested various items that we thought could and should be funded, and mostly what we got was “yes”. BPR received funds within a few weeks of the storm. We were still in “figure it out” mode, and already had a yes, and funds on the way! In addition there were no unreasonable reporting demands, and no laundry list of to dos. It seems that the author above didn’t do their homework. We’re discussing more post-storm economic implications for our region with CPB right now, and what that might mean for different types of news reporting and what costs might be incurred for that coverage. CPB isn’t forgetting about Blue Ridge Public Radio even now four months later! I’d like to encourage my brothers and sisters in the biz, to be in touch with CPB and have a dialogue. They’ll listen. And the shot at Pat Harrison for sending out a release written by “message makers” feels like there’s some kind of agenda from Current. What’s up with that? Frankly, I don’t care what’s on the front page of the CPB website. As long as they’re listening, and supporting what we’re doing in the immediate aftermath of the worst disaster in Western North Carolina history…that’s all I care about. With 125,000 homes damaged and destroyed, we know the region will be in recovery for a long time, and we’re grateful for the support not only of CPB but from program suppliers, other public radio stations, industry colleagues, and mostly from our long-time supporters and donors. As my pal Bill Davis often closes….”my two cents, your mileage may vary”. – Tim Roesler, Interim CEO and GM – Blue Ridge Public Radio

    • Tim! Thank you for sharing your experience at BPR. You are one of our most loyal readers and, I think, a regular, provocative commenter. It must have been hell for you moving to becoming the interim CEO at the exact time the hurricane decimated the tight-knit community of Asheville and other parts of North Carolina. You didn’t really know your staff. I don’t know if you already lived in Asheville, but if not, you’ve certainly learned a lot about it by now.

      I am so relieved to learn from you that BPR got help with its application for funds, which was clearly needed in that time of crisis. I can tell you strongly believe that my commentary was off the mark, uninformed and unfair for many reasons. It clearly sounds that receiving emergency aid three weeks after the storm was acceptable to you. I question that still, and you’ll read why later on in my comments. No doubt that is a quick turnaround for CPB.

      Current doesn’t get a dime from CPB (believe it or not, most people I meet, including longtime pubmedia leaders, think we do!) They do pay for a subscription for board members and senior staff (not all staff as many stations do)..

      I have been involved in writing CPB grants and grant reports at a few of the organizations where I’ve worked over 40 years in the field, and I know my experience is shared by others. The difference is that I’m willing to air the laundry in public, when practically nobody takes the risk to do so. It’s to a good idea to bite the hand that feeds you. Offering substantive critique of our institutions and ideas to make in better is in my job description.

      Back to BPR, as I wrote in my column after the floods, “This is the test of the emergency broadcast system” opined that our stations are our first responders. Our peers and colleagues across the country are our second responders. And CPB comes in third. I was, frankly, surprised when CPB told me that it took three weeks to provide relief. With the Red Cross and federal and state governments and often World Central Kitchen hop to and provide on-the-ground immediate relief, so, in my opinion, CPB should do better. You clearly don’t agree with me on that.

      I think someone from CPB headquarters should parachute in like other relief agencies, see the station and community first-hand. Not sure if that happens or has happened. Tim, I’m not trying to shame anyone there, including Pat Harrison who is a shero to many, including me. Where would our system be without her savvy and commitment to launch initiatives that engage and attempt to heal and unite our country and communities as public media is charged to do both nationally and locally? We’d be lost..

      I’ve had many dear friends who’ve been at CPB over the years. And I’ve heard from them what goes on there when it comes to grant making and responding to crises – perceived and real. I’m sure some others know the system know about that too. And I firmly believe that leadership at CPB acts in public media’s best interest some of the time, and sometimes a little late to the game. It’s a federal bureaucracy and few bureaucracies are as nimble as our stations must be nowadays.

      I’m so very happy to learn that CPB has pledged to be with you for the long run and recover from unnatural disasters can take years. I wish you and everyone at BPR all my best.

      Most sincerely,
      Julie

      • Julie; I didn’t mean to be provocative, only supportive of CPB’s actions in my experience. That’s not controversial. That experience is station-side, where we simply assess what’s needed in the moment. Won’t speak for others, but in my career, the stations I’ve been with always have emergency continuity plans, even the smallest stations (staff of 10 for example). Those stations, barring a downed tower, can almost always survive an immediate local disaster by working their plan. While your wish to have CPB on the ground within a day might be helpful, it may in fact be inefficient. Why? Because stations are working the emergency plan, which includes assessment. Only after the immediate assessment period can most orgs make use of outside help, and gather a coherent list of needs. To have CPB emergency funding within 10 days (our experience) was perfect. Others may differ, but let’s agree that station teams have the best view of what’s needed in their particular situation. CPB recognizes that.

        • Hi Tim,
          Once again, I thank you engaging with me on this topic. I hadn’t realized that stations often have a plan for weather emergencies. It makes sense given the frequency these incidents are happening. The floods in Asheville were certainly a surprise and it’s good to know that BPR already had a strategy in place to keep its service going (and, perhaps ramp it up) in the worst of times. That’s when public radio is a literal lifeline for their community, reaching loyal listeners and those who may be tuning it for the first time.

          Your experience is that CPB was there for you and I applaud that.

          I hope that more stations do think through how to handle crises like this. CPB and stations like yours could probably be very helpful to smaller stations that may not already have a plan in place.

  3. On December 10, 2021, Kentucky faced historic devastation from tornadoes. In Bowling Green, we had immense damage and loss of life. Employees of our station, our university, and members of our community lost everything. WKU Public Media stations were off the air. Engineers couldn’t even reach our facilities. This was repeated in other areas of our state. It was tragic, deadly, and traumatizing. Our friends at Murray State University (WKMS) shared our troubles except the devastation there was far greater.

    Our system reached out immediately. My dear friends at KBTC in Tacoma, WA, sent us television encoders so that we could begin some return-to-air planning. Many of our colleagues reached out to provide potential solutions to our ongoing challenges. I have never felt more a part of a public broadcasting family than during that tragedy. Less than a week after this event, our family at CPB provided a solution too. It couldn’t have come at a better time.

    We were concerned about things like housing for employees, restoring electricity, IT infrastructure, and returning to air. We were all in the moment. CPB contacted us. They provided immediate assistance (effective the day of the disaster) to help where we needed it most, the storytelling. The contract for that grant was executed by December 17, 2021. I will never forget that email and how it affected our staff. They felt seen and heard. It was a remarkable proactive move on the part of CPB. Three licensees, that I know of, received immediate assistance. WKYU (WKU), WKMS (Murray State University), and WFPL (Louisville Public Media). I’m fairly certain that there were others but these are the ones that I can document.

    Living in that moment was extremely difficult. Everyone in our operation needed something. Some requests were simple, some weren’t. CPB provided funds that were immediately useful for salaries for our storytellers and any supplemental content that we needed. Appropriately, it allowed us to redirect areas of content staff so that no single member experienced excessive amounts of trauma. That money allowed us to dedicate efforts to our mission, while freeing up money for other urgent needs. There was no waiting, no hesitation, and no delays. It was immediate.

    This wasn’t a competitive RFP CPB grant; it was for an emergent need. CPB reached out to us during our initial recovery week on December 15, 2021. We had an executed grant signed by December 17, 2021. The money was effective on the date of the disaster, December 10, 2021.

    There was no delay, no application, and no extensive grant reporting. I simply provided an email summary of activities at my convenience once the funds were exhausted. In short, your surprise answer is ‘no’.

    I can’t speak to what is happening in California, I can only relay my recent experience. I’d float the idea that CPB is probably already in touch with many of the stations you listed. I’d add that they probably are providing assistance beyond the aspects of storytelling. My caution is in the rush to judgement related to disaster assistance. We were all terrified of improperly receiving or using funds from any source. Stations, like we were, are most likely still sifting through actual needs assessment and what will be covered by other sources. They are also probably having difficulty receiving quotes to even represent the cost of some very specific items.

    I applaud you for speaking out on these issues for all of us. Disasters like this are traumatizing in unimaginable ways. Station leadership are dealing with losses well beyond the scope of imagination. Even in this context, it is a system that I miss being part of every single day.

  4. I want to echo my positive experience with CPB during the Southern California wildfires – As Southern California faced one of the most challenging moments in our history, CPB’s support to keep our signal on the air and help public broadcasting partners across SoCal join together to provide a source of daily information, resources and news for our affected communities and beyond was essential, underscoring CPB’s vital role in helping stations offer critical public safety information. They reached out immediately and have been working hard to support our work in the region.

    • Hello, Tamara. So many stations and their people have been and continue to be affected by the wildfires. That’s why Current signed on to a GoFundMe to give public media people an outlet for supporting their colleagues in crisis. Readers can support that effort here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/donate-to-la-public-media-fire-victims

      I am very impressed and moved by how stations in LA collaborated to get vital information our to their communities. When I went to their websites, I noticed how each posted the same stories so that more people in LA could find out what’s going and what they can do to help themselves and others. Each station responded swiftly and smartly to the needs if the community. The coordination and cooperation between them is a model for others moving forward. It sounds like CPB was instrumental in supporting the stations’ engagement with each other.

      I want to point out that CPB did an excellent job this week with its piece capturing the power of that joint effort. I hope it’s read widely as it’s a source of inspiration to those of us in the system and will be to anyone visiting the CPB website. If you haven’t already seen it, you can find it here: https://cpb.org/spotlight/Southern-California-Public-Media-Stations-Collaborate-Provide-Trusted-Life-Saving.

      Best wishes,
      Julie

  5. Thanks all for elevating this effort and the broader discussion.

    The response has been remarkable. So far, we’ve raised enough to offer support to more than 50 colleagues affected by the wildfires.

    Donations will stay open through COB on Friday. If you can donate, we sure hope you will. Thanks again.

    https://gofund.me/098a54cb

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