SPONSORED

query

The U.S. public wants more news coverage of climate change, surveys find

As hurricanes, floods, wildfires, and heat waves have intensified over the past decade, public concern about climate change has grown dramatically. Today, 65% of the U.S. public is worried about the issue, up from 52% a decade ago, according to nationally representative surveys conducted by scientists at Yale University and George Mason University.

System/Policy

Engelhardt: Change to Pacifica’s governance must come from outside

By |

I have been following the recent events of the Pacifica radio network with great interest and even greater concern — even sadness. I am reading far too much misinformation — a thousand sparks, a million splinters, far too much “me-me-me,” no “we.”

I was the Executive Director of Pacifica before the latest appointee, Summer Reese. Though I had years of experience in radio in various capacities, I came to Pacifica as an outsider, and it is from that perspective, as an outsider turned insider, that I am writing. Pacifica is not only failing, it is nearly moribund. The most recent episode unfortunately illustrates this point only too well.

System/Policy

Faction of Pacifica board sues to reinstate fired director

By |

Nine members of the Pacifica Foundation’s board of directors opposing last month’s firing of executive director Summer Reese filed a lawsuit Thursday asking the court to void the action and reinstate her. Calling themselves the Pacifica Board Members for Good Governance, the group filed a civil lawsuit in the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda. According to the lawsuit, Reese’s March 14 firing violated Pacifica’s bylaws and was “improper, unlawful and fiscally reckless.”

Named in the lawsuit are the board members who voted for Reese’s removal, including Chairwoman Margy Wilkinson and Vice Chairman Tony Norman. The lawsuit does not seek monetary damages, only the overturning of the board’s decision and the immediate reinstatement of Reese. The Pacifica board voted in executive session to dismiss Reese, who was appointed permanent executive director of the network last November after holding the job on an interim basis.

Quick Takes

Monday roundup: WDET screens doc featuring Radiolab host; Poynter chats with NPR’s Memmott

By |

• Detroit’s WDET-FM staged the New York premiere Friday of The Pleasure of Sound, a documentary featuring Radiolab’s Jad Abumrad. In the short film, shot in Detroit in 2013, Abumrad and musician Matthew Dear discuss music and creativity. WDET will launch a crowdfunding campaign to cover distribution costs for the film in May and plans to distribute the documentary free to interested community organizations and pubmedia stations for screenings. The Pleasure of Sound previously screened in Detroit as part of a fall 2013 installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art. • NPR appointed Mark Memmott as its new standards and practices editor Thursday. Memmott is the founder of the Two-Way breaking-news blog and co-author of NPR’s 2012 ethics handbook.

System/Policy

Republicans’ proposed budget would zero out CPB funding

By |

Though its chances of advancing in Congress are considered slim, the proposed budget put forth this week by House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan would zero out funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Ryan said in the budget document released Tuesday that federal subsidies for CPB and the National Endowment for the Humanities could “no longer be justified.”

“The activities and content funded by these agencies go beyond the core mission of the federal government,” the document reads. “These agencies can raise funds from private-sector patrons, which will also free them from any risk of political interference.”

The proposed budget does not stipulate whether the zeroed-out funding would apply to the already appropriated two-year funding cycle, or whether it would be implemented after the forward-funded cycle. Patrick Butler, president of the Association of Public Television Stations, said the proposal was expected. Ryan’s staffers told Butler a few weeks ago that the proposed budget would include zeroed-out funding.

Quick Takes

Kansas pubcasters join forces in newsroom for regional collaboration

By |

Kansas City pubcasters KCUR-FM and KCPT-TV announced Thursday that they will embark on a plan for their journalists to collaborate, starting with a focus on covering health and agriculture. The pubcasters described the agreement as a collaboration rather than a merger. It will pool resources to deliver stronger reporting. “Both organizations have similar missions focused on public service and both have similar audiences of people who are active and engaged in the community,” KCPT CEO Kliff Kuehl said in a statement. “KCPT and KCUR have unique assets that are additive, rather than competitive, and therefore work together exceedingly well.”

The collaboration is expected to start this spring.

Programs/Content

PRI adds variety to program slate with acquisition of Live Wire

By |

Public Radio International is adding the Portland, Ore.–based variety show Live Wire to its programming lineup, the distributor announced Monday. Live Wire, which bills itself as “radio variety for the ADD generation,” is independently produced and currently airs on 48 stations nationwide. PRI will take over distribution of the weekly show beginning July 1, the same day it ends distribution of its widest carried program, This American Life. “Since we started the show we were hoping to gain the attention of a national distributor,” said Robyn Tenenbaum, Live Wire co-creator and e.p. The program launched in 2004 and shops itself to stations with the help of digital distribution tools from Public Radio Exchange. Though representatives from NPR and American Public Media were “aware of us” and NPR programming VP Eric Nuzum attended a taping, PRI was the first distributor to make an offer, Tenenbaum said.

Quick Takes

Friday roundup: Gender diversity on NewsHour; nonprofits win IRE Awards

By |

• The Women’s Media Center, an advocacy group for women in media, has released a report about gender inequality in media. It found that on TV news, men still report the majority of news — even on PBS’s NewsHour, which features two women as co-anchors. WMC found that 57 percent of news on the NewsHour is still reported by men, despite the show’s appointment of Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff as co-anchors in August 2013. The study reviewed reports made between Oct. 1 and Dec.

People

King departs Vermont Public Television after months of turmoil

By |

Vermont Public Television and its president, John King, “parted ways” Wednesday, according to a statement from the VPT Board. King’s departure follows months of tumult at the Colchester-based community licensee over his relationship with the board. “VPT is very grateful for John King’s many years of service to VPT and the public television industry,” said Pam Mackenzie, VPT board chair, in the statement.  “We wish him nothing but the best in his future endeavors.”

King declined comment to Current. He joined VPT in 1987 as chief financial officer and rose to president in 1998. Charlie Smith, a Vermont business consultant and former state executive, took over Wednesday as interim president and c.e.o. for the next six months.