The Vermont Public Television Board adopted new open-meeting requirements Wednesday following two investigations into allegations of more than 20 improperly closed meetings. The investigations by the board’s audit committee and CPB temporarily halted the station’s eligibility to use about $667,000 of its fiscal 2014 Community Service Grant from CPB. The audit committee determined that each of the meetings in question “involved sensitive personnel matters and therefore was properly closed in accordance with CPB’s open meeting requirements.” The board oversees one employee, VPT President John King. The board erred when it did not provide explanations on VPT’s website following each meeting of why the sessions were closed, the committee found.

Two NPR alums are gunning for the afternoon listening sweet spot.

A big education initiative for low-income families comes into sharper focus.

• U.S. Rep. John Dingell, who helped sign the 1967 Public Broadcasting Act into law and remained a staunch supporter of pubcasting, is retiring after a record 58 years in Congress. “I find serving in the House to be obnoxious,” the 88-year-old Michigan Democrat said at a Monday luncheon. “It’s become very hard because of the acrimony and bitterness, both in Congress and in the streets.” • March Madness is approaching quickly, but this bracket competition has nothing to do with basketball. WHYY in Philadelphia is sponsoring PBS vs. NPR: Public Media Madness, which encourages pubmedia fans to vote for their favorite TV and radio personalities.

At Vegas PBS and WHRO in Norfolk, Va., station leaders developed a “strategy of survival” that evolved into an innovative education-based model for public television sustainability.

A significant chunk of the money will be earmarked for Hispanic families.

• WTTW announced a major gift Monday from the family of Renée Crown, board vice chair of licensee Window to the World Communication Inc. (WWCI), and will name its northwest Chicago media center in her honor. The donation celebrates Crown’s birthday as well as her tenure as “an extraordinary trustee and leader” of WWCI since 1981, the station said. It did not reveal the amount of the contribution. • Premiums sure have come a long way. John Kerr, former WGBH development manager, recently ran across this Channel 2-Toy at a friend’s house. The sunny yellow 2-Toy was a gift to donors supporting children’s programs back in the days when Julia Child was pitching for dollars.

And the produce market gets a deal on Sesame Street's brand.

More threats to classical radio.

NPR is laying off 10 staffers in its member partnership and digital services divisions while creating five new positions as part of an internal restructuring. The decisions were made “after consultation with NPR and member station stakeholders” to “more closely align both divisions’ resources,” according to Member Partnership VP Gemma Hooley and Digital Services GM Bob Kempf, who outlined the changes in a memo sent Wednesday to member station A-Reps. The member partnership division will absorb seven of the layoffs. Director Marguerite Nutter’s position will be eliminated, along with those of senior managers Si Sikes, Patricia Cervini and Marc Pultuskier and associates Kristen Hartmann, Jeff Cabiness and Emily Dagger.

The New York–based outlet will add the money to its reserve fund, bringing it to more than $4.5 million.