System/Policy

Judge denies Libertarian candidate’s request to appear on KET program

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A federal judge has rejected an argument that Kentucky Educational Television violated a Libertarian candidate’s First Amendment rights by denying his request to be included in a broadcast featuring two U.S. Senate candidates. David Patterson, along with the state and national Libertarian parties, sued for his inclusion in Monday’s Kentucky Tonight show, where incumbent Republican Mitch McConnell, Senate minority leader, and Democrat Alison Lundergan Grimes, Kentucky secretary of state, will appear. Patterson is the only other candidate whose name will be on the Nov. 6 ballot. KET Executive Director Shae Hopkins praised the ruling, announced Saturday.

System/Policy

Wilson in farewell to NPR: “Thank you for the best six years of my life”

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Kinsey Wilson, NPR’s outgoing chief content officer, sent this farewell email to NPR staff Friday. When I arrived at NPR six years ago, my wife remarked that it was as if I’d finally come home. Here was a place where the journalism I valued was deeply embedded in the culture. And where it was clear that curiosity, innovation and risk-taking could flourish. It was like having the New York Philharmonic and Miles under the same roof.

System/Policy

Public radio organizations weigh in on FCC public file proposal

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A proposal to require noncommercial radio stations to disclose program funders and share other public file records online has prompted widely varying reactions among public and religious broadcasters. In filings with the FCC, Native Public Media, an association representing tribal media organizations, warned that the change would be too burdensome and could lead to the demise of some of its radio stations. American Public Media Group — the largest owner of public radio stations in the U.S. — welcomed greater standards of transparency. Meanwhile, the National Federation of Community Broadcasters staked out a middle ground, proposing an exemption for stations with small staffs. Another major player among noncommercial radio broadcasters, Educational Media Foundation, objected to online disclosure of its stations’ program donors, as did Native Public Media.

System/Policy

CPB funds will go toward helping pubTV execs make spectrum decisions

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CPB will spend $3 million to give public television executives access to expert advice on the upcoming broadcast spectrum auction. The extremely high value of spectrum as appraised by an Oct. 1 FCC report, “Incentive Auction Opportunities for Broadcasters,” created a “considerable amount of confusion” among managers, said Michael Levy, CPB e.v.p. Previous estimates had been much lower. CPB now believes, based on conversations with general managers after the report was released, that “perhaps as many as 50 to 60” of those executives now feel compelled to “revisit their thinking” about whether to participate in the auction, Levy said. The topic generated discussion at a CPB/PBS General Managers Strategy Meeting Monday and Tuesday in Washington, D.C., Levy said.