System/Policy
Chicago Public Media announces buyouts
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CPM CEO Melissa Bell called the decision “proactive.”
CapRadio alleges theft in lawsuit against former GM Jun Reina
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The lawsuit against Reina and other unknown defendants seeks at least $900,000 in damages.
People
Chacón fills new content position at WBUR, OPB hires new engineering v.p., and more . . .
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WBUR-FM in Boston has hired Richard Chacón as executive director of news content, and promoted Tom Melville to news director.
Chacón takes a newly created position with responsibility for managing all local news content produced for radio and the web.
Journalism
Stations continue StateImpact without NPR
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NPR provided training and support to 17 participating stations, but has dropped plans to expand StateImpact to all 50 states.
Programs/Content
Unscathed by tornado, Oklahoma pubcasters band together to report, assist with relief
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Oklahoma has a small but tight-knit pubcasting community, so covering the massive May 20 tornado and its aftermath required everyone on the team to cover for each other.
Quick Takes
WNET hopes cheeky fake ads generate real contributions
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Have you heard about that crazy new reality TV show, Knitting Wars? WNET in New York City is using that fake title and others to make a point, and, it hopes, score a lot of donations. The New York Times reports that the station is running an ad campaign touting titles including, Bad Bad Bagboys, Bayou Eskimos, The Dillionaire and Married to a Mime. Next to an ad for the fake program is a real pitch: “The fact you thought this was a real show says a lot about the state of TV. Support quality programming.
Spectrum speculator LocusPoint and KCSM licensee reach FCC auction deal
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The contract paves the way for public TV station KCSM to go dark if a wireless company buys its broadcast spectrum.
Programs/Content
Sesame Workshop and Ape Entertainment release first-ever Sesame Street comic book
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Sesame Workshop and Ape Entertainment released the first comic book featuring the cast of Sesame Street May 4, to coincide with national Free Comic Book Day.
Programs/Content
PBS Digital Studios further expands web video output
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PBS Digital Studios is expanding its web video output with three new YouTube series: Deep Prep, UnderH2O and Short of the Week.
Programs/Content
NJTV will air new six-part American Songbook series this fall
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New Jersey Television and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) of Newark are partnering on a new six-part cabaret music television series, American Songbook at NJPAC, to debut on NJTV and WNET this fall. The series will be produced from two live performance sessions at the center to be taped in June. Performers include Tom Wopat, Valerie Simpson, Rebecca Luker and Maude Maggart, and the duos Sandy Stewart and Bill Charlap and Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley. Each will perform 40-minute sets and sit for a Q&A session. NJPAC will donate proceeds of ticket sales to the Actors Fund, which assists professionals in performing arts and entertainment.
Programs/Content
With a $60K grant, Futuro Media Group asks: “News or Noise?”
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Using a $60,000 grant from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, the Futuro Media Group has added a segment to its NPR-distributed program Latino USA encouraging critical thinking about news coverage.
Quick Takes
Julian Dawkins, shuttle driver for PBS NewsHour, fatally shot in Virginia
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Julian Dawkins, the shuttle driver for PBS NewsHour’s Arlington, Va. employees, was fatally shot the night of May 21 in Alexandria, Va., by an off-duty deputy sheriff. He was 22.