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CPB to cease operations

ted chittenden said:
I'm wondering if, as a short-term budget fix, KGNU is looking to sell KGNU-AM in Denver.
Click to expand...
Honestly, I don’t think anyone else would want it. It’s a class D station. The nighttime signal barely reaches my location, which is very much in the city of Denver proper.

The FM has an upgrade in process that will also affect the FM translator in Denver, which should provide better FM reception in Denver. But progress on that front appears to have been slow.
 
DaveBayArea said:
I doubt it. They do a very cool think with that AM. It has what is technically a fill-in translator on 88.5. But 88.5 is also the frequency of their FM station in Boulder. So the two simulcasted signals on 88.5 cover the market quite well. At least that was my experience when I was there. @Mark Roberts can probably shed more light on that.

Dave B.
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Dave, you’re referring to CPs that haven’t yet been built, or are in the process of being built. The Denver FM translator is still at 99.1. That translator is on Lookout Mountain; most translators on Lookout run out of gas east of downtown, which is also where I happen to be. The CP would move that translator to a downtown tower, which should improve matters for most of the area.

The AM is fine for the AM and PM drive informational programming (which, on FM, is carried in mono) but not so satisfactory for the daily “sound alternative” programming or musical speciality shows. The AM’s nighttime coverage also is not so great for me. For example, KOTA, Rapid City, SD, at 1380, is pretty much a regular here at night, with no difficulty in receiving it.

Edit: By the way, 1390 was at one time KFML, the remnant of a legendary progressive-rock FM station. KFML’s program director (Ira Gordon) went on to be the longtime PD of KBAC in Santa Fe, NM.
 
DaveBayArea said:
Interesting. I was listening all over the place on 88.5. Thought I was hearing both signals. Thanks for the update.

Dave B.
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By the way, something's just a little weird right now. KUAD from up north was coming in quite well on 99.1 then suddenly blanked out. The Denver translator could have been off the air for a while. But, as I type this, there's no actual program material. The main 88.5 channel seems to be back to normal after having been at reduced power starting on September 6.

(I'd love to have an outdoor antenna here, which would pretty much guarantee reception of anything from the northern Front Range, but lightning is a real threat here and I'm not willing to risk it.)

Edit: At 6:30 pm, KUAD's back. Ooops...four minutes later it's off again. I'll stop with the Earwitness News updates from Weld County now.
 
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One of the pieces of business involved in the shutdown of CPB is the control of the public radio satellite distribution system. NPR has been operating the system with a grant from CPB. Now, CPB wants the satellite system run by a consortium of public radio companies that doesn't include NPR.

www.opb.org

NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting clash as federal funding declines

NPR asked a federal judge to block CPB from awarding a $57.9 million grant to a new consortium of public media institutions to operate the satellite that connects the public radio system.
www.opb.org www.opb.org

Somewhat related is that earlier this year, NPR announced it was developing a terrestrial distribution system:

www.insideaudiomarketing.com

NPR Unveils New Terrestrial Delivery Platform To Modernize Public Radio Distribution.

NPR is making a major move to upgrade how public radio content gets delivered nationwide. The network announced the development of a new terrestrial distribution platform to enhance live broadcast delivery and transform how its programming reaches stations.The initiative is being led by NPR...
www.insideaudiomarketing.com www.insideaudiomarketing.com
 
Here is another version of the CPB story that ignores the NPR lawsuit.

www.insideradio.com

Public Media Organizations Unite To Chart Next Era For Public Radio.

Five leading U.S. public media organizations have formed a coalition to help local public media stations nationwide meet the demands of a shifting landscape as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
www.insideradio.com www.insideradio.com

My take on this story is: The stations run NPR, not the other way around. It's been that way since the last funding crisis in 1984. Back then, the stations took control of the NPR satellite distribution system. They own it, not NPR. They designated NPR as the operator, and CPB has funded that operation. CPB extended that commitment in May. Then the latest funding crisis happened. Under this new arrangement, this new consortium will operate the satellite distribution system, and the money originally given to NPR will be instead given to this consortium.

NPR is suing, saying the money was granted to them. There will be a hearing tomorrow. Tomorrow is also the end of the fiscal year, and on Wednesday, CPB will "cease operations." So tomorrow's hearing is important. I expect the judge will not grant the stay, and the consortium will take over operations.

The other outstanding issue in the CPB shutdown is public radio's representation for music royalties. It wouldn't surprise me if this new group was designated as the representative for public radio negotiations.
 
CPB held a public board meeting Monday, and mentioned the NPR lawsuit.

During a CPB board meeting Monday, CEO Patricia Harrison said Public Media Infrastructure’s proposal better met CPB’s requirements, including for governance and sustainability. “For decades, CPB chose to fund NPR’s Public Radio Satellite System, PRSS, to fulfill this role,” Harrison said. “But that was always a grant-making decision. It was never a statutory mandate.”

CPB General Counsel Evan Slavitt told the board he would discuss the details of NPR’s action in executive session but called it “unfounded, inappropriate and premature” during the public part of the meeting.
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current.org

CPB pushes back on NPR request for restraining order

NPR’s legal action over the future of public radio content distribution was “unfounded, inappropriate and premature,” said CPB’s general counsel.
current.org current.org
 
The action by NPR is unseemly. They have no entitlement to continue to administer the system. The issue highlights why so many think so poorly of NPR.
 
umfan said:
The action by NPR is unseemly. They have no entitlement to continue to administer the system. The issue highlights why so many think so poorly of NPR.
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Keep in mind that they built the system. It's in their building. Also, when someone grants you money, doesn't that imply some kind of entitlement?

About

www.nprdistribution.org www.nprdistribution.org

However, under current circumstances, any delivery of any money from CPB to NPR would attract attention. Even when it was previously granted.
 
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On Tuesday, a judge granted NPR a one month restraining order against CPB.

www.law360.com

NPR Fights CPB's $30M Grant Shift In Court - Law360

A federal judge got assurances from Corporation for Public Broadcasting lawyers Tuesday that it won't commit $30 million to a new National Public Radio alternative for managing the public radio satellite system for at least the next month as he considers a motion from NPR for an injunction...
www.law360.com www.law360.com
 
TheBigA said:
On Tuesday, a judge granted NPR a one month restraining order against CPB.

www.law360.com

NPR Fights CPB's $30M Grant Shift In Court - Law360

A federal judge got assurances from Corporation for Public Broadcasting lawyers Tuesday that it won't commit $30 million to a new National Public Radio alternative for managing the public radio satellite system for at least the next month as he considers a motion from NPR for an injunction...
www.law360.com www.law360.com
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Maybe the article gets at this (it requires you sign up to read it), but the question that immediately crossed my mind after the judge's ruling was: Who will be representing the CPB at the end of next month after the entity no longer exists.
 
ted chittenden said:
Maybe the article gets at this (it requires you sign up to read it), but the question that immediately crossed my mind after the judge's ruling was: Who will be representing the CPB at the end of next month after the entity no longer exists.
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CPB already said they will keep a skeleton staff around for loose ends. This is one of them.

The entity still exists. It just won't receive any more government money. They didn't repeal the public broadcasting act.
 
TheBigA said:
Keep in mind that they built the system. It's in their building. Also, when someone grants you money, doesn't that imply some kind of entitlement?

About

www.nprdistribution.org www.nprdistribution.org

However, under current circumstances, any delivery of any money from CPB to NPR would attract attention. Even when it was previously granted.
Click to expand...
They built the system under contract. They don't own it. No, it doesn't imply any entitlement. CPB owns it and is trying to take the action most appropriate for the remaining public radio stations to have the most efficient and cost effective distribution infrastructure.
 


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