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KCET Lay Offs

C

Carmine5

At an all-station meeting yesterday (7/27), KCET staffers were told that 13 employees are being laid off. This is in addition to the 12 that were laid off in June 2009. At that time those who were not let go were forced to take either a 3-11% pay cut or were furloughed.

http://currentpublicmedia.blogspot.com/2010/07/kcet-lays-off-13.htm

Time to open your hearts and wallets, folks, next time they go 'begging for dollars'.

Actually I have to wonder if the days of PBS are past. There are good alternatives on cable and online, government has been slashing CPB funding and many corporations who at one time underwrote PBS shows have dropped the them.

Frankly, with a few exceptions, I have not been impressed with KCET's programming lately. I mean when California Gold and Huell Howser gets a prime time slot, can the end for KCET be close behind? c5
 
I don't think it's "the end"... PBS has some good programming, but the problem is - premium and even basic cable has taken the lead in producing impressive dramatic programming. Viewers no longer need PBS for that. And it's worth noting that PBS never did produce that fine dramatic programming, they generally imported it from England.

I live in San Francisco, where KQED-TV has an advantage over KCET because the TV station's status is propped up by the immense popularity of NPR programming on KQED radio. With the new Arbitron PPM radio rating systems, KQED radio generally finishes in the Top 5. They also produce a few good local programs that add to the NPR stable.

At least in the Bay Area, NPR is the tail that wags the (PBS) dog.
 
Lkeller said:
I don't think it's "the end"... PBS has some good programming, but the problem is - premium and even basic cable has taken the lead in producing impressive dramatic programming. Viewers no longer need PBS for that. And it's worth noting that PBS never did produce that fine dramatic programming, they generally imported it from England.

I live in San Francisco, where KQED-TV has an advantage over KCET because the TV station's status is propped up by the immense popularity of NPR programming on KQED radio. With the new Arbitron PPM radio rating systems, KQED radio generally finishes in the Top 5. They also produce a few good local programs that add to the NPR stable.

At least in the Bay Area, NPR is the tail that wags the (PBS) dog.
Click to expand...

Well, San Francisco is a different kind of market. I mean when your #1-rated radio station is AM news (KCBS-AM) and classical music is still within the top 10 (#8 KDFC), we're talking a generally well educated demographic.

So it doesn't surprise that KQED (TV and radio) still has 'game' in its market.

There was a time when KCET programming was more eclectic such as foreign movies on a Saturday night followed by a jazz concert. Now it's Lawrence Welk, a travelog and some earnest but badly done documentaries from local film students. Not much appointment or DVR-worthy viewing there.
 
While I am a big Huell fan, I have to agree with you. PBS' best days are gone! These days it seems like the KCET programming is a whole lot of almost continuous pledge drives and repeats of same ol'-same ol' . Very few exciting or truly different programming any more.


Carmine5 said:
At an all-station meeting yesterday (7/27), KCET staffers were told that 13 employees are being laid off. This is in addition to the 12 that were laid off in June 2009. At that time those who were not let go were forced to take either a 3-11% pay cut or were furloughed.

http://currentpublicmedia.blogspot.com/2010/07/kcet-lays-off-13.htm

Time to open your hearts and wallets, folks, next time they go 'begging for dollars'.

Actually I have to wonder if the days of PBS are past. There are good alternatives on cable and online, government has been slashing CPB funding and many corporations who at one time underwrote PBS shows have dropped the them.

Frankly, with a few exceptions, I have not been impressed with KCET's programming lately. I mean when California Gold and Huell Howser gets a prime time slot, can the end for KCET be close behind? c5
Click to expand...
 
Here is an article from yesterday's LA Times outlining the whole sorry mess that KCET is in.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-onthemedia-20100804,0,7977146.column

And here is today's follow up in which PBS head, Paula Kerger, is working with KCET to keep it a PBS station.

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-quick-20100805,0,7791924.story

If I were president of KCET, my first act would be to slash the salaries of the top brass (including my own). There are eight executives at the station making over 200K a year. In this day of high unemployment you can get equal or better managerial talent for half that. I would also hire more grant writers. These are as much a necessity for non-profit organizations as professional fund raisers. Then I would overhaul KCET's programming and definitely take Huell out of prime time. c5

c5
 
What is with the LA Times war against them? One solid week of negative articles...let them alone Trib Corp! We know they are in bad shape, but you don't need to dig the grave
 
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