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One Person's Opinion On Government Funding For Public Broadcasting

M

Mark_Giardina

Guest
Having worked at a NPR affiliate for many years a lot of people would be surprised to hear me say that I'm in total agreement that government funding should be reduced or eliminated entirely to public broadcasting stations.

It's not because I dislike public broadcasting; I happen to think they do a great job when it comes to a number of programs like The American Experience, NOVA, the gardening and food programs and This Old House.

Even when I participated in local pledge drives, I expressed numerous times to listeners that it’s the PUBLIC that makes public broadcasting work. And if more people who listen or watch public broadcasting would contribute, then PBS/NPR affiliates wouldn’t have this ‘Sword of Damocles” hanging over their heads every few years worrying about government funding.


One of the disturbing things I discovered when working for public broadcasting is the salaries and especially the perks paid to top executives. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge anyone from making an honest living. But please don’t cry for me Argentina during every pledge break that your station is broke and Big Bird will be homeless when the GM makes more than the governor and is given a fully-loaded SUV every two years. Someone making over $250,000 a year and works for a non-profit agency can certainly afford to buy his or her own car and the gasoline to run it.

Some executives at NPR/PBS affiliates know that eventually the government troth will run dry. So before that happens they are preparing now by being ahead of the game by selling more underwriting and redesigning their pledge drives to make them shorter, but stressing the point of audience participation.

I’ve said if before and I will say it again. How many of these newspaper editorial writers and supporters of public broadcasting actually donate to their local NPR/PBS affiliate?

Senator Markey of Massachusetts recently said he had a million signatures to keep government funding for public broadcasting. So if those million people gave a dollar a day for an entire year, that would total $365 million dollars; almost twice as much as a Congressional committee wanted to cut from CPB’s funding.

It might not have made AFI’s famous quotes from movies, or maybe it did I don’t know, but the saying goes “Show me the money”!




<P ID="signature">______________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them".</P>
 
"""""""""""""""...............It might not have made AFI’s famous quotes from movies, or maybe it did I don’t know, but the saying goes “Show me the money”!

>
couldn't say it better. always Good posts, valid points. Yesterday, a friend was answering phones at our local PBS..giving up a Sunday, for "The Cause."

My question is why?

The answer is so the fat cats get fatter.

Yes the probramming on am, fm, and tv is fine and serves a purpose. The top feeders do not.

The whole operation needs seriuos re-vamping.
 
Public Questions

I have a couple of questions regarding Public Broadcasting...

1. Who sets the pay scales for executives? WHY are top brass making so much money?

2. Why is it so difficult for people with commercial broadcasting experience to get into the public broadcasting sector? It seems that their experience is actually a negative, not a positive. Yet it also seems that those people who are able break into public broadcasting excel in that field.
 
Re: Public Questions

> I have a couple of questions regarding Public
> Broadcasting...
> > 1. Who sets the pay scales for executives? WHY are top brass
> making so much money?



The Board of Directors normally set the pay scale for the President and CEO. If you go to www.guidestar.org you can find out how much money the top five wage earners at your public broadcasting operation makes. Those documents are suppose to be up-to-date, but you will find, in some cases, the figures are a few years old.
That information might not include some of the hidden perks that top executives get. For example a new vehicle every few years or something else, depending on the agreement worked out ahead of time between the Board of Directors and the CEO/President.


>
> 2. Why is it so difficult for people with commercial
> broadcasting experience to get into the public broadcasting
> sector? It seems that their experience is actually a
> negative, not a positive. Yet it also seems that those
> people who are able break into public broadcasting excel in
> that field.
>

I would guess that the pay scale has a lot to do with it. I didn't have any problem going from commercial to public radio when I joined WXXI in 1990. The truth is I actually was able to expand my reporting abilities because I had more time to work on stories.

While public broadcasting operations might pay less than a commercial operation, I will say that there are "perks" to working for a public broadcasting operation. For example during my 14 years at WXXI, the station contributed 7% to a fantastic retirement program. I put in another 8% out of my own paycheck. Medical benefits I am not sure of since I decided to go with my wife's at the University of Rochester.
Every holiday I had to work a four hour shift I got to take a full 8 hours off on another day. After three years I got four weeks vacation. After 10 years it was five weeks.

There also appears to be more job security at public broadcasting operations. Perhaps that is because public broadcasting stations, especially radio, depend more on local product like news and talk shows versus most commercial operations where local talent goes away after 9 am to make way for Otto Mation.

<P ID="signature">______________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them".</P>
 
Re: Public Questions

> 2. Why is it so difficult for people with commercial
> broadcasting experience to get into the public broadcasting
> sector? It seems that their experience is actually a
> negative, not a positive. Yet it also seems that those
> people who are able break into public broadcasting excel in
> that field.
>

Every person, except one, working at WNED-AM has extensive commercial experience.

(Ranney, Leitner, Anson, Phillips, Caya, Berryman...etc.)
 
Re: Public Questions

> > 2. Why is it so difficult for people with commercial
> > broadcasting experience to get into the public
> broadcasting
> > sector? It seems that their experience is actually a
> > negative, not a positive. Yet it also seems that those
> > people who are able break into public broadcasting excel
> in
> > that field.
> >
>
> Every person, except one, working at WNED-AM has extensive
> commercial experience.
>
> (Ranney, Leitner, Anson, Phillips, Caya, Berryman...etc.)
>
Similar situation at WXXI. If anything, the resistance is in the other direction, with commercial broadcasters regarding their public brethren with scorn.
 
Re: Public Questions

> 2. Why is it so difficult for people with commercial
> broadcasting experience to get into the public broadcasting
> sector? It seems that their experience is actually a
> negative, not a positive. Yet it also seems that those
> people who are able break into public broadcasting excel in
> that field.

At WBFO, Eileen Buckley, Bert Gambini, Doug Blakely, Debbie Sims, Christopher Jamele, Jim Santella, Gabe DiMaio and I (that's nearly all of our on-air staff) have commercial radio experience. Admittedly, I have the least, having worked at WMNS in Olean 25 years ago. Please know, Rox, that there is a trend nationwide of former commercial radio news people being hired by public radio stations, because public radio is expanding its local news coverage while commercial stations are cutting back. So, public radio is where the jobs are when it comes to news. I've always seen commercial experience as a positive. Sure, there's a different style in public radio, but all that takes is a little training.

As for your question about salaries, there is no entity that sets them. As with anything, I suppose the salaries are based on the competitive marketplace. If you want to attract a talented executive to your shop -- whether you're a not-for-profit hospital, school district, zoo or public broadcasting outlet -- you're going to have to pay for them. I must admit that executive pay scales in public broadcasting are outside my realm of expertise. But I wanted to answer your question. This is just my informed opinion. Yet, I do know for a fact that there is no salary setting entity.
 
> One of the disturbing things I discovered when working for
> public broadcasting is the salaries and especially the perks
> paid to top executives. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge
> anyone from making an honest living. But please don’t cry
> for me Argentina during every pledge break that your station
> is broke and Big Bird will be homeless when the GM makes
> more than the governor and is given a fully-loaded SUV every
> two years. Someone making over $250,000 a year and works for
> a non-profit agency can certainly afford to buy his or her
> own car and the gasoline to run it.

It's amazing that one executive at one local public broadcasting outfit makes more than the entire budget of another one.

Last time I got a request to pledge because of a $200,000 shortfall, I printed out the page from guidestar.org, circled the top executive's annual salary, and wrote that it would be a good place to start. Until that organization starts to tighten its belt -- in the RIGHT places -- I won't be a contributor.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by JazzEd on 06/28/05 12:39 AM.</FONT></P>
 
Thank you all

Thank you all for your responses. I'm aware that a large proportion of the news staffs in Buffalo public radio are former commercial broadcasters. As you have all pointed out, public broadcasting has picked up the slack as commercial broadcasters have abandoned news programming.

I guess I was thinking more of the management levels than the troops in the trenches. Who's on the Board of Directors? How are they selected? Are they compensated? What qualifications are required? How is the public involved in the process?

I realize that some of these answers may be found at WNED.org, but the website seems to be down this morning.
 
> One of the disturbing things I discovered when working for
> public broadcasting is the salaries and especially the perks
> paid to top executives. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t begrudge
> anyone from making an honest living. But please don’t cry
> for me Argentina during every pledge break that your station
> is broke and Big Bird will be homeless when the GM makes
> more than the governor and is given a fully-loaded SUV every
> two years. Someone making over $250,000 a year and works for
> a non-profit agency can certainly afford to buy his or her
> own car and the gasoline to run it.

As I've said before, I haven't given a penny to local public broadcasting since I visited their HQ. They clearly don't need my money after that tour around the building. I am president of a non-profit group that has more than 500 local organizations online (Rochester Free-Net/GGW). I don't take a penny in salary, and the fees we charge ($60/yr) covers our costs and socks some away so that we can invest in necessary upgrades, cover emergency expenses, etc.

When we are looking for furniture or office stuff we do what many small businesses do - we go to Sam's Club. We don't ring up Lauer's or some local furniture store and either spend our valuable dollars or beg for donated goodies. We don't have a board room that is worthy of Paychex, and if some top dollar donor wanted to give us money, we'd be spending it on important things. Sure I understand write-off style contributions and how items can end up being donated to an organization. WXXI understands it too - it's called the WXXI Auction.

If we decide we need to work on an important project, our decision factor is not influenced on whether we can get grant money for it or not. If it's important, we'll find the money or fund raise. We won't use those scare public dollars on paying outrageous salaries to people who often get hired on how much money they can generate.

There is nothing wrong with paying a salary for work done. I don't expect anyone to work a full time job for free. But I expect that salaries paid be conscious of the budgetary situation, and that the employees beneath you not be shafted or pushed out the door whenever money gets tight while your salary stays the same or increases.

All it takes is one scandal. Ask the United Way about their corporate jet or the Red Cross about their top executive perks program. The public never forgets. I won't contribute a penny to these organizations either - not until the board that approved these kinds of things is history and the leadership that accepted them is out on their ear.

If I was a top executive at WXXI and got a gas guzzing SUV (apparently these people don't watch their own programming to discover what a great idea those things are), before I declared a funding emergency, I'd be eBay'ing the SUV and putting those proceeds in the pot. But as I've learned so often over the years, these people care more about themselves than the mission, and overnight programming will be axed, programs canceled, lower staff out on their ears before one top dollar coaster or plush chair from the board room gets sold off to raise money.

> I’ve said if before and I will say it again. How many of
> these newspaper editorial writers and supporters of public
> broadcasting actually donate to their local NPR/PBS
> affiliate?

My family is close to one of the former VPs at WXXI. They keep the local press on the speed dial, assured that they can order up a press story (especially in the D&C) largely on demand. All they have to do is recite what they want in the story and ta-da, there it is. There is never any questioning - they just write down the talking points and they show up in the paper a few days later. Since public broadcasting still has the veneer of being innocent and pure (I'm surprised some conservative media hasn't staked out some public broadcasting HQ and filmed these SUVs and examined how much money goes where), who could possibly be against it.

I believe in public broadcasting and support the concept, but not in its current form. There is no reason why Lawrence Welk reruns should ever run on public television. Further, its programming is far less instructional these days and far more elitist. I grew up with Crockett's Victory Garden, which started in the late 70s on public TV. They built a garden in the WGBH parking lot (I actually visited it on a trip to Boston). They taught people how to garden. Great show. When Bob Crockett passed away, Bob Thomson took over. He did landscape gardening shows, teaching people how to deal with the big picture of their yards, take on projects, etc. Great show.

But by the early 90s, those backyard projects began being replaced by elitist travelogue pieces. Instead of learning how to sod a lawn, we get tours of Scottish castles. It only got worse. The instructional part is gone and we now have something that could be done on The Travel Channel. Total garbage. No wonder people complain that public broadcasting is redundant. In many cases, IT IS.

Public broadcasting should ask itself - how does this program represent the disenfranchised listener or viewer. Is it already available on cable or broadcast. Is this show more about raising pledge dollars or serving the real public interest.

Que Pasa? Not a whole freakin' lot anymore.
 
Re: Public Questions

> I have a couple of questions regarding Public
> Broadcasting...
>
> 1. Who sets the pay scales for executives? WHY are top brass
> making so much money?

The Board of Directors set the salaries for top management. Why so much? Salaries are usually based on what other operations pay, so it's a self-feeding cycle. Salaries are high because salaries are high.

>
> 2. Why is it so difficult for people with commercial
> broadcasting experience to get into the public broadcasting
> sector? It seems that their experience is actually a
> negative, not a positive. Yet it also seems that those
> people who are able break into public broadcasting excel in
> that field.

I'm surprised to hear that many in Buffalo public radio come from the commercial sector. I have definitely seen a prejudice by public broadcasters against people who work in commercial radio. They seem to feel that your judgement is sullied if you did radio for money elsewhere.

One funny note: You are talking about salaries for top managers in Public Broadcasting. I chuckle when I talk to the lover level folks who work at NPR-affiliates who say they are poorly paid. It's not that they get paid much, it's that their job title is something like "assistant copy editor for Show X," and they get a full-time salary for this! And there are 10 or 15 similar people in the building!

I point out that in commercial radio, one person does several jobs, and there is no such person as an "assistant copy editor of anything" unless they are an unpaid intern.

PTR
 
Re: Public Questions

>> The Board of Directors set the salaries for top management.
> Why so much? Salaries are usually based on what other
> operations pay, so it's a self-feeding cycle. Salaries are
> high because salaries are high.
>

( Response) In Rochester the CEO and President appoints the Board of Directors. So you can guess why his salary is way over 6 figures, along with the perks he gets.

>
> I'm surprised to hear that many in Buffalo public radio come
> from the commercial sector. I have definitely seen a
> prejudice by public broadcasters against people who work in
> commercial radio. They seem to feel that your judgement is
> sullied if you did radio for money elsewhere.

( Response) As I mentioned in a previous post, I never experienced that, even though at the time I had 16 years of experience in commercial radio. And let's face facts. There just not that many news jobs in commercial radio as their were when I started out years ago. Public radio is going to get their news people either from other public stations, or in the case here in Rochester, right out of college (My replacement)

>
> One funny note: You are talking about salaries for top
> managers in Public Broadcasting. I chuckle when I talk to
> the lover level folks who work at NPR-affiliates who say
> they are poorly paid. It's not that they get paid much,
> it's that their job title is something like "assistant copy
> editor for Show X," and they get a full-time salary for
> this! And there are 10 or 15 similar people in the
> building!
>
> I point out that in commercial radio, one person does
> several jobs, and there is no such person as an "assistant
> copy editor of anything" unless they are an unpaid intern.
>
>
( Response) I can attest to the fact that I did a number of jobs during my stint at WXXI. Besides gathering, writing and anchoring news on the radio, I also made sure our web page was updated, plus TV had me on the air from time to time doing reports for them. So I wore many hats but got paid nothing extra. So its not just in commercial radio where a person wears many hats.
<P ID="signature">______________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them".</P>
 
Re: Public Questions

>
> One funny note: You are talking about salaries for top
> managers in Public Broadcasting. I chuckle when I talk to
> the lover level folks who work at NPR-affiliates who say
> they are poorly paid. It's not that they get paid much,
> it's that their job title is something like "assistant copy
> editor for Show X," and they get a full-time salary for
> this! And there are 10 or 15 similar people in the
> building!

I have been involved in Public Radio for over 30 years now, and have never even heard of an assistant copy editor, let alone having 10 or 15 of them in the building.
I'm afraid that you have bought into the great urban legend that we are awash in money. I will not comment about upper level salaries; other than to say that I don't have one.
In my building our morning & afternoon anchors are alone much of the time, no one around to assist with copy, interviews, tapings, phones or anything else.
I can't imagine that my friends at WBFO are knee deep in extra people either.

So, if you going to enjoy a condescending chuckle....at least get it right.
 
Re: Public Questions

You're right, Al! Here at WBFO, we are woefully understaffed for the news coverage we try to provide. I'm not complaining. But I wanted to reinforce your message that no one at WBFO, or at any other public station like ours, simply edits copy. Now, Promo, if you're talking about network level shows, that's different. But we're talking NETWORK! Yes, the NPR News magazines, if you listen to the program credits, have many people working on shows. But that's as it should be. We're talking about radio's premier news network.
 
Re: Public Questions

> You're right, Al! Here at WBFO, we are woefully
> understaffed for the news coverage we try to provide. I'm
> not complaining. But I wanted to reinforce your message
> that no one at WBFO, or at any other public station like
> ours, simply edits copy. Now, Promo, if you're talking
> about network level shows, that's different. But we're
> talking NETWORK! Yes, the NPR News magazines, if you listen
> to the program credits, have many people working on shows.
> But that's as it should be. We're talking about radio's
> premier news network.
>

I don't want to identify which NPR outlet I speak of, but it's a large network group. Sorry to hear about WBFO, but don't assume WBFO represents all public radio stations either.

PTR
 
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