I'm reading that WMFE-TV in Orlando is about to become the latest PBS station to drop its affiliation because of the high cost of programming dues. They pay $1 million a year. KCET in LA dropped their affiliation a couple months ago for the same reason, and is now selling their state-of-the-art production facility. It makes me wonder if the PBS model is broken. I haven't read of any similar stories for NPR stations. Then again, we know radio costs a whole lot less than TV. Or maybe it's the people running these stations lack the imagination to make adjustments or change gears when the going gets tough.
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PBS Dues Too High?
- Thread starter TheBigA
- Start date
I can't speak as to whether PBS's dues are "too high" or not, or whether the system is "broken". But there's a fundamental difference between PBS and NPR. Both distribute programming from member stations out to the whole affiliate network, but NPR generates a substantial amount of its own content for distribution. AFAIK, PBS doesn't generate any content; it is solely a distribution network.
That kind of difference means you can't really compare NPR's and PBS's funding systems; it's apples and oranges.
It's also radio and TV...the rise of niche cable channels has been devastating to PBS. No longer are they the sole bastion of edgy, original, intelligent programming on TV like they were back in the 90's. One could argue they're not even in the running when you compare them to AMC, FX, USA, HBO, Showtime, etc.
NPR, on the other hand, has carved itself a hefty "niche" as the sole bastion of honest, original, intelligent programming on the radio. So far nobody's been able to create any alternative distribution path that's beaten the old standbys of AM and FM; although the internet will eventually surpass AM & FM as a content distribution method, that day is still decades away due to capacity/infrastructure issues that few people appreciate.
That kind of difference means you can't really compare NPR's and PBS's funding systems; it's apples and oranges.
It's also radio and TV...the rise of niche cable channels has been devastating to PBS. No longer are they the sole bastion of edgy, original, intelligent programming on TV like they were back in the 90's. One could argue they're not even in the running when you compare them to AMC, FX, USA, HBO, Showtime, etc.
NPR, on the other hand, has carved itself a hefty "niche" as the sole bastion of honest, original, intelligent programming on the radio. So far nobody's been able to create any alternative distribution path that's beaten the old standbys of AM and FM; although the internet will eventually surpass AM & FM as a content distribution method, that day is still decades away due to capacity/infrastructure issues that few people appreciate.
Re: Intelligent other radio
I take issue with the characterization that NPR is the only bastion of honest, original and intelligent radio. Salem radio has a number of hosts that fit the bill. Most notably, DENNIS PRAGER's show is a jewel in broadcasting. Tuesdays in his third hour he has "The Ultimate Issues Hour", which is often a philosophy show covering, as he says, "the big issues of life". Friday during the second hour, he has "The Happiness Hour", which discusses the importance of happiness, being happy and the value of pretending to be happy even when you are not so as to make things better for the people around you. Mr. Prager is a "poster-man" for "Honest, Original and Intelligent". "Morning In America" with Bill Bennett is another brain-food show, although I find it a bit dull. Michael Medved is unique in being very welcoming to callers who disagree with him. When talking about original, he has the occasional, and very entertaining, "Conspiracy Day", when he takes calls on any number of conspiracies, and then usually knocks them down.
I take issue with the characterization that NPR is the only bastion of honest, original and intelligent radio. Salem radio has a number of hosts that fit the bill. Most notably, DENNIS PRAGER's show is a jewel in broadcasting. Tuesdays in his third hour he has "The Ultimate Issues Hour", which is often a philosophy show covering, as he says, "the big issues of life". Friday during the second hour, he has "The Happiness Hour", which discusses the importance of happiness, being happy and the value of pretending to be happy even when you are not so as to make things better for the people around you. Mr. Prager is a "poster-man" for "Honest, Original and Intelligent". "Morning In America" with Bill Bennett is another brain-food show, although I find it a bit dull. Michael Medved is unique in being very welcoming to callers who disagree with him. When talking about original, he has the occasional, and very entertaining, "Conspiracy Day", when he takes calls on any number of conspiracies, and then usually knocks them down.
Re: Intelligent other radio
Help me see the light here. There are those of us who portray NPR as being non-partisan, centrist, honest, and other attributes of that nature. We seem to find that our friends on the right see anyone who does not take their side as being leftist... thus NPR gets branded as The Liberal Bastion by many. There are those of us who can point you toward poster-child examples of what liberal means, and thus, in our mind, fortify the claim that NPR is the bastion of honest, original and intelligent radio.
Now, maybe I am guilty of also having a warped view of where the dividing line is between left, center and right. So help me see the light.
In my mind there is NO WAY you can carve Salem Broadcasting off the big chunk of beef known as conservative and right wing. Praeger I am less familiar with but I don't know how you can define Bennett and Medved as anything but conservative and right wing. Maybe they are HONEST right wingers. (By that "damn them with faint praise" statement I obviously am making the point that much of conservative and right wing broadcasting will have a hard time earning the privilege of wearing a Boy Scout badge for "honest" if I am passing out the awards.
And I must hasten to point out that liberals and left wing thinking is not well represented on the dial at the national level with honest, original and intelligent radio either.
Here is what little I know about Praeger: I had never heard of him until almost a decade ago when a religious group I participate in issued a call for some equity in the Israeli vs. Palestinian issues. And here we are this week with the same issue in the headlines. Praeger came out with verbal guns ablaze because he is Jewish and appropriately had a very Jewish parochial view of what is fair and just in the Israeli vs Palestinian struggles. And it became obvious as the better known conservative voices embraced and came to the defense of Praeger that "He Are One of Them". Convince me we should place him in the same league as NPR when it comes to being an honest broker of how we should view and interpret world events and national politics.
johnbasalla said:I take issue with the characterization that NPR is the only bastion of honest, original and intelligent radio. Salem radio has a number of hosts that fit the bill.
Help me see the light here. There are those of us who portray NPR as being non-partisan, centrist, honest, and other attributes of that nature. We seem to find that our friends on the right see anyone who does not take their side as being leftist... thus NPR gets branded as The Liberal Bastion by many. There are those of us who can point you toward poster-child examples of what liberal means, and thus, in our mind, fortify the claim that NPR is the bastion of honest, original and intelligent radio.
Now, maybe I am guilty of also having a warped view of where the dividing line is between left, center and right. So help me see the light.
In my mind there is NO WAY you can carve Salem Broadcasting off the big chunk of beef known as conservative and right wing. Praeger I am less familiar with but I don't know how you can define Bennett and Medved as anything but conservative and right wing. Maybe they are HONEST right wingers. (By that "damn them with faint praise" statement I obviously am making the point that much of conservative and right wing broadcasting will have a hard time earning the privilege of wearing a Boy Scout badge for "honest" if I am passing out the awards.
And I must hasten to point out that liberals and left wing thinking is not well represented on the dial at the national level with honest, original and intelligent radio either.
Here is what little I know about Praeger: I had never heard of him until almost a decade ago when a religious group I participate in issued a call for some equity in the Israeli vs. Palestinian issues. And here we are this week with the same issue in the headlines. Praeger came out with verbal guns ablaze because he is Jewish and appropriately had a very Jewish parochial view of what is fair and just in the Israeli vs Palestinian struggles. And it became obvious as the better known conservative voices embraced and came to the defense of Praeger that "He Are One of Them". Convince me we should place him in the same league as NPR when it comes to being an honest broker of how we should view and interpret world events and national politics.
Keep in mind that NPR is a company, not a talk show. They do hourly newscasts that are as straight as Associated Press. Their flagship longform shows, All Things Considered and Morning Edition, are radio versions of 60 Minutes. But they also do a few daily talk shows, like Talk Of The Nation. Because they're more host-oriented than the other products, the talk shows tend to take on the personality of the host. But the characterizations of NPR as having a political agenda is as useful as saying Disney has a political agenda.
Today, (Monday 05-23-11) Dennis Prager is talking at lenght about the Middle East issue. He is conservative, and fair. He gave high marks to the President for his speech dealing with the issue. The main sticking point is the 1967 border. Additionally, he supports and defends his positions with well thought out commentary and facts. Please listen to him at least a few times before passing judgement. In fact, I would suggest that if NPR wants a deep thinking, fair-minded conservative that fits within the image they wish to project, and to provide balance to their commentary broadcasts, they should hire Dennis Prager! Bennett and Medved are conservative but each, in his own way, has differing opinions aired. This makes for good radio as "Ditto-heads" can be boring. You are correct, that Salem, as a company, is conservative. The BIG difference is that, as the local station in my area says, they have "more intelligent talk".
Salem is a commercial company. The programming on Salem-owned stations is entertainment designed to make money for Salem. The hosts of their programs are not journalists, they are entertainers with opinions designed to increase ratings and increase ad revenue.
Salem is not comparable to NPR, which is a program producer that supplies programming to non-commercial stations. NPR does not own any stations.
If you enjoy Dennis Prager, bully for you. But to compare what he does to All Things Considered or Morning Edition is silly. Different planets, dude!
Salem is not comparable to NPR, which is a program producer that supplies programming to non-commercial stations. NPR does not own any stations.
If you enjoy Dennis Prager, bully for you. But to compare what he does to All Things Considered or Morning Edition is silly. Different planets, dude!
The issue I was dealing with was not that Salem programming and NPR programming were similar, but the idea that public radio is the only place to find "honest, intelligent and original" programming... Well, that is simply not true. I used some Salem hosts as an example, although there are others. As for the "entertainment" only angle, I would, once again, suggest that you listen to "The Dennis Prager Show" before passing judgement. He is quite sophisticated. His mature and cogent presentation stand out.
Further, the problem with "Bill Bennett's Morning In America" is precisely the lack of entertainment value. He could use some.
Further, the problem with "Bill Bennett's Morning In America" is precisely the lack of entertainment value. He could use some.
I have listened to "The Dennis Prager Show" many times over the years. He is an entertainer, and a talk show host, and not a journalist. He is paid to push his opinions as facts. But they are just his opinions.
Like I said, whatever floats your boat, if he comforts you in your viewpoint.
All of this bloviating about Dennis Prager has nothing to do with Public Radio or PBS.
Like I said, whatever floats your boat, if he comforts you in your viewpoint.
All of this bloviating about Dennis Prager has nothing to do with Public Radio or PBS.
I never said that "The Dennis Prager Show" had anything to do with public radio or PBS. I share him as an example of intelligent, original and honest radio, outside of the NPR/public radio bubble. I respectfully disagree about calling Dennis Prager an entertainer first. He's very committed to sharing his world view and takes his talk show very seriously. Mature and philosophical are two words I would use to describe his show. Being a journalist or not being a journalist isn't a qualifier or disqualifier for someone to be a talk show host. As I said before, if NPR wants a true, well spoken, respectful conservative to help provide good balance to their talk show and opinion line-up, Dennis Prager would be a great choice.
johnbasalla said:As I said before, if NPR wants a true, well spoken, respectful conservative to help provide good balance to their talk show and opinion line-up, Dennis Prager would be a great choice.
OK, if "balance" means having two or more people with different opinions, so why don't you request that Dennis Praeger also balance his program with someone with a different viewpoint?
I'll bet he will tell you he does not have to. And he doesn't.
And NPR does not have to suit your requirement for "balance" either.
As for the NPR "bubble"... Um, that is a construct that does not match reality.
Dennis takes calls from listeners who disagree with him and has guests one who don't agree with him.
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