When will the pledging on PBS stop??? - Page 2 - PhillyBlog

Phillycatlady · #11 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 03:35 PM

PBS ain't what it used to be. My favorite is when they will send you a DVD of what you are watching for $150 when you can tape the damn thing for free.
I think they have nerve asking for $100 or more. They worse than the televangelists. They should just say "Send whatever you'd like."

MayfairMeat · #12 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phillycatlady

PBS ain't what it used to be. My favorite is when they will send you a DVD of what you are watching for $150 when you can tape the damn thing for free.
I think they have nerve asking for $100 or more. They worse than the televangelists. They should just say "Send whatever you'd like."

That annoys me as well, but it's mostly the egalitarian nature of WHYY that annoys me the most, which transmits its nature into how much the top dogs at Race St. are making.

I'm sorry, but I don't feel guilty about not supporting my local PBS/NPR station when that attitude prevails. Limousine liberals or not, if they can afford to pay that much money in executive salary--then they obviously don't need my pity contributions.

MarketStEl · #13 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by keeptab

sounds like way better fare than the prepackaged filler we get in Philly....and aren't we supposed to be a key market?

Since PBS stations are all independent of one another, and operated by either nonprofit corporations (as in the case of WHYY), foundations (like the one that owns WGBH, a consortium of most of Greater Boston's most prominent philanthropic and educational institutions), or government-affiliated organizations (most often school districts, community colleges or public universities), the whole hierarchy-of-markets business really doesn't apply. Those stations with big enough endowments and sufficient fundraising to produce high-quality programming for a national audience become the "key" stations, and the rest assume second- or lower-tier roles or satisfy niche markets, as Independence Public Media (WYBE) does here.

The top tier of PBS stations includes:

WNET New York (NET = National Educational Television, the Public Broadcasting Service's institutional predecessor)
WGBH Boston
WQED Pittsburgh, the oldest community-supported TV station in the US
KQED San Francisco
WETA Washington, DC

Just below these are:

KCET Los Angeles
KCTS Seattle, part of the original consortium that developed "Frontline"
WTTW Chicago

WHYY has long been an underachiever on the TV side. Its radio station -- the oldest part of the company -- is its star performer, producing "Fresh Air" and "A Chef's Table," among several other programs, for the NPR national feed; WHYY-FM would be included in any list of the top-tier public radio entities in the US (many of the others are multi-station operators like "A Prairie Home Companion" originator Minnesota Public Radio).

Quote:

I was surprised to see WYBE getting in on the act as of late. They are not as "on the fringe" independent as they used to be on-air, but I'm aware of a new format change in the works for them, including a name-change......

Any station that carries Pacifica content can still safely be classified as "on the fringe independent".

Quote:

WHYY is painful to watch during the fund-raising drive.....the only time i see that KLRN-type fundraising spirit East spoke of is when they offer one of their local specials they produce themselves.....then it doesn't seem so droll..........and Ed Cunningham can sell ANYTHING with that voice.

As long as we keep creating new "Things That Aren't There Anymore," I'm sure WHYY will keep cranking out those local trips down Nostalgia Lane, which are huge pledge-drive favorites.

It would be nice if WHYY could take a page from WGBH's and KLRN's playbooks and stage an auction like that. But remember, they're TV underachievers.

Quote:

NJN, as valuable as their programming and attention to local Jersey issues is, has been using uninspiring prepackaged pledge programming, and I seldom see their staff doing any creative takes on pledging to make it more "fun", unfortunately

Like New Jersey itself, NJN is in the unenviable position of being in the shadow of New York and Philadelphia. Thus the network must program AWAY from the PBS "national schedule," which New Jerseyans can get on any of THREE PBS stations whose signals reach the state -- the third is WLVT Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton, one of the better regional PBS stations in the country -- and compete for fundraising dollars with those same three stations. That oughtn't prevent them from coming up with something "uniquely New Jersey" to generate donations, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ContraB

It's definitely disheartening to find out that 100% of your contribution could be said to pay for some stuffed shirt's goofy perks/benefits. I have similar problems with donating to my Alma Mater...

Pembroke Hill School needs my money more than Harvard University does.

And I can think of other charitable groups who could use it more than Pembroke Hill.

I love both my alma maters, but allocate my charitable donations according to the above scale.

Quote:

I definitely don't understand why PBS stations everywhere think that anyone WANTS to see these awful infomercials and yanni-lookalike concerts instead of the usual programming. I mean, NOVA, or some cheeseball stereotypical "Irish" concert "special" that sounds like the soundtrack to Titanic. How is there even any discussion?

Only good thing about it is, it makes me turn the TV off and do other things...

Apparently, these cheesy specials bring in decent bucks for most public TV stations, which is why most public TV stations run them.

A major-market public TV station should be able to aim higher or think bigger, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CapnMarko

I can get your signal NJN but put HD programing on 24/7 and at least mix up the episodes a bit I mean your already showing it a month or two behind ever other PBS station.

See above for why. Why should NJN air the exact same program that's airing on WNET, WLVT and WHYY at the same time?

However: Again, that should be a signal to NJN to come up with something different from what the big boys bordering it are doing, just as WYBE doesn't even pretend to ape WHYY.

SFC28 · #14 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EastChestnut

After I learned what the CEO makes, I stopped contributing.

So did I. As I always respond to them in their nonstop solicitations, if they can afford to pay Marrazzo that kind of $$, they sure as hell can live without my annual relatively paltry donation.

keeptab · #15 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Since PBS stations are all independent of one another, and operated by either nonprofit corporations (as in the case of WHYY), foundations (like the one that owns WGBH, a consortium of most of Greater Boston's most prominent philanthropic and educational institutions), or government-affiliated organizations (most often school districts, community colleges or public universities), the whole hierarchy-of-markets business really doesn't apply. Those stations with big enough endowments and sufficient fundraising to produce high-quality programming for a national audience become the "key" stations, and the rest assume second- or lower-tier roles or satisfy niche markets, as Independence Public Media (WYBE) does here.

The top tier of PBS stations includes:

WNET New York (NET = National Educational Television, the Public Broadcasting Service's institutional predecessor)
WGBH Boston
WQED Pittsburgh, the oldest community-supported TV station in the US
KQED San Francisco
WETA Washington, DC

Just below these are:

KCET Los Angeles
KCTS Seattle, part of the original consortium that developed "Frontline"
WTTW Chicago

WHYY has long been an underachiever on the TV side. Its radio station -- the oldest part of the company -- is its star performer, producing "Fresh Air" and "A Chef's Table," among several other programs, for the NPR national feed; WHYY-FM would be included in any list of the top-tier public radio entities in the US (many of the others are multi-station operators like "A Prairie Home Companion" originator Minnesota Public Radio).

Any station that carries Pacifica content can still safely be classified as "on the fringe independent".

As long as we keep creating new "Things That Aren't There Anymore," I'm sure WHYY will keep cranking out those local trips down Nostalgia Lane, which are huge pledge-drive favorites.

It would be nice if WHYY could take a page from WGBH's and KLRN's playbooks and stage an auction like that. But remember, they're TV underachievers.

Like New Jersey itself, NJN is in the unenviable position of being in the shadow of New York and Philadelphia. Thus the network must program AWAY from the PBS "national schedule," which New Jerseyans can get on any of THREE PBS stations whose signals reach the state -- the third is WLVT Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton, one of the better regional PBS stations in the country -- and compete for fundraising dollars with those same three stations. That oughtn't prevent them from coming up with something "uniquely New Jersey" to generate donations, though.

Pembroke Hill School needs my money more than Harvard University does.

And I can think of other charitable groups who could use it more than Pembroke Hill.

I love both my alma maters, but allocate my charitable donations according to the above scale.

Apparently, these cheesy specials bring in decent bucks for most public TV stations, which is why most public TV stations run them.

A major-market public TV station should be able to aim higher or think bigger, though.

See above for why. Why should NJN air the exact same program that's airing on WNET, WLVT and WHYY at the same time?

However: Again, that should be a signal to NJN to come up with something different from what the big boys bordering it are doing, just as WYBE doesn't even pretend to ape WHYY.

much agreed......
and I suppose, when you think about it, it's rather gutsy for anybody to air Pacifica programming so much kudos to WYBE for that......."Democracy Now" fills in between the lines what BBC world news and NPR leaves out or sparsely covers, and not that they do a bad job reporting, either.........Pacifica content is the REAL DEAL, to put it plainly......

It seems thus far that the general consensus among us all is that PBS, particularly in our market, lacks creative control in engaging old and would-be members in celebrating and enjoying the programming on their respective stations, especially if the programming is repeated for unnostalgic reasons.....now whether someone in a certain position withholds this control from well-meaning folks like veteran volunteers EastChestnut because PBS CEO's and programmers think their monotonous drab is what truly sells is anybody's guess. But, it would be rather refreshing to see more local pride poured into our local PBS affiliates, with the exception of WYBE. Although I am not pleased with the pledge-drive programming they've been carrying, they have to meet their bottom line at the end of the day, too, and being lower on the totem pole, they take what pledge-drive specials they can take, albeit at times rather WYBE-like. Besides, WYBE has a LGBT night, among other nights devoted to many other communities.....lower tier in role, niche market, but definitely serving its neighbors however they can.......can't wait to see what this MINDTV launch brings......

steco · #16 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheTalkingMule

They're Preparing for Budget Cuts

So what are these salaries we're talking about? Anyone have figures?

for 2006
Mazarro made $430k + *211k + to his employee benefit plan and a 5k expense account *155k went to offset some tax liability.

You can read whyy's full 2006 990 form here

Sign up for an account at www.guidestar.org its a great resource.
GuideStar Basic

This simple search is for users who want to verify a nonprofit's legitimacy, learn whether a contribution will be tax deductible, view a nonprofit's recent Forms 990, or find out more about its mission, programs, and finances. Thanks to the generosity of a number of foundations, GuideStar Basic is available at no charge to users.

TheTalkingMule · #17 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 07:13 PM

Those salaries are outrageous. Perhaps an overhaul rather than just trying to shut them down? Where would you get Frontline from if you shut down PBS?

Mixiboi · #18 (**permalink**) 03-27-2008, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheTalkingMule

Those salaries are outrageous. Perhaps an overhaul rather than just trying to shut them down? Where would you get Frontline from if you shut down PBS?

overhaul would work better specially now that the Digital age has given PBS three channels to have shows on...

keeptab · #19 (**permalink**) 03-29-2008, 01:00 PM

After an almost 2 wk. break, WHYY is at it again......
this time using a British chef from the Royal Palace (who used to cook for Princess Diana and various heads of state) to raise even more money...........gree---dy!

Don't we all wanna know WHYY?
That CEO of theirs must really have one heck of a salary; sheesh!

Litarider · #20 (**permalink**) 03-30-2008, 03:37 PM

I am a radio junky. I find it especially disheartening that to 91 FM, "real radio diversity" means repeating Prairie Home Companion, American Routes, and Car Talk several times a week. Then you repeat Radio Times and Fresh Air...daily. Then you pick up a show from WXPN across town and rebroadcast that. Then to raise money, you tell us how much these programs cost. Well, use some local programming and let people on air who don't cost as much and bring real diversity to the schedule.

Now that I can download Selected Shorts for free, I really only listen to the news in the morning, then shut it off. I used to listen throughout the day. Next year, I'll cut out WHYY and send a token to Selected Shorts.