Future of Cultural Programming
Posted on June 7, 2010
Phil Leigh
Last year Michael Kaiser of the J.F.K. Performing Arts Center lamented that Arts Programming was vanishing from TV. Since most PBS stations lack the money for quality recording of local performances, he concludes that PBS should reorganize. Instead of relying upon local affiliate productions, he prefers that the parent organization “determine the best in American arts and fund its broadcast across the nation”. Presumably that means PBS must reduce its financial contributions to affiliates, or get Congress give more than the $400 million it presently donates annually – 90% of which passes thorough to local stations.
Download Audio Narration to iPod, iPad, and iPhone here.
Like many leaders of slowly changing businesses, Kaiser fails to recognize how fast the Internet already shifted the ground under his feet. While focusing on PBS and taxpayer subsidies, he neglects to notice that a critical mass of top-quality cultural programming already populates the Net. One example is YouTube which provides three advantages over conventional television. First, it’s free. Second, viewers may watch at anytime instead of designated broadcast times. Third, it’s searchable. Read more…
Filed Under Podcast Audio | 3 Comments
Future of Public Broadcasting
Posted on June 3, 2010
To Download — rather than stream — Video Click Here (6 minutes)
Public Broadcasting offers high quality programming. Presently most of us watch it via one of about 400 local PBS affiliates. However, the most popular shows like Charlie Rose, Masterpiece Theater, Antiques Roadshow, and Nova are produced by only a few originators. Increasingly the creators are also putting many of those shows on the Internet where they can be watched at the viewer’s convenience without needing the local affiliate.
Last year Congress gave the Corporation for Public Broadcasting $400 million. About $360 million passed through to local affiliates. They generally used the money to purchase programs such as those noted above. However, the grants only represent about 20% of the typical affiliates’ overall budget. The other 80% was mostly used to fund affiliate operating overhead. Most of that 80% came from (1) prominent corporate underwriters, (2) grants from the individual states, and (3) “viewers like you”. Read more…
Filed Under Podcast Video | Leave a Comment
