Posted on 05/19/2008 2:51:24 PM PDT by abb
It has been a rough few weeks for “The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer” on PBS.
In late April, Mr. Lehrer, who turns 74 on Monday, had aortic valve replacement surgery. He said he was recovering nicely and expects to be back on the air toward the end of June. But the nightly newscast’s funding situation could take longer to heal.
In its 25 years on the air, “NewsHour” has had fallow budget periods, but none that equal the current one, Mr. Lehrer acknowledged. The financial squeeze was precipitated last summer when Archer Daniels Midland ended its 14-year sponsorship of the program. That sponsorship provided nearly $4 million (and some years as much as $7 million) of the program’s yearly budget, which varies from $26 million to $28 million.
On May 1, salaries were frozen at the newscast, and company contributions to 401(k) retirement funds were suspended, cutbacks suggested by the staff. “NewsHour” still has two corporate sponsors — Chevron and the Pacific Life Insurance Company — and it receives support from PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. But only part of the Archer money has been replaced, leaving the budget several million dollars short.
“NewsHour,” along with other PBS mainstays, may have a longer-term problem. Not only are corporations cutting back on all forms of advertising during the current economic slowdown, but public television’s model — soliciting long-term commitments — is also increasingly out of step with the changing needs of corporations, which no longer sponsor public television programs for purely philanthropic reasons.
“Now, it’s more a marketing-driven conversation, about audiences, and delivery and engagement,” said Rob Flynn, vice president of communications and marketing for “NewsHour.”
In the last five years, corporate underwriting on PBS has varied; in 2007, it totaled $91 million...
snip
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
ping
Given the reality of cable, there is no longer any reason to have public tax supported leftwing tv.
I wouldn’t care if PBS had some balance, but the NEWSHOUR’s idea of a conservative is David Gergen. Their programing is almost entirely left of center. Their top “news” personality along with Lehrer is Bill Moyers.
Enough said?
More.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/television/2008/05/26/080526crte_television_franklin?currentPage=all
Anchor Away
Katie Couric’s ill-fated voyage with CBS.
by Nancy Franklin
Chevron and the Pacific Life Insurance Company
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I will make sure NOT to buy Chevron gas, or ever consider purchasing Pacific Life insurance.
I like the news hour. McNeil/Lehrer was great.
This new crew, though, what a bunch of clueless lefties.
tears by me out the heart.
Gannett, Reuters, The New York Times and now PBS.
A high priced smorgasbord for the vultures!
I love it...thanks for all the great posts...they make my day.
What could Newhour possibly spend 28 million on, other than million dollar salaries?
“Newshour”
I really don’t give rat*** about Jim Leher only good thing about PBS is NOVA and Animal shows and Masterpiece theatre with Mystery in summer months
I thought they making money from reruns of Keeping up appearances and Monty Python they are all clowns at PBS
The financial squeeze was precipitated last summer when Archer Daniels Midland ended its 14-year sponsorship of the program. That sponsorship provided nearly $4 million (and some years as much as $7 million) of the program’s yearly budget, which varies from $26 million to $28 million.ADM openly employs illegals at its grain elevators throughout western Kansas. Perhaps ADM decided that "News Hours" failed to deliver effective propaganda to ensure the passage of last year's shamnesty.
God bless Fred Rodgers.
I truly hope this P.O.S. has to get out and work for a living like the rest of us.....
I have never watched this program.
If I said what I though and feel about ADM, I would probably become a form of bio degradable fuel.
Bug shows on PBS. I never can tell if they’re eating each other or sc**wing each other...
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