Posted on 03/11/2011 12:54:34 AM PST by raccoonradio
The flagship of public television, WGBH — which claims taxpayer money accounts for just a small fraction of its budget — has in fact scored more than $80 million in obscure federal handouts over the past half-dozen years, a Herald review found.
The public broadcasting titan has pulled in more than $50 million in federal funding over the past six years from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting — including $11.5 million this year, or about 8 percent of its 2011 operating budget.
However, WGBH honchos acknowledged yesterday they have received another $80 million in federal money for various programming. including:
• The children’s literacy show “Martha Speaks.”
• The children’s early science education program “Peep and the Big Wide Word.”
• “Design Squad,” an engineering program geared to youngsters.
• “Teachers’ Domain,” a free online resource for teachers and students.
• And a pair of history programs, “We Shall Remain” and “Freedom Riders.”
“It’s the money that allows us to launch programs, and WGBH is the biggest producer for PBS,” said WGBH spokeswoman Jeanne Hopkins, adding that slashing federal funds would cost people their jobs. “These are all grants that we apply for. They’re competitive.”
The station doesn’t get any direct funding from Bay State taxpayers, although it has received more than $300,000 in state money over past five years. It received $255,000 last year from the University of Massachusetts for the station’s “High School Quiz Show” TV series and a $57,000 grant in 2008 from the Massachusetts Cultural Council for a classical music radio project.
The Herald reported yesterday that more than a dozen WGBH executives are raking in upward of $200,000 while working in their lavishly appointed $85 million Brighton headquarters dubbed the “Taj Mahal” by one critic.
The Herald’s review of WGBH — which produces about one-third of all PBS programming — comes amid a new push by congressional Republicans fighting to end federal funding for public broadcasting.
Since the public broadcasting behemoth moved to its tax-exempt headquarters four years ago, it hasn’t paid a red cent to the city for its fair share of services, including snow-plowing and fire and police protection.
The last time the nonprofit station voluntarily paid any money to the city, in 2007, it cut a check for just $10,517. But under Mayor Thomas M. Menino’s payments in lieu of taxes plan (PILOT), the station’s voluntary contribution could be about $245,000 a year.
Hopkins said WGBH has always made payments to Boston, adding that the city has yet to determine an amount since the broadcaster moved to its Brighton digs.
Boston City Council President Stephen Murphy said WGBH isn’t behaving like a “good neighbor.”
Added Murphy: “They’re getting public money — so that should really wipe away your (tax) exemption. You can’t have it both ways, and it seems to me they’re having it both ways.”
WGBH runs 2 PBS stations in Boston, 1 PBS station in Springfield, and 2 Boston radio stations (one an NPR station, the other “All Classical WGBH” aka WCRB)
No taxes on top of that! Ridiculous!
Holy cow! Their budget is over 100 million for one year?
Someone needs to review the grant programs, it seems the gov’t has a grant for almost everything, time to stop.
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