Congress Might Kill WNYC, WFUV

Kind of a no-brainer, but the possibility of the defunding of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting might greatly impact WNYC-AM/FM, as well as Fordham University-s WFUV:
http://www.nydailynews.com/entertai..._wnyc_fuv_go_public_with_fears_over_cuts.html

$3 MILLION is only 6% of WNYC's budget? Holy freakin crap (in the words of Peter Griffin). So their annual budget is $50 million?! Well, maybe there's something wrong with the operation if it takes that damn much to run a radio station. WCBS and WINS can do just fine with a budget of much less. That number must be off or WNYC is a woefully mis-managed operation.

Time to get out and start selling more underwriting.

DToTheJ said:

Kind of a no-brainer, but the possibility of the defunding of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting might greatly impact WNYC-AM/FM, as well as Fordham University-s WFUV:

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What's the no-brainer here? Maybe you shouldn't believe everything your read in the newspaper, and certainly not everyone you read quoted in the newspapers.

In your trolling, you must have noticed newspapers all over the country running pretty much the same story only quoting the managers of their local public radio stations. This sounds suspiciously like "member stations" have been sent talking points and told to start contacting local papers.

And which is it? "Kill" or "greatly impact?" Correct answer: None of the above. Here's WNYC with executives making six figures and a fancy new building. Tightening their belts six per cent is going to kill them? There is a lot of fat at these operations that no commercial enterprise would tolerate. These suits have pretty cushy jobs and big salaries and benefits, and they are trying to protect them.

The no brainer is believing this self-serving hogwash. Diamond Joe, you should know better.

In the Beg-A-Thons we're told how much 'NYC pays NPR and PRI for programing. We never hear about the salaries of Laura Walker and her handpicked vice-president friends. She gets more than $400,000 a year. VPs start at $150,000, according to a newspaper report. They should volunteer to take a pay cut, no matter what Congress does.

I'm not a big fan of hyperbole, so "kill" is overstating the case. Big city stations will survive. WNYC just bought WQXR. It could be that's why their budget is $50 mil. I was surprised they didn't interview the folks across the river at WBGO. That station may not be a New York station, but has a huge NYC listenership. What's interesting is the quote from the WNYC spokesman that CPB funding makes up to 60% of the budget at rural stations. No six figure salaries or fancy studios there. Interesting that the FCC currently has a campaign to expand high speed broadband into rural areas. So the government has money to expand the internet, but not to fund OTA radio in the same areas?

To play Devil's Advocate for the moment, if Congress kills WNYC three frequencies would be up for grabs, 93.9 FM, 105.9 FM and 820 AM. This would be the end of WQXR as well. 93.9 FM would be the prize of the three, a class B NYC FM. The latter two are far less desirable.

Why should a 6% cut in operating budget mean the end of WNYC? No doubt operators of commercial stations have slashed their budgets by much more. ???

WNYC's budget includes three radio stations, WNYC-AM, WNYC-FM, WQXR, the network programs it produces like "The Takeaway" and "On The Media" and the ongoing costs of the new broadcasting headquarters building etc.

According to the non-profit organization's tax form it did have $50-million in income last year.

The link below is to a page on the WNYC website that links to the .pdf files for the organization's most recent tax filings, financial reports etc.

I haven't gone through the latest numbers, but the figures that stood out for me in a recent year when it had about $38-million in income were:

About $10-million a year in income from the "advertising grants" in other words the short ad spots between program segments.

Program fees of about $3-million a year paid to NPR for shows like All Things Considered and Morning Edition.

About $3-million a year income from CPB.

CEO salary about $400,000.

Highest on-air salary Brian Leherer's at about $200,000.

Considering the size of the operation, neither of those salaries seem excessive in the high cost environment of New York City, and when compared to jobs of equal skill levels at other New York broadcasting operations.

Here's the link to all the latest numbers:

http://www.wnyc.org/about/review/

Not going to happen. Nothing to see here, keep moving.

I just checked the report on WNYC on the Charity Navigator website. Interesting reading.

In 2009 (the last year for which figures are available), WNYC had a surplus (which is what commercial enterprises would call "profit") of over $13-million. That's 23 per cent out of a total revenue of more than $56.2-million. Anybody know of commercial stations making a 23 per cent profit? Take away six per cent of revenue they got from CPB and they still have almost $52.9-million in revenue and a profit of about $9.7-million (18 per cent).

Right, congress will "kill" WNYC! A lot of station managers would kill to get that kind of profit.

Laura Walker, the boss, got $464,199 in annual salary (1.07 per cent of expenses all by herself) - even more than Brian Leherer.

Fund raising expenses are 17.7 per cent; administration is 8.1 per cent. 74.1 per cent of the money goes for programming. That last percentage probably includes the new building and WQXR. Imagine what the profit margin would be in they'd gotten low-rent quarters (more comparable to what they had in the Municipal Services Building). And even if next year they don't receive tax money, they will still be a non-profit, so they won't pay taxes either.

Their fund-raising efficiency is actually better than most public radio stations: They spend 15-cents to bring in a dollar.

If you donate, WNYC's privacy policy allows them to sell, trade or share your name and other information to other groups, organizations and companies. You can opt out but you have to make the move to do so.

In all fairness, WNYC gets a good (not great) rating from Charity Navigator and their rating is better than many other public radio stations.

WFUV is part of Fordham University and is not reported separately.

icybluelake said:

Not going to happen. Nothing to see here, keep moving.

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He's right. It's all political posturing, designed to stir up the masses (who only pay attention to sound bites and 72-point headlines). The de-funding will never happen. Look at Amtrak: losing money since 1968 and Congress threatens to de-fund it every year. Yeah, right.

-- Doc

The problem here is that some people look at the WNYC situation and assume it's this way across the board. It's not. The problem with government funding is it's based on qualifications, not need. So if you do certain things, you qualify for funding. Even with a $50 million budget. Meanwhile a small station in Iowa doesn't have resources as a station in NYC, and the federal funding makes a huge difference.

The question people should be asking is do they really want public radio to be more like commercial radio, with the big rich guys gobbling up the little fish. I remember watching Clear Channel back in 1988. They were ranked as one of Forbes 100 best companies to work for. It's been a long time since they were on any Forbes list. But that's what happens when you make a little change in the system. Truthfully, I don't think public stations are interested in buying lots of stations. But there's nothing to prevent them from doing it. Then again, nothing stopping all the religious companies from buying all the former public stations. Nothing like hellfire and damnation to get you to send in your check. That's what public radio needs. The threat of eternal pain.

TheBigA said:

The problem here is that some people look at the WNYC situation and assume it's this way across the board. It's not. The problem with government funding is it's based on qualifications, not need. So if you do certain things, you qualify for funding. Even with a $50 million budget. Meanwhile a small station in Iowa doesn't have resources as a station in NYC, and the federal funding makes a huge difference.

The question people should be asking is do they really want public radio to be more like commercial radio, with the big rich guys gobbling up the little fish. I remember watching Clear Channel back in 1988. They were ranked as one of Forbes 100 best companies to work for. It's been a long time since they were on any Forbes list. But that's what happens when you make a little change in the system. Truthfully, I don't think public stations are interested in buying lots of stations. But there's nothing to prevent them from doing it. Then again, nothing stopping all the religious companies from buying all the former public stations. Nothing like hellfire and damnation to get you to send in your check. That's what public radio needs. The threat of eternal pain.

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Based on qualifications, not need: Does that mean reward the least successful, least well managed stations?

Small station in Iowa? Sorry, there aren't any. The kind of consolidation you fear has already happened in the Hawkeye State. Iowa Public Radio is operated jointly by three of the larger state universities with over 20 stations covering virtually the entire state. Many rural states have public radio networks and some of them provide excellent programming and do well financially. Minnesota Public Radio not only operates three statewide networks but has acquired public radio stations in Southern California and Florida, their own public radio network (American Public Media), several shows in national distribution, and a mail-order catalog company (operating for profit). There are some outstanding small market public radio operations which are both well-programmed and well-managed. Examples include Arizona Public Radio with two networks operating out of Flagstaff and North County Public Radio in the St. Lawrence-Adirondacks region. It appears that the era of the single-stick, small town public radio station has long passed.

MattParker said:

Based on qualifications, not need: Does that mean reward the least successful, least well managed stations?

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I think I explained it pretty well.

MattParker said:

Small station in Iowa? Sorry, there aren't any. The kind of consolidation you fear has already happened in the Hawkeye State.

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Keep in mind that I'm not a player in that game any more. I went to the for-profit side a long time ago. My question is are people willing to allow corporate consolidation also take over non-profit radio. It doesn't have to happen if the people don't want it.

MattParker said:

It appears that the era of the single-stick, small town public radio station has long passed.

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And yet the Congress and the FCC just voted to permit a whole bunch of new LPFM stations that are forced to operate as single stick, small town stations. Talk about bad timing. Cue Goat Rodeo Cowboy!

1. Consolidation has already happened.

2. The LPFM stations do not now qualify for CPB funding. They are hobby stations and their main impact is to cause interference. Adding stations is another nail in the coffin of terrestrial FM, just as adding all those weak stick AMs helped clutter and ruin the AM band.

TimeIsTight mentioned "Highest on-air salary Brian Leherer's at about $200,000." I must've missed it. In what pdf was talent listed?