[Imc-radio] WEFT and IMCRN funding

[Kranich, Kimberlie]

> Dear IMC Radio Folks,
> 
> I know IMCRN is a program many of you spend hours creating for WEFT.
> Thank you.  
> 
> The WEFT PC is seriously going to consider at its next meeting on-going
> funding of IMCRN.  The email below, which I sent to the WEFT listserv,
> provides a larger context for why we are considering this matter and some
> of the financial constraints of doing so.   The part of the email below
> that will perhaps most interest you is merely one line and could easily be
> missed and I didn't want you to miss it so I am writing this.
> 
> Procedurally, the PC is required by its SOP to announce any possible
> changes in our programming before we make them. Changes in how we fund
> programs is strictly up to the PC and so a dialogue with the PC membership
> about this issue is a good place to start.  We had the start of such a
> dialogue at our last meeting when Danielle made the case for on-going
> IMCRN funding. 
> 
> 
> Sincerely,
> Kimberlie Kranich
> WEFT PC Chair (outgoing)
> ___________________________________
> 
> The WEFT Programming Committee (PC) is seriously considering getting rid
> of NPR headlines as early as when our new fiscal year begins in October
> and replacing it with something else.  We first considered this
> possibility back in March 2004. The issue will be back on our agenda at
> our August 11 Programming Committee meeting.  
> 
> The PC is also seriously considering adding DN! headlines live at 8am to
> the Morning Menu line-up in place of the 8am NPR headlines. 
> 
> The above are related but separate issues and the PC could act on one and
> not the other.
> 
> This email is quite long and I apologize, but I would like to give some
> context for why we are seriously considering these matters and a summary
> of the PC's thoughts thus far which are still evolving. I will put hard
> copies of this email in station mailboxes later this evening. Your
> feedback is appreciated as we sort out the pros and cons. 
> 
> Issue 1: NPR News headlines:
> 
> We currently carry NPR headlines on weekdays at 6:01am, 7:01am, and
> 8:01am, and then again at 3:01pm. 
> 
> Summary of reasons for dropping NPR headlines:
> 
> Cost. The cost for NPR Headline News is significant. For fiscal year
> 2003/2004, we paid $3,636.  According to Mick, who has been working with
> the PC on this issue, the cost will go up another 25% next year ($909 more
> for a total of $4,545--more if there are increased costs). 
> 
> After paying for Hour of Slack, DN!/Pacifica, Grateful Dead Hour, Free
> Speech Radio News, National Native News, NPR News, satellite fee connect,
> Counterspin and PRI, the PC typically has around $1,000 left to spend on
> other things. One year, we used this extra money to buy the phone
> interface and a DSL line to support our local productions. Another year,
> we gave some money back to the engineering committee for our back studio.
> How much the PC has left over also depends on the amount of our CPB grant
> which is what we use to pay for the above.
> 
> Money spent on NPR could be freed up for the PC to spend on other things
> including a different news source and/or support local news production
> costs as other community radio stations do.
> 
> Duplication of service: WILL-AM airs 7 hours of NPR programming M-F at
> HIGH power. WILL-FM airs NPR headlines every hour.  
> 
> Reasons against dropping NPR headlines altogether: 
> 
> What would we replace it with? So far, the PC has not yet identified a
> replacement for NPR News and we feel news is an important part of our
> schedule. Alternatives to NPR are as expensive and in some cases, more
> expensive, than NPR News itself. Examples include the BBC and headlines
> produced in the Netherlands.
> 
> Ed Mandel also raised this concern: what outlet would we have if we
> cancelled NPR headlines and got breaking news, such as another attack (on
> us or from us)?  My reply is that we have Pacifica and it's already paid
> for. The programming chair and the station manager have the option of
> pre-empting regular programming in the event of major breaking news.  We'd
> go to Pacifica just like we did during 9-11.
> 
> Issue 2: Adding DN! headlines at 8am
> 
> One alternative to the 8am NPR headlines is running DN! headlines live at
> 8am.  
> 
> We currently carry Democracy Now! at 4pm Monday - Friday as part of our
> Pacifica costs. This year we spent $1,320 on Pacifica. Free Speech Radio
> News is a separate cost of $3,000 per year.
> 
> Reasons in support of  adding DN! headlines at 8am M-F:
> 
> DN! headlines come to us live every weekday at 8am. They are fresh and
> timely.  They fit in the Morning Menu format of mixed music and
> information. We already pay for DN! By running the DN! open along with the
> headlines at 8am, we not only make it convenient for morning menu
> airshifters to air DN! headlines (which may not always start at the same
> time within the DN! program) we also promote the later DN! broadcast at
> 4pm. 
> 
> If we were to do this, we would air the beginning of DN! live through the
> headlines. We would create a script for the morning menu arishifter to
> read before and after to let our listeners know they were about to hear a
> promo for DN! and live headlines and that the entire program will be
> repeated at 4pm. The script might read something like:  "And now, W-E-F-T
> brings you daily news headlines and a promo from "Democracy Now", airing
> daily on WEFT from 4-5pm." (following the headlines) "...and Democracy Now
> can be heard in its entirety today at 4pm, as part of our afternoon public
> affairs Courier programming from 4 to 6pm. You're listening to W-E-F-T,
> 90.1 FM."
> 
> To insure a clean recording of the program, we would also probably change
> the time we record DN! to minidisk from 8am to 9am. We will still have two
> more re-feed opportunities at 10 and 11AM.
> 
> Reasons against adding DN! headlines at 8am: 
> 
> Might be asking too much (technically) of the Morning Menu airshifters.
> 
> As always, when the PC is considering a programming change, we would
> appreciate your input. In this case, we are especially interested in
> feedback from morning menu airshifters regarding any technical
> difficulties they might foresee with such a change. General feedback about
> this possible change in content is also welcome from everyone. We also
> encourage you to come to our meeting on August 11th.
> 
> If you need something clarified, I would be happy to try to clarify for
> you or provide you with more context.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Kimberlie Kranich
> Outgoing PC Chair
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>