tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post9154094085497755428..comments2023-10-28T06:19:33.110-04:00Comments on Current.org Blog: PBS eliminating 21 positions, Kerger tells stationsDruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04113068910907963072noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-39113753664301956902011-07-15T19:28:49.770-04:002011-07-15T19:28:49.770-04:00I worked for a local PBS station 30 years ago -- ...I worked for a local PBS station 30 years ago -- for about 2 years. I figured out right away that it was not the place for me and moved to commercial television. Getting things done was a nightmare. People were all about "funding." In the commercial world, everyone understood that you either won the audience or lost. And that's where the money came from. And that's the bottom line. And that bottom line fed every position, not just the executives. Unfortunately, PBS is still as poorly managed today as it was when I was just starting my career 30 years ago. I'm sorry for those of you who lost your jobs. But look at it this way: they may have done you a favor in the grand scheme of things. Move into the private sector and start making some real money. Learn real management and working skills. By the way, it did take me a few years to overcome "public TV" on my resume. Unfortunately, unless you've got some Emmys, that experience may not count for much.Gigi56noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-42291332658024396192011-07-15T19:13:06.885-04:002011-07-15T19:13:06.885-04:00At what point will the executives get it? They ar...At what point will the executives get it? They are not needed if there are no more employees. It seems to me that the more layoffs and "reductions" to staff that are made; the bigger bonus they get. Somehow that doesn't seem right. I'm just sayin...Jade Terrissehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13693209709827618711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-44814000390600037592011-07-15T18:17:28.861-04:002011-07-15T18:17:28.861-04:00When I first saw this I thought good finally natio...When I first saw this I thought good finally national PBS is going to have to make some sacrifices like many local stations have had to do. Then I read the part about adding 6 new positions and I begin to understand why primary stations are being forced to make the difficult decision to leave the PBS system. Maybe if the upper management staff were cut PBS could cut the amount of dues they charge the stations and we wouldn't be hurting so much. <br />Just how do you justify over $4million in salaries for upper management? Do you poop gold nuggets or what to be worth that much? They probably had to cut the 21 worker bees so they could afford the 6 overseeers. Shame on you Paula and your management team.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-35106906613664062011-07-15T12:15:28.808-04:002011-07-15T12:15:28.808-04:00Apologies for the anonymous post but as a PBS empl...Apologies for the anonymous post but as a PBS employee, I'm afraid I'll lose my job if I include my name. I completely agree with the comment about more strategic cost reductions and not adding more vps! Also, appreciate the info about the 990. For those of you who don't have a Guidestar.org account (it's free, by the way). . . below is a snapshot of PBS executive compensation in 2010 (remember this is a non-profit with a struggling business model):<br /><br />ceo: $652,320<br />coo: $440,020<br />chief content officer: $433,322<br />cfo: $399,119<br />general counsel: $384,817<br />cto: $363,090<br />head of ventures: $361,951<br />head of interactive; $354,282<br />head of kids/promotion: $347,558<br />head of station services: $331,779<br />head of primetime: $331,038<br /><br />With all due respect, these salaries would only be justified for a thriving business. Not one that continues to cut lower-level employees and re-arrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-51767716075243192622011-07-15T12:03:54.616-04:002011-07-15T12:03:54.616-04:00Ah, more White House staffers getting the boot.Ah, more White House staffers getting the boot.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-78387752095541561312011-07-15T02:43:39.870-04:002011-07-15T02:43:39.870-04:00A call for 'fairness' and 'shared sacr...A call for 'fairness' and 'shared sacrifice' at PBS!!!<br /><br />Instead of eliminating 21-positions, PBS could instead institute an across the board pay-cut to save those 21-employees? For example, every PBS employee could take a 10% paycut? Better still, PBS could institute a 'progressive' pay-cut, such that low-level employees take a trivial paycut (0.5%). As one climbs up the pay-scale, the paycut would grow (5.5%, 10.5%, 15.5%, 20.5%, etc). <br /><br />It is important to be 'fair' and to experience 'shared sacrifice'.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-17318615567870844852011-07-14T23:06:41.025-04:002011-07-14T23:06:41.025-04:00Oh yes! By all means be certain to add vice-presid...Oh yes! By all means be certain to add vice-presidents and cut staff.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-59243144788978287472011-07-14T23:04:29.447-04:002011-07-14T23:04:29.447-04:0021 down 10,000 to go.21 down 10,000 to go.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-41018882023567153222011-07-14T10:41:21.416-04:002011-07-14T10:41:21.416-04:00PBS was a great solution to the limited-choice med...PBS was a great solution to the limited-choice media universe of the 1960s and 1970s. Not so necessary now.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3389902.post-26312098449645466642011-07-13T20:58:11.930-04:002011-07-13T20:58:11.930-04:00Pro Tip for Kerger: You can save Word documents as...Pro Tip for Kerger: You can save Word documents as templates. It makes sending the same memo repeatedly (over the next several years) much more efficient. Just change the names and numbers and presto! your work is done.<br /><br />That's much easier than leading the pubTV community through constructive conversations and strategic changes.John Proffitthttp://twitter.com/jmproffittnoreply@blogger.com