PACIFICA OPENS SEARCH FOR NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR • READER COMMENTS

There was big news on Thursday from Tom Livingston, the interim Executive Director of Pacifica.  His company is beginning the search for a new, permanent Executive Director for the Pacifica Foundation.

Spark News has reported extensively in the past few months about Pacifica’s problems with debt, governance, ineffective programming and personnel matters. Things became more urgent last year when the Empire State Realty Trust (ESRT) – owners of the Empire State Building – won a court proceeding calling for Pacifica to immediately pay $1.8 million in past due transmitter site fees. For a while, it looked like Pacifica was headed into bankruptcy and possible liquidation.

In late January 2018, the Pacifica National Board of Directors (PNB) hired Tom Livingston to be the interim Executive Director and his company, Livingston Associates [link[, to search for a new Executive Director. That search is now beginning. 

Tom Livingston

Livingston and the PNB have recently taken steps to deal with the most urgent problems including securing a “bridge loan” that allowed Pacifica to settle the debt to ESRT, moving the transmitter from the top of the Empire State Building to a less pricey location, preparation of tardy audits and other reports and creating a situation where the PNB can make future plans.

However, many problems remain.  The new Executive Director needs to have his/her eyes wide open when approaching this job. Pacifica is still millions of dollars in debt, the programming truly does suck and the organization is not considered a reliable business partner.

There are also many opportunities for the new Executive Director. Once, years ago Pacifica, was an important part of our national conversation. Pacifica stations are in five of the country’s biggest radio markets. This is a situation where, hopefully, a new Executive Director who is not encumbered by Pacifica’s recent past can truly make a difference.

Applications are due by June 15, 2018. For more information about the job, see the position description and application process here.

Disclosure: Ken Mills has been a business associate and friend of Tom Livingston for more than two decades. Throughout Livingston’s association with Pacifica a firewall has been maintained and no confidential information has been shared.

READER COMMENT ONE

Our May 21^st post [link] about whether the number of people of people listening to station-based streaming audio generated several reader comments.  In that story we featured a new study by Edison Research that said some audience estimates are flawed because of methodology.  We backed that notion with Nielsen Audio ratings data. According to Nielsen, very few station audio streams show up in their surveys.

In the original post, Aaron Read, Director of Information Technology & Engineering at Rhode Island Public Radio, for his comments. Read contact us with further thoughts:

Aaron Read

Read: Thanks to Ken for publishing my commentary. I’d like to add something I thought of today well after I sent him my thoughts...

While I have several well-known concerns about the Nielsen PPM system, I do want to give it credit. PPM is a strong attempt to solve the very problem I raised with Edison’s methodology.

It gets away from relying on self-reporting...which as any psychological researcher, pollster, or even readers of Freakonomics knows, it is [difficult to get] useful, accurate data.

Sure, there are gonna be tradeoffs. People often are quick to point out that PPM only measures *exposure* whereas diaries (self-reporting) measures *retention*. That is not an idle difference, but I can live with that difference just fine.

Exposure is valuable to know, too, and I think it is more important to get objective listening rather than the memory of listening.

KEN SAYS: Aaron is making an important point when he talks about the differences between “exposure” (PPM methodology) versus self-reporting (Diary methodology). We recall when PPM was first introduced, estimated weekly cumulative listeners for many stations went up and AQH share went down. The reason cited at the time was that Diary respondents over-estimated their time-spent listening. People asked if different methodologies led to different ratings for a station which number is accurate.

Here is my take on it: Both methodologies are correct because, as it says on the cover of the ratings report, the data is ESTIMATED. There are pluses and minuses with every methodology.

Spark News reports Nielsen Audio data because it is the recognized currency of the biz. Both PPM and Diary data are the de facto national standard.

READER COMMENT TWO

On May 15^th, in a post about Triple A station ratings, we praised WNCW [link] in western North Carolina for its consistent strong showing in Nielsen Audio. We received a comment from an anonymous reader who agreed with our notion:

Anonymous:  Any time that I can tune in WNCW when traveling is a good day. I’ve listened to WNCW in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Tennessee and they never let me down.

FIVE PODCASTS HONORED WITH PEABODY AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN STORYTELLING • NEW YORK TIMES KEEPS GAINING LISTENERS IN PODCAST RANKINGS

Podcasting gained more respect and credibility when the Grady College of Journalism & Mass Communications at the University of Georgia presented five shows with Peabody Awards earlier in May. The Peabody Awards recognize superior storytelling in electronic media.

The Peabody Awards [link] started in 1941 when radio was the only major electronic media. Then, in the early 1950s, television categories were added, followed by cable and satellite categories. In recent years, categories for on-demand and online streaming media including podcasts were added to the competition.

The judges look for excellence in storytelling technique but winning entries must be about people and situations that matter.  These are in the “sweet spot” for public media. Four of the five 2017 Peabody winners in the Radio/Podcast category are directly tied to public radio.  The fifth was certainly inspired by public radio. You can see the winners in all of the categories here.

A PEABODY AWARD GOES TO…

• NPR and ProPublica for Lost Mothers: Maternal Mortality in the United States

NPR’s Renee Montagne and ProPublica’s Nina Martin told the story of a New Jersey nurse named Lauren Bloomstein, who died a day after giving birth due to pre-eclampsia that wasn’t diagnosed until it was too late. Pre-eclampsia is a type of high blood pressure that only occurs in pregnancy or postpartum.

The series examines stories such as Bloomstein’s  in a series of podcasts dealing with a health care crisis that is rarely talked about: Women dying as a consequence of pregnancy and childbirth. This occurs more frequently in the U.S. than any other major country. The podcasts told emotional stories from both survivors and loved ones that document the rapid onset of symptoms and lack of quick response by some medical providers.

The judges recognized this entry for its vital public service reporting that pushes the standard for vigilance, prevention, and equity in women’s health care.  Learn more and listen to audio samples here.

• Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media for 74 Seconds

On July 6, 2016, the police pulled over Philando Castile for a broken taillight. Seventy-four seconds later he was dead. A police officer fired seven shots at Castile while his girlfriend her 4-year-old daughter watched the mayhem. They weren’t the only people watching. Castile’s girlfiend streamed the aftermath live via Facebook.

The story received national coverage.  Instead of moving on, MPR kept following developments over subsequent months.  The result was a remarkable podcast series – 74 Seconds – that put a human face on the tragedy that provided context for the legal and political struggles that followed. The series had 22 episodes, most reported in real time.

The judges praised MPR’s reporting and production team for excellent on-the-spot reporting and constructing a larger context to understand the events. Learn more and listen to audio samples here.

• This American Life & Serial for S-Town

This brilliant tale grabs listeners from 00:01 of S-Town. The compelling voice of John B. McLemore, an antique clock restorer, sets the narrative about an unreported murder in Bibb County, Alabama.

S-Town is an addictive law and order thriller from the producers who brought podcasting into the American mainstream. In many ways S-Town is the gold standard of this form of storytelling.

The judges called S-Town the first true audio novel, a nonfiction biography constructed in the style and form of a 7-chapter novel. S-Town set audience records the moment it was released. S-Town attracted 16 million downloads in the first week, and 40 million in first month. Learn more and listen to audio samples here.

• Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting & Louisville Public Media for The Pope’s Long Con

When folks at the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting uncovered an incredible story about a local politician who called himself “the Pope.” State Representative Dan Johnson glorified his own past for leverage with constituents and associates. But his self promotion was built on a trail of lies and fabrications that included criminal behavior and allegations of sexual assault.

The story then takes more fascinating twists and turns but we won’t spoil the ending.

The judges praised The Pope’s Long Con for demonstrating the importance of checks and balances and proper vetting, and for tenacious local journalism. Learn more and listen to audio samples here.

• Gimlet Media for Uncivil: The Raid

Gimlet Media is a for profit company that a similar sensibility, and several key people, to public radio.  

Uncivil: The Raid tells the story about 250 formerly enslaved black Americans during the struggle for black freedom during the Civil War in South Carolina. They escaped near certain execution when trapped behind Confederate troop lines.

The judges said Uncivil: The Raid for its contribution to understanding of a seldom-told true story about emerging black freedom.

Congratulations to the winners.

PODCAST PUBLISHERS CHART: HAS HOW STUFF WORKS QUIT WORKING?

Podtrac [link] has released its April estimates of the monthly audience for podcast publishers.  We are comparing the April numbers to January 2018 to see a trend line since the first of the year.

The top ten publishers for April include four who have ties to public radio and six that are for-profit, commercial ventures. The top four publishers are from public media. These publishers have an overwhelming majority of the estimated US Unique Monthly Audience. There was little change between January and April.

There was much more variation with the commercial podcast publishers.  The estimated audience for The Daily pushed the New York Times up 10%.   HowStuffWorks dropped 27%. Perhaps their next show will be How Podcasts Work.

 

WHERE YOUR FOUNDATION PROGRAM OFFICER LIVES MIGHT DETERMINE HOW HE/SHE FEELS ABOUT RADIO

Originally published December 16, 2016

In early December 2016 we featured an interesting question raised by Pierre Bouvard on his blog about why commercial radio seems to get cut out of advertising buys placed by New Your City ad agencies. 

Bouvard’s theory is that buyers in NYC don’t listen to radio when they commute to and from work.  Instead they use public transportation (subways, etc.) where they don’t hear radio. Bouvard believes that ad buyers don’t buy time on radio because they don’t listen it themselves despite considerable evidence to the contrary.

Bouvard used the chart on the left to make his point. It shows the proportion of people who use public transportation versus people commuting in cars. 

The data comes from the US Census Bureau. 

As you can see, the commuting pattern is much different for NYC than the other nine markets listed and the national average.

Based on this info we wondered whether people who work at foundations that provide public media funding might also follow the same trend. After all many foundations are located in Manhattan. Some are in the same zip code as ad agency media buyers and likely also ride the subway to get to and from work.

We decided to see what proportion of foundations that are major financial supporters of NPR are in NYC. We looked at a list of NPR’s foundation supporters and randomly chose ten foundations whose names are well known to NPR listeners.

They are Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The Joyce Foundation, Lumina Foundation, The Melville Charitable Trust, Open Society Foundations, The Wallace Foundation and Walton Family Foundation.

Five of the ten are located in New York, often within short walking distance from the big ad agencies. The remaining five are in the Bay Area, Miami, Chicago, Indianapolis and, of course, the Walton clan is in Arkansas. Can we assume that folks at the NYC foundations, perhaps the Program Officer for your program or project, also commutes to work on the  subway, not in a vehicle with a radio?

Now comes new research from NuVoodoo Media Services [link], that probes Bouvard’s theory. NuVoodoo (pronounced: new voodoo) is a good company with a lousy name that specializes in quick turn-around perceptual research.

NuVoodoo surveyed 423 advertising decision-makers nationwide, included marketing executives, media buyers and planners, ad executives, creative directors and business owners to test the validity of Bouvard’s theory. The study found that ad buyers who don’t listen to AM/FM radio during their commute to work are about half as likely to include radio in their ad plans.

On the other hand, media decision makers who commute by car are 75% more likely to have radio in their media plans than their public transit colleagues.

This is not proof of causality but it is a close correlation.

NuVoodoo opined that media buyers must realize that most Americans commute by vehicles and do hear radio more than any other audio sources.

The findings bring up questions about how in touch New York media strategists are with the majority of the Americans.

Is the same true of Foundation folks based in New York? Maybe Jarl Mohn, CEO at NPR should commission research to find out.

PLEASE WELCOME AMY WALTER TO “THE TAKEAWAY” • KEEPING UP WITH SOFI TUCKER

Amy Walter

WNYC Studios and Public Radio International (PRI) deserve high praise for bringing Amy Walter to public radio as the new Friday host of The Takeaway [link].  She has the perfect combination of an inquisitive mind, literate sensibility and a voice/style that makes ear buds smile. 

Consider her new assignment to be a vote for the future of public media. Walter starts her new gig this coming Friday, June 1^st.

Over the past 19 years, Amy Walter has built a reputation as an accurate, objective, and insightful political analyst, reporter and commentator. Walter is probably best known for her day job as the National Editor of The Cook Political Report [link]. She also a regular panelist on NBC’s Meet the Press, CBS' Face the Nation, Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace and PBS NewsHour.  

You can learn more about Amy Walter on her personal website [link].

THE TAKEAWAY 3.0

This is at least the third incarnation of The Takeaway since the program was launched in March 2008. John Hockenberry was the original host. The show was co-created by WNYC and PRI with the intention of competing with NPR’s Morning Edition, a truly foolish idea.

Despite the presence of Hockenberry, virtually all of the top NPR News/Talk stations refused to carry The Takeaway. By 2012 carriage of the program had dwindled, CPB funding ended and observers speculated that the program was near its end. But the producing partners persevered.

In September 2012 The Takeaway was quietly re-launched as midday program.  Production costs were cut when the program became a one-hour show with one daily feed at 9:00am ET. (More feeds have since been added.)

The gamble worked and soon The Takeaway was on news/talk stations in many of the top markets. The upward momentum continued until unforeseen problems arose in 2017.

Hockenberry retired just before his interpersonal problems became public. Todd Zwillich became the interim host until early May 2018.  By all accounts he did a terrific job.  Carriage continued to rise.

Tanzina Vega

On May 7^th Tanzina Vega became the new host of The Takeaway. 

On June 1^st Amy Walter will become the Friday host

Walter’s presence on The Takeaway is seen as a signal that the producing partners are gearing up coverage of policy issues and politics as the midterm elections get closer. 

This turn to harder news should make The Takeaway an even more popular choice for NPR News/Talk stations.

KEN SAYS: We have the greatest respect for the way WNYC and PRI didn’t let The Takeaway fade away. Now they have the chance to establish The Takeaway as a “must have” show, a counterpoint to 1A, the biggest public radio hit in the past five years.

WILL SOFI TUCKER HELP BRING MY MUSIC MOJO BACK?

Sofi Tukker

Okay, it is true confessions time. I spent most of my early career in music radio.  First was Top 40, then “underground” rock and “big tent Album Oriented Rock. These were some great days (and nights). In my heart, I feel like I am home with noncom Triple A.

As the years have gone by I have spent less and less time listening to music.  I have become so analytical and clinical that sometimes I worry about the lack of magic in my life.  To me, music is my magic and I’ve got to get it back. Does anyone else feel that way?

So, my secret is that I now regularly check NPR Music’s Heavy Rotation: 10 Songs Public Radio Can't Stop Playing [link]. The format of Heavy Rotation is simple and direct. Ten DJs involved with public media each suggest a current favorite tune.  NPR Music assembles the list including video and audio clips.

I like this approach because each monthly batch of tracks blurs rigid genre lines and introduces me to new artists and sounds.  When I find something I like, I can dig deeper.

This is how I became familiar with Sofi Tukker [link]. Sofi Tukker is a New York-based male/female duo consisting of Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern. Some people call their music “house music” or electronica.  I call them creative, raw, sensual and a connection to our collective unconscious. In some ways they remind me of The White Stripes.

You likely will be hearing more about Sofi Tukker because their song Best Friend is the soundtrack for a commercial released during Apple's unveiling of the iPhone X.  Here it is:

 If you like that track, check out their new release Baby I’m a Queen, a song I found on NPR Music: