NPR Cutbacks Include 13 Layoffs (Dinosaur Media DeathWatch™)

Washington Post ^ | April 24, 2009 | Paul Farhi

[abb]

National Public Radio said yesterday it will lay off 13 employees and furlough all of its employees for five days over the next five months in the latest round of belt-tightening by the Washington-based organization.

The cuts are part of a series of measures that will help NPR close a projected $8 million budget gap during its current fiscal year, and $15 million over the next two years.

In addition to the furloughs, employees also will not be paid for three holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day) this year, and three more when its new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.

Like many news-media organizations, NPR has been grappling with reduced revenue; in December, as its fiscal crisis deepened, it laid off 64 employees, or 7 percent of the staff, and eliminated two daily radio programs, "Day to Day" and "News and Notes." It was NPR's first layoff in 25 years.

As part of its latest cutback, the nonprofit broadcaster will also eliminate contributions to employee retirement accounts through the end of the current fiscal year, and will cut the contributions by half next year. It will also eliminate merit raises next year.

The latest job cuts were in the information technology, legal services and communications departments and won't affect programming, NPR said.

NPR has been hammered by declining revenue from its four major sources of funding: corporate sponsors, fees from more than 800 public radio stations that carry its programs, donations from foundations and income from an internal endowment.

The reductions will put NPR on track to meet its budgets, but NPR spokeswoman Dana Davis Rehm could not say whether the worst was over. "I don't think anyone can predict what's going to happen," she said. "We think this is a very prudent and reasonable plan."

[abb]

Some good news this morning...

[abb]

ping

[John W]

Good.

[rovenstinez]

Good start. Now if we could do this say, 1,000 X....deeper, we’d get some real umph...going, and turn the people away from tax payer underwritten social engineering programming.

[OJDIDIT2]

Sound like they need my Begger-Thons. That do it for weeks on end for public TV.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

“In addition to the furloughs, employees also will not be paid for three holidays (Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day) this year, and three more when its new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.”

It’s just HEART-WRENCHING when the reality of living in a Capitalist Society comes ‘round and bites the lefties in the arse, ain’t it? *SNICKER*

(Hopefully, we can hold on to our Capitalist way of life for a little bit longer; it’s not looking so good.)

[ken5050]

Good morning. FYI..I'm at the Florida freeper convention in Orlando. Some of ud got in last night..beautiful hotel..we met up at the sportsbar, and as an added bonus, got to watch the Red Sawx beat the Yankees...and now some more good news from you...

Let the revolution begin here, today...

[abb]

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[abb]

I wasn’t able to post Thursday and Friday - out of town. Should have some good stuff this morning.

Y’all have a good time down there!!

[boomop1]

Fire Congress and the illegal alien president.

[abb]

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[Clay Moore]

[abb]

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http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/
Primetime Pilot Panic: The Hot List

[Oratam]

Nina Totenberg among ‘em?

[wally_bert]

As a former public TV person, I am just devastated (not really) at the suffering of the NPR crowd. Odds are technical and working people will get it first. Management will protect itself as much as possible.

[abb]

http://techdirt.com/articles/20090424/0317554632.shtml
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http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003966252
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[dr_who]

Hopefully, there will be more.

[Lockbar]

LOL! I LOVE THIS! Back in 2003, the widow of McDonald's Founder Ray Kroc donated $225 million to NPR. NPR was going to spend $25 million right away for improvements, and put $200 million in investments to generate capitol through investments. I remember the local NPR affiliate here in Chicago, WBEZ< was absolutely giddy with happiness. Staff were on TV almost falling over on them selves with excitement on hoping how this “big money” was going wash into their pockets. Liberals always get weak at the knees when somebody elses unearned free money comes there way, kind of like if a rich Uncle died. The problems is this story got A LOT of media attention. Loads of people who were $25 and $50 a year “members” of the NPR listener family began to ask their local NPR stations to stop the almost never ending “beg-a-thons” that went on over the year, which didn't stop. This turned off alot of the little “givers” who stopped contributing. I hope they figure out how to survive on the liberal money they got on hand. Poor babies might have to go out a get a real job.

[Clay Moore]

“nternet, Bloggers’ Half-Truths Are Killing Newspapers and Journalism”

Wow! Denial at its finest!

[Lockbar]

"the nonprofit broadcaster will also eliminate contributions to employee retirement accounts through the end of the current fiscal year, and will cut the contributions by half next year"

HEARTLESS, HEARTLESS, HEARTLESS!! Why, how could this happen!??? Its something an evil republican would do!!!!!! What about the little people???