Our local NPR affiliate...

[sendero]

... announced that they (TV and radio, KERA) will be eliminating 18 positions (13 layoffs and closing 5 requisitions).

This is the second big layoff (hey, that's a lot of people percentage-wise, sorry, I don't have the numbers) in a few years.

They announced that they have been running a budget deficit for 3 years and had to do something.

Part of this is no doubt the lousy economy, but I can't help but think that part is also their swing to the right. I know they lost $120 a year from me :)

[Doohickie]

1. They will have just over 100 employees to run both a radio and

TV station after the layoff.

I think they were hanging on for Kerry, but they know now with * in power their public funding is screwed. The article I read also mentioned how both membership donations and corporate donations were up. If they're both up, government funding must really be going down the shitter.

[sendero]

3. Well....

... no doubt part of their problem is that they built themselves a big new studio a few years back (at the peak of the boom if I remember correctly) and that might not have been a really good decision - though I have heard their old studio was really decrepit and they may not have had much choice.

Well, as I've said many time here, NPR has gone to the dark side and I don't really care what happens to them

The TV side still airs some pretty good stuff - but I can't help but think that public broadcasting is on its last legs.

[demokatgurrl]

2. Good. I stopped donating years ago, unfortunately

because if I hadn't I'd surely stop now.

I hope they either fold or get bought by Fox News and then they can be seen for what they truly are.