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WSRE To Cut Jobs, Programming After Scott Funding Veto
June 19, 2011
WSRE will eliminate employees and cut programming after Gov. Rick Scott vetoed $4.8 million in funding for public television in Florida.
Station officials said the veto will cost WSRE about $307,000, forcing the station to cut five of their 27 employees. Staff reductions will be made in the production area, donor services, SightLine reading service and broadcast engineering as of June 30 when the current fiscal year funding ends.
Some local productions will also be going on hiatus, and the “The Lawrence Welk Show” will be pulled from WSRE’s schedule to save programming costs.
The station said viewers can still expect to see core PBS programming such as Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow and NOVA. In addition, the station’s educational services and events for the community will continue.
“The difficult decision to cancel programs and eliminate the jobs of valued WSRE employees was made after an exhaustive review of our entire organization, and with the greatest reluctance,” said Sandy Cesaretti Ray, WSRE’s general manager. “With all of our remaining revenue sources under pressure, these actions were necessary to responsibly ensure the long-term sustainability of the organization and put WSRE on a realistic financial path for the future. We are counting on the increased support of our viewers, corporate support partners, and private foundations to help WSRE rebound from this loss while continuing to retain our award-winning prominence in public media.”
Comments
41 Responses to “WSRE To Cut Jobs, Programming After Scott Funding Veto”
@Mike P
Your paragraph 3 begets your paragraph 2, which in turn, begets your paragraph 1.
You have it right, just a little bit out of order.
People from all over the world flee their countries and come here because their government does nothing to help them. Many manage to complete degrees in education or engineering only to find there are no jobs for them in their countries. Their countries are not broke, just poor. Their government only serves wealthy interests and everyone else suffers or migrates.
I am actually looking forward to your comments when you right wingers finally get your wish for the government to stop spending money on the public. One plus is immigrants will stop coming here in such high numbers. Another is you will finally be educated about what happens when your government takes on a life of its own and stops serving its own people.
I can understand why some of the founders thought it foolish to allow the common people who are so ignorant to vote. I am so amazed at how ignorant so many of our citizens are. It is truly disturbing. The combination of self righteousness, incredibly high self-esteem, and absolute stunning ignorance are the hallmarks of the average American voter, and they don’t need PBS reminding them of how ignorant they are. They want to watch Jersey Shore and feel smarter than everyone else.
A decent antenna will pick up WEIQ from Mobile. At least in Escambia County anyway.
They will still be carrying most of the programming that is being cut from WSRE.
REGARDING:
“Took me out of context, David.”
My apologies, did not mean to do so. Nonetheless, I’ve read that question many times over the years and believe it always deserves a serious answer. (Especially since I’m usually so serious.) Others had also dealt with it ere I did. Also, if I took it out of context, it’s quite possible others did too, so again I figure it’s worth addressing.
We benefit from many things in ways we never know or notice. A cousin of mine was complaining about all the money spent on “defense” in this country and how much good it could do if it weren’t. I agreed but had to remind her the money WAS spent giving jobs to Americans. Maybe it could have been spent better giving other jobs or even–heresy, though it might be–not taking it away from the original owners through taxes in the first place so they could spend or invest their money according to their needs and desires.
I don’t think any money should be spent just to give people jobs but believe it SHOULD be spent for jobs which are NEEDED. I also like the idea of spending money for training. At one time the federal government paid 2/3 of the cost of summer jobs to St. Regis and other businesses. It made it worth their time to train them and gave them useful work experience which made it easier for them to get jobs in the future, and pay more income taxes which could have been spent to train even more kids. (Summer jobs also put many through college.)
David taking out of context
while for planning ahead
Everyone knows that we need these cuts. We need a balanced budget .Spending money we do not have must stop. Gov Scott has the intestinal fortitude to make these cuts. Lets get behind him and stop all this whining. The whining and complaining only comes from the mouths of the toes being stepped on.
Took me out of context, David.
–SW said…”That being said, government should not be in the radio/tv broadcasting business. They are already involved enough in the regulatory realm of television and radio-at least they are supposed to be, i.e., FCC.”
–and… “If they could accept advertising and produce local programming in conjunction with the educational opportunity, it’d probably continue to provide a service.”
–Then tallyho mumbled…huh! Sad, Sad, Sad!!
–I said…That is a good point, SW.One could imagine a scenario where someone like Rick Scott, instead of cutting the funding, attempted to take control of an entity such as Public Television for his own nefarious purposes. Now *that’s* frightening. It’s bad enough to pick up the phone and have him on the other end.
–and….(again to SW) You hit the nail on the head with that part of your post. It is actually my understanding that PBS is about to start accepting commercials. They have been pretty close to that for a while now with their acknowledgements to sponsors before and after a presentation.
–Then to huh…Well,huh. Look’s like tallyho sure presented a fine argument there! Don’t try to debate with that one.
REGARDING:
“my children are adults, now, so I don’t want to be paying for the failed public education system, either. Can I opt out?”
You can always opt out by leaving the state and moving to a state which does not include a guaranteed free public education for its children unlike Florida. I’m not sure you can find such a state in the USA but am pretty sure some third world nations would accommodate you.
Anyway, if you live in a state and are a citizen of that state, you are subject to the laws of that state. The supreme law within a state is the state constitution, therefore, as long as you stay in Florida and until the constitution is changed, you are pretty much stuck with it.
Take heart, though; you still benefit from a public education. If you need medication, it’s likely the nurse learned how to read in a public school, so you want her as well trained as possible. You live around people who learned their civic duties not only from their loving and decent parents, but also from their schools. Those who made the grade are far less likely to rob you than those who didn’t receive a full public education. The cashier at WalMart, the mechanic working on your brakes, the farmer who grew your food, the people who handle it, the plumber working on your toilet, the doctor cutting into your body all learned much of what you need them to know in public education.
You hope they learned well because your life is on the line in hundreds of ways every day based on what they were taught and what they learned. You’re still benefiting.
David considering a bargain
Cut away!!!!!!!!!!!! Our government is too big. Our taxes are too high. There are too many government services. There are too many government employees.
Good job Governor Scott!!! People, if you want to keep Lawrence Welk DONATE!! Public TV should be funded by the people who want to watch it.
I guess it’s okay to cut funding…unless it’s something you like; whether it is justified cutting for budget purposes or whether it is a constitutional duty (or not) of the particular government entity doing the cutting.
The governments are broke, many more things need to be taken off the backs of the taxpayers.
Buy the way why cut the soaps? They are paid for by capitalist advertising dollars to a television station/network that is in business to make money; these stations/networks provide jobs in an effort to bring programming-whether you like the programming or not is another issue altogether. As far as I know, the government doesn’t subsidize them.
huh! Sad, Sad, Sad!!
@Name and eab….
I usually don’t agree with you two, but eab has been hitting things right
that are close to my heart so for the second time this week I whole
heartily second her statement.
Name…..
This time you got it right. I watch and support public tv as it is good
family viewing and very informational for everyone. That being said
everything everywhere NEEDS TO BE CUT.
Every one NEEDS to cut till it hurts.
It’s money folks and we are broke.
Now if we could just cut out soaps.
@eab,
I think your public tv/radio comparison to public school has merit, actually. I agree that since I don’t watch WSRE, then I shouldn’t have to pay; my children are adults, now, so I don’t want to be paying for the failed public education system, either. Can I opt out?
My basic argument is not against WSRE in particular. The station actually could have merit if PSC used it for a training medium for broadcasters, producers, engineers, etc. If they could accept advertising and produce local programming in conjunction with the educational opportunity, it’d probably continue to provide a service. I would make the same argument for public radio if it were part of UWF’s educational curriculum.
That being said, government should not be in the radio/tv broadcasting business. They are already involved enough in the regulatory realm of television and radio-at least they are supposed to be, i.e., FCC.
Let the free market support that medium; let the educational tuitions support it; but don’t allow the failed and broken government make us pay for it. There are other more necessary items that government should be doing.
I too watch PBS, however, the days of the government paying for everything needs to be over. PBS served a great purpose before cable..but now there is too much competition…loosen the rules on PBS and public radio and if they are so good they can compete with all the other stations out there…
SW said…”If public tv and radio were such a good thing, why do they need government support?”
I said…Why do public schools need my support if they are such a good thing? I don’t have kids, why should I pay? Is it because schools are deemed by some to be good for society in general? Well, I believe educating society is a good thing so I don’t mind kicking in.
I think public tv educates folks as well. People who can’t afford or don’t want to spend the money on satellite or cable tv. In addition,we have at least one instance of WSRE performing a community service in the story William has following this one.
“A Public Redistricting Meeting will be held Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the WSRE TV Amos Studio at 1000 College Boulevard in Pensacola.”
Name (required) said…”Like WSRE? Go to WSRE.org and make a contribution… I do.”
I said…That’s absolutely correct. I don’t send ‘em much but I do kick in on a yearly basis. I support public funding but those of us who watch should also pledge. And I’m not surprised you watch, Mr required. While our positions almost never intersect you do present a coherent argument for most of your views and it’s true that *any* thinking person will most likely watch public television.
I would think that any TWO of the top tier officers of the organization, laid off would certainly cover MOST of the funds not renewed.
But then we can’t DO that can we?
@tallyho
A network that tells both sides of the story? I hope you are not referring to fox news because that is not what they do. They are the right arm of the right wing neo conservative movement.
If you actually wanted to see real reporting I suggest a different tv channel and not one dedicated to one political party.
Also I can’t say i have ever seen anything thats liberal on PBS, can you please point out a specific example other than just eating what fox news and the right wing feeds you?
(laughter) So, tallyho…..who did “a survey” and who did they survey?
Was this a study done by The National Inquirer?
Ya gotta love the way folks quote facts and figures without providing sources.
If public tv and radio were such a good thing, why do they need government support?
If they had a marketable product, advertisers would keep it in business.
That’s capitalism…sink or swim in the marketplace; if people like it-they buy it, if not-they don’t and it makes room for someone else to try their hand.
huh!! You need to get out more are at least listen to a network that tells both sides of the story. A survey came up with i believe 70% of the PBS network was liberal, and going as far as feeded there veiw to the kids with there shows. I hope that the elected off. in Washington can follow thru with cutting the tax payer from supporting a far left veiw. PBS should be a network whom has no political veiws then the tax payer will not feel like he is being ripped off.
Good! We don’t need those commie Muppets. Let the kids watch real educational TV. Jersey Shore, The Kardashians, Bachelor, You know, real quality television.
As I type, WSRE is on my television (Saving the Bay). I am a WSRE supporter and WUWF (I am sure some may be shocked!).
Gov. Scott is right to do this… the state is broke. People speak of these cuts like they are paid for from the ‘money tree’… they are not. The state pays for it, and the state gets it’s money from the people.
The government is not killing Elmo, or shutting off your television.
People are hurting, and I am sorry that people will be hurt by this decision but we can simply NOT afford to run business out of the state or out of the country with the taxes required to support services that are rightly supported by the user.
Like WSRE? Go to WSRE.org and make a contribution… I do.
Name (required)
For public media, against oppressive taxation.
The people on here who are calling WSRE an arm of the liberals are as silly as it gets. Sesame St? Nature? Nova? Masterpiece Theater?
And y’all wonder why there have never been any jobs in this area or companies wanting to come here. Ignorance is one thing but willful ignorance is quite another.
Y’all wear ignorance like a badge of honor. Go back to watching Survivor.
Eliminating government jobs helps the economy in the long run because it frees up money for the private sector to invest in capital and future growth. That’s 4.8 million dollars that the government doesn’t have to steal from the public. I wish Alabama would do the same.
Keynesian economic theory and the impact it has had on the mindset of the vast majority of Americans is absolutely crippling this country financially.
“I thought you had to be educated to be governor; but he don’t know the difference between adding jobs and subtracting jobs”. What to do,….. that is a classic. The sad thing is that you dont realize why.
@Old Marine,
You got it Right !!!
Semper Fi
I thought you had to be educated to be governor; but he don’t know the difference between adding jobs and subtracting jobs.
Look at the bright side, though, if they don’t fund radio or television, they can put more into those entitlement programs for folks.
You gotta be positive about these things.
Yeah, like Oldmarine said… Lawrence Welk is a commie! lol… and that Curious George is next if he doesn’t get in line?
BTW, I doubt that Scott is substrcting the jobs he is eliminating derectly or in directly caused by his policies, but just counting new ones. Many of which he or his policies had anything to do with. Even if 1,000 jobs are created and 2,000 jobs are lost, the total at the end of the day Scott will publish 1,000 jobs created. It’s a political joke…
Scott is doing what he said he would do. Florida does not need to become like California.
PBS has become a political , and needed its left arm amputated
Thank you Gov. Scott. Now let’s get rid of the lousy public radio. These are just arms of the liberals of the Democratic party. Thank you again Gov. Scott. Now it makes me happier to know I supported you and voted for you. Thanks, thanks, and thanks.
I am sad that WSRE will have to cut back on great programming. However, if we want to reduce debt (or even survive as a country) we MUST not continue business as usual. Some people just don’t get it – - – yet. : (
@tallyho You think PBS is left wing liberal? Yeahhhh right, Let me guess the first step to becoming a liberal is the Antiques Road Show?
PBS had great programming for children and adults and will be a shame to see it suffer.
Cut The Lawrence Welk Show?! Bubbles!!!
Let’s hope they don’t mess with Keeping Up Appearances.
In our home, we actually haven’t had tv in ages, but so many PBS shows are classic. Where I lived, there was no cable and satellite wasn’t what it is today. We watched a lot of WSRE.
It’s too bad WSRE couldn’t cancel additional quality programs…ones people like but don’t bother to financially support. If a lot of the station’s other digital channels went away as well they’d save money and reduce overall education efforts put forth by public television. Those of you like me who donate to support public television should realize there are a lot of you who don’t support the programming and it should be cut until the value is realized. In fact we all should do without a lot of government supported projects until we realize the value they add to our lives.
I’m from the TEA Party and I’m here to help.
Lets see it was simple.WSRE ( PBS ) should have been a network devoted to public. But no they were a far left wing arm of the liberial agenda.
The group that most enthusiastically supports Rick Scott loses its favorite show. Talk about karma.
Is “ELMO” safe?????? Can we still get to “Seasame Street”? Dont take this from the kids!!!! I think we all grew up w/ “Bert & Ernie”!!
Now how is scott creating job by constantly getting rid of jobs?