Vice president of marketing Bob Schenkein notes that CPR hasn't exactly been inundated by comments from local listeners. As of yesterday afternoon, he says the service had received six comments about the situation -- "three positive and three negative," he says. "So it's not affecting our operations at all. And, in fact, I don't think it's affecting NPR's operations. As far as the news and programming we get from NPR, everything has been normal."
Moreover, he says the negative coverage of NPR in the media as a whole hasn't created a gloomy atmosphere among employees. "The morale of the staff is totally upbeat and positive," he feels. "We just had the most successful fund drive that we ever had -- it ended two days early -- and we're in excellent financial shape. We're hiring people, and we're getting some very significant grants from local foundations. Everything for Colorado Public Radio is very, very positive."
Would the happiness index take a dip if Congress goes along with Lamborn and others to eliminate federal funding for NPR and the Public Broadcasting System? He declines to take a position about the proposal, citing NPR's ethical standard of remaining neutral on public-policy matters. But he calls it "a critical issue that will impact millions of people. In Colorado alone, there are about two million people who watch or listen to public programming each week."Not that CPR would face a financial apocalypse should the measure pass. "We have about 33,000 active members who account for 57 percent of our revenue," he points out. "We get about 28 percent from businesses and other organizations that support us with underwriting, and we get about 9 percent from foundations." That leaves "a little over 6 percent from federal funding," which he describes as "a significant amount," but not one that would cause an immediate shutdown.
Schenkein acknowledges that "the hardest thing to tell in these situations is what the domino effect of it will be should it come to pass. But from our point of view, we feel we are in extremely good financial condition, and will continue to be in a sound position moving forward."
Regarding the specifics of the NPR mess, Schenkein declines to comment, maintaining that "there is nothing more to add to the conversation that has not already been covered in the national and local media." But that didn't stop many NPR personalities from sharing their displeasure at the comments made by fundraiser Schiller. Here's their open letter on the topic:
Dear Listeners and Supporters,We, and our colleagues at NPR News, strive every day to bring you the highest quality news programs possible. So, like you, we were appalled by the offensive comments made recently by NPR's now former Senior Vice President for Development. His words violated the basic principles by which we live and work: accuracy and open-mindedness, fairness and respect.
Those comments have done real damage to NPR. But we're confident that the culture of professionalism we have built, and the journalistic values we have upheld for the past four decades, will prevail. We are determined to continue bringing you the daily journalism that you've come to expect and rely upon: fair, fact-based, in-depth reporting from at home and around the world.
With your support we have no doubt NPR will come out of this difficult period stronger than ever.
Thank you,
Robert Siegel
Michele Norris
Melissa Block
Renee Montagne
Scott Simon
Liane Hansen
Guy Raz
Michel Martin
Neal Conan
Susan Stamberg
Nina Totenberg
Linda Wertheimer
Daniel Zwerdling
John Ydstie
Richard Harris
Tom Gjelten
Howard Berkes
Mike Shuster
Laura Sullivan
Lynn Neary
Jacki Lyden
Mara Liasson
Cokie Roberts
More from our Media archive: "Colorado Public Radio: Max Wycisk is positive even though ratings outlook for bonds is negative."
