BBC executives describe deep cuts, new investments

WASHINGTON — Faced with a 16% budget cut, BBC executives decided to focus resources on top priorities – peak viewing hours and the "best journalism in the world." That was the word today from top managers at the BBC, speaking at a CCLP communication forum at the USC Washington DC Center. The budget cuts were the result of across-the-board reductions by the UK government, and 16% was comparable to the cuts at museums and other cultural institutions. But the BBC was also determined to invest in new programming. "It's all very well cutting," said Caroline Thomson, the BBC's Chief Operating……Continue Reading BBC executives describe deep cuts, new investments

New venture fund for public TV, and launch of all-pledge PBS channel

WASHINGTON – New revenue models to support public television have been announced – one a new twist on venture philanthropy and another taking a traditional source of funds to what may be its logical extreme. The venture philanthropy comes from the formation of Independent Public Media last week. Fuelled by revenue from spectrum leases, IPM will "acquire and recapitalize television stations at risk of closing or selling their licenses to organizations that may not represent a community's interests at large," according to its news release. To illustrate the threat to local public television stations, IPM's announcement cited three stations: "Three……Continue Reading New venture fund for public TV, and launch of all-pledge PBS channel