PeoriaStory

WEEK-TV weather channel off the air

PEORIA -- The handy weather channel, formerly on WEEK-TV2 or on Comcast cable 431 in Peoria is off the air.

That was a handy place to see local weather and forecasts at any time, especially for people without cable TV or the Internet.  Now it's gone.  Why?

Mark Bullion, weekend weather anchor of WEEK-TV said in an email: "Our contract expired with that channel two nights ago and thus, as you noticed, is now off the air. It's unclear what the company will be doing with the channel as of right now. If you are getting our channels off of an antenna, you can always watch our newscasts for the latest weather....that would be tonight at 5:30 on ABC and at 10 on ABC and NBC."

Uh, not so fast.  What about people with other obligations at those times?  And those who want the weather when convenient or necessary for them?  It's a matter of public safety sometimes.

How sad that the obligations of those using the public airwaves have vanished, with only profits, not public service, motivating them.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

The Olympics on TV: confusing

PEORIA -- You would think that NBC could do a good job of reporting the schedule of Olympic events.   Instead it's a confusing mess.

I like the equestrian events, and want to watch them on the big screen.  Good luck with that. 

The events are reported in huge blocks of time, not great for recording.  And the schedule in the PJS is not accurate. 

The jumping competion is supposed to be today on NBC, reportedly after the cycling final. It says nothing about the water polo, the kayak races and other events taking place.  So will the lovely horses be televised? Who knows. My DVR is running but perhaps for nothing.

Then there are the stupid interviews, the endless ceremonies, and even features on London, interesting but not related to the Olympics.  Why have all that?

Come on NBC, you can do better. Can't you?

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

The best Sunday TV talk show

PEORIA -- Set your DVRs and VCRs.  The best Sunday morning TV talk show, also on Saturday mornings, is Up with Chris Hayes.

It plays on MSNBC at the awful hours of 6-8 a.m. Saturday, and 7-9 a.m. Sunday (central time)  -- thus the recording devices.  Or you can watch it on the website.

The Jan. 1 show was especially good, as a fresh panel of sharp authors, not the same old politicians or hacks, discussed the conservative mind -- based on a new book. 

They answered an important question:  why conservatives are deficit hawks, and insist on deficit reduction above all, and especially above job creation.

Nobel prize winner Paul Krugman insists that debt doesn't matter, but never says why the conservatives insist on it, just that it's bad economic policy.

So here's the answer, according to the Up panel:  conservatives see debt as a moral failing, symbolic of or akin to 'sins' of modernity they don't like, such as sex, abortion, homosexuality, drugs, even crime.

On the national and international level that's not accurate or true, but feelings and impressions are what matter in politics, not truth.

So they push for debt reduction over all, and never mind the fallout.  Austerity from spending cuts punishes the sinners, in their unconscious or even conscious view.

Crazy?  you bet.  But real.  It could saddle us with a GOP government that actually destroys the economy and brings all of us down with it.

Anyway, watch Up for the most provocative weekend talk show on TV.

 -- Elaine Hopkins

 

1/4/12:  Here's an emailed comment from Ed Dentino:

I agree with Paul Krugman.    I read this debt mania from people as being illogical -supported by neither history or experience.   Like other conservative 'values',  it has a superficial validity that people will relate to.  

Looking at GOP fiscal policies,  I see an undercurrent of  bigotry in the scope of what they say and what they do that goes back to Nixon assimilating the Dixicrats.  Later: Regan starting his campaign from Mississippi,  corporate America outsourcing jobs and plants to Asia, India, and the Southeastern U.S.  Bush's fiscal 'starve the beast' policy increased spending and reduced income.  Now 'debt reduction'  is aimed at middle class income and benefits and reduces opportunity for ethnic and poor people even further.  -30-

 

Public TV channels in jeopardy

CAP Act introduced in support of Public channels - From a news release:

Washington, DC) - In a showing of bi-partisan support for the community, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Congressman Steve LaTourette (R-OH) yesterday introduced the Community Access Preservation (CAP) Act of 2011 (H.R. 1746). The bill seeks to stem the severe challenges faced by public, educational, and government access (PEG) TV channels and to protect those channels for future generations.   "Local access channels bring unique voices, perspectives, and programming to television," said Congresswoman Baldwin. "The nature of television programming is changing, as are the methods in which that programming is delivered. These changes should not come at the expense of the diversity and vibrancy of local voices," Baldwin said.   "These stations don't receive federal funding. All this bill does is allow and empower local communities to keep their public access channels if they choose to do so," said Congressman Steve LaTourette.   Historically, the number of channels and funding dedicated to PEG TV was negotiated as part of local cable franchise agreements between the cable company and the local community and each community determined its own investment in programming. However, recent state-level franchise laws in twenty states have jeopardized this balance and communities and consumers in six states, including Wisconsin and Ohio, will lose all funding for PEG channels by 2012.   A nationwide study conducted for the Benton Foundation by the Alliance for Communications Democracy shows that PEG access centers in at least 100 communities across the U.S. have closed since 2005 and, without passage of the CAP Act, as many as another 400 public access channels will shut down.   For a summary of the bill, go here. Bookmark www.alliancecm.org for updates on the bill's progress and how you can help.

PBS fund-raiser fun, believe it or not

PEORIA -- Public television station WTVP-TV, Channel 47, has survived a potential shutdown by renegotiating its mortgage, and has begun a 16-day on-air fund-raiser to solicit operational funds. It hopes to raise almost $150,000 by March 16.

The League of Women Voters participated as volunteers on March 3 to answer the phones as viewers called in with pledges. Answering the calls for three hours turned out to be interesting and fun.

I was one of eight LWV members taking calls that generated more than $6,400, good for a Monday night, station managers said.

The atmosphere was relaxed, and the callers were friendly and love the station and its programming. There was only one crank call, someone complaining about the station’s bad money management.

The program “Home in Ireland” featuring the singing of Daniel O’Donnell proved to be the best draw for pledges. I had never heard of him but he has a loyal base of fans who love his easy listening music.

Callers, including many who said they are retirees, commented that this type of pop music is all too rare today.

The second program, Great Performances featuring Martina McBride, Live in Concert at Moline, Il., drew fewer pledges. She’s a county-rock singer, young, beautiful, charged with high energy.

But either her fans have no money for public TV or they’re too busy with children or household chores to take time to pledge by calling.

People also can pledge by using the station’s website. The phone bank didn’t learn how many of her young fans took that route or how much was generated in pledges that way.

Station managers were friendly to us and helpful, as we had the unusual phone contact with the station’s viewers. We were asked to question them about how they watch the station, via cable, satellite, or over the air using an antenna. Most were cable viewers.

I worry about the over-the-air viewers, who eventually must buy converter boxes once the entire US TV system switches to digital.

The government is offering $40 coupons to buy the boxes which will cost more than $40. Those coupons are available on the station’s website, but most people I talked with don’t use computers. A toll-free number is also out there somewhere.

Station officials on Monday said all public TV stations have converted to digital but some commercial stations have not yet done so, and the deadline for conversion, about a year from now, may be extended.

Meanwhile the expense of conversion, which contributed to WTVP’s financial troubles, has driven some public television stations elsewhere out of business, they said, or threatens to do so.

Alas some have been sold to religious broadcasters.

Superstition TV? We don’t need any more of that. Science, music, the arts, non-tabloid political shows -- the public TV mix -- offer much more for the human spirit.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Ex PBS CEO member of Bank of America board

UPDATE -- Bank of America has a charitable foundation that dishes out funds to worthy causes. Here's a quote from a news release:

"Building on a longstanding tradition of investing in the communities it serves, Bank of America is in its fourth year of achieving an unprecedented 10-year goal to donate $1.5 billion to nonprofit organizations engaged in improving the health and vitality of their neighborhoods. Funded by Bank of America, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation will give more than $225 million in 2008, making the bank the most generous financial institution in the world and the second largest donor of all U.S. corporations in cash contributions. Bank of America approaches giving through a national strategy called "neighborhood excellence" under which it works with local leaders to identify and meet the most pressing needs of individual communities. Through Team Bank of America, bank associate volunteers contributed more than 650,000 hours in 2007 to enhance the quality of life in their communities nationwide. For more information about Bank of America Corporate Philanthropy, visit http://www.bankofamerica.com/foundation."

Click on that link and apply for a grant for public TV in Peoria. Or send them a message.

PEORIA -- As the amazing debacle of WTVP Channel 47 unfolds (see Jan. 12 post below), a little web research reveals that a Bank of American board of directors member was until recently President and Chief Executive Officer of the Public Broadcasting Service.

That's the national parent of PBS affiliate WTVP.

She is Patricia E. Mitchell, 64.

According to various websites she is also President and Chief Executive Officer, The Museum of Television and Radio, in New York City, where she went after leaving the PBS position. That's a part of the Paley Center for Media, where she is president and chief executive officer since March 2007.

She was President and Chief Executive Officer of Public Broadcasting Service from March 2000 to March 2006.

She also was President of CNN Productions and Time Inc. Television, a division of Time Warner, Inc.

Does Ms. Mitchell, who is married to an Atlanta businessman, know what's happening in Peoria? Does she care that thousands of low income children likely will have no access to Big Bird and Barney when Channel 47 goes off the air?

An astonishing website details the connections between various elites in the US who determine the shape of this nation, including the board of Bank of America.

Here's an analysis of the financial situation by the local NPR station news director Jonathan Ahl.

I was unable to find an email address or phone number for Ms. Mitchell. I dare her to comment on this situation!

-- Elaine Hopkins

UPDATE: Oh yeah -- Bank of America is also a corporate rodeo sponsor. See the video on the post below on a Peoria rodeo where horses and bulls were abused and shocked.

Theft of WTVP-TV?

PEORIA -- Unbelievable as it sounds, Peoria's PBS station, WTVP-TV, Channel 47 is apparently threatened with going dark, depriving thousands of viewers of educational, artistic and scientific programming unless they buy cable or satellite coverage.

This in a city with almost 70 percent of its public school children living in households so poor the kids are eligible for free or reduced school lunches!

So much for the great children's programming on PBS. Oh well, let the kids watch soap operas or whatever else comes on during daytime network TV.

Just as serious are the questions that remain over what has happened to this station and who is at fault. One of many unanswered questions: what about the station's valuable license apparently owned by its not-for-profit parent organization? No one has ever addressed this issue.

Is this a license grab?

State and federal laws require tax exempt organizations that convert to for-profit status to compensate the public for its donations. Is this a clever new way to subvert the law?

WTVP-TV has posted addresses and e-mail addresses on its website, so people can write to the banks.

I sent the following letter via e-mail to the banks:

It’s simply incredible that Peoria’s PBS station is threatened with closure by your organization’s actions.

This station provides educational and artistic programming to thousands of people who cannot afford cable TV bills.

I have personally written to the Illinois Attorney General to ask that an investigation take place into this potential theft from the public whose tax funds and charitable donations have built this station.

Thieves should go to prison, not profit from their misdeeds and/or abusive financial deals.

Rest assured that my family will NEVER do business with you again if this station closes.

Navigating the bank websites is a bit complicated. Here are some e-mail addresses:

Bank of America; Commerce Bank, national and local.

Illinois Attorney General.

Send them a message.

-- Elaine Hopkins

PBS Dark Overnight

PEORIA -- Here's a sad commentary on our times: Peoria's public TV station is now dark overnight, but only for viewers without cable.

WTVP-TV, Channel 47, has stopped its overnight over-the-air broadcasting to save money. That occurred when Ameren/CILCO, the local electric provider freed from state regulation of its rates, raised them by mega-amounts in January.

Broadcasting over-the-air overnight would cost the station an extra $100,000 not in its budget, according to Linda Miller, vice president for programming. The station's electric bill would go up by 60 percent, she said.

"We just frankly couldn't afford it," she said.

"We felt there would be some relief by the (state) legislature but it didn't happen," she said.

At least not yet. The Illinois General Assembly is still debating what to do, as anguished homeowners and businesses complain loudly about the rate increases.

Will the Democratic party be finished in Illinois if it doesn't act on this issue?

True, the Republican-controlled state government set the utilities free from regulation, but they're not in power now, and likely won't get the blame from the public.

Meanwhile, WTVP has lost its overnight audience. Miller suggested that many people watch those shows as they return home from the late shift or take time for themselves from caring for children or others.

Viewers without cable TV make up about one-fourth of the audience, she said.

The station set up a special arrangement with the local cable provider to send out the signals overnight via cable, and the station's digital signals also operate overnight.

WTVP's move could be a foretaste of what's coming in Feb. 2009, when all analogue TV signals are scheduled to end in the U.S.

Millions of TV sets without a cable hookup won't work any more, though converter boxes may be available.

Most people don't yet understand that all those cheap analogue TV sets they are buying now may not work two years from now, she said. "It's a really interesting issue," she added.