Pledge dollars were down 26 percent in March for public TV stations, PBS Chief Financial Officer Barbara Landes told the system’s finance committee Monday. The gap between this year’s fundraising and last year’s is worsening, she said: In December, pledges were down 20 percent. Stations finances are affecting PBS and could affect producers. Dues collection is about 4 percent behind where it was in March 2007, Landes said, although collection has improved since December, when it was 8 percent behind. The watch list of at-risk stations is growing, she said. The National Programming Service dues are fully committed, Landes said. PBS typically commits millions to producers July 1, she said, though the dues don’t come in until November, when stations receive federal money. Landes said she expects to receive more requests for deferrals and late fee waivers. PBS doesn’t waive dues or late fees, Landes said. The service’s investment portfolio is also down significantly, she said, but because of cost-cutting measures in the second quarter, she expects that PBS will break even for fiscal 2009.
During his announcement of a new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, the President called on Congress to pass a bipartisan bill co-sponsored by Representatives Cantwell, Van Hollen and Hoekstra that creates opportunity zones in the border regions to develop the economy and bring hope to places plagued with violence. See future issue of ITT for additional details on this legislation. (Press release, dated 03/27/09, available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-on-a-New-Strategy-for-Afghanistan-and-Pakistan/.)
"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions" is a new feature of International Trade Today. The following are brief summaries of Capitol Hill actions for March 30, 2009.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued a CSMS message stating that as of June 1, 2009 electronic truck manifests submitted via the Automated Commercial Environment without approved Western Hemisphere Travel (WHTI) documents for drivers will be rejected.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has issued a final rule, effective April 29, 20091, which incrementally increases user fees in fiscal years 2009 through 2013 for import- and export-related services that APHIS provides for animals, animal products, birds, germ plasm, organisms, and vectors.
HOLLYWOOD -- Advertising has been the most successful revenue model for short-form and TV-based online video, and will remain so, executives said at last week’s Future of Television West conference. Still, the plunging economy has taken its toll, forcing Web video providers to develop more- targeted ad opportunities for major partners and brands, they said.
HOLLYWOOD -- Advertising has been the most successful revenue model for short-form and TV-based online video, and will remain so, executives said at last week’s Future of Television West conference. Still, the plunging economy has taken its toll, forcing Web video providers to develop more- targeted ad opportunities for major partners and brands, they said.
The FCC is seeking additional contractors to help vulnerable TV viewers make the digital transition by providing installation help in homes. A public notice from the commission said it was to release Thursday a statement of work with a request for quotation for each of six U.S. regions (CED March 26 p4). The documents weren’t immediately available. The FCC is seeking proposals to help people who are poor, minorities, elderly, disabled or rural, live on tribal lands or don’t speak English. The commission plans to provide help nationwide, but it’s seeking special assistance in 49 markets that the FCC and the NTIA identified as “most at risk” for bumpy transitions. Among the markets are Albuquerque -- which Nielsen has said is the least prepared - - Boston, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The commission also confirmed that it will release “in the coming days” solicitations for nonprofits and companies to run walk-in help centers and provide “expert” help in viewers’ homes.
The FCC is seeking additional contractors to help vulnerable TV viewers make the digital transition by providing installation help in homes. A public notice from the commission said it was to release Thursday a statement of work with a request for quotation for each of six U.S. regions (CD March 26 p4). The documents weren’t immediately available. The FCC is seeking proposals to help people who are poor, minorities, elderly, disabled or rural, live on tribal lands or don’t speak English. The commission plans to provide help nationwide, but it’s seeking special assistance in 49 markets that the FCC and the NTIA identified as “most at risk” for bumpy transitions. Among the markets are Albuquerque -- which Nielsen has said is the least prepared - - Boston, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. The commission also confirmed that it will release “in the coming days” solicitations for nonprofits and companies to run walk-in help centers and provide “expert” help in viewers’ homes.
There appeared to be little new in the more than 100 comments that flooded into the FCC this week about how to develop a comprehensive broadband strategy for rural parts of the U.S. The recommendations of the commission are expected to be given weight at NTIA and RUS as the agencies develop their respective broadband stimulus programs.