Monday, April 22, 2024

KQED Asks for Staff Buyouts in Looming Budget Crisis, But...

23 comments:

  1. find kqed's IRS form 990. there are your answers.

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  2. Always enjoyed KQED programming. Wonder if their move in '21 caused some of the budget issues.

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  3. I can't be the only one that sees this, but with your new backdrop and all green jersey...you look like a Marshall AppleWhite "Heaven's Gate" clone. Extend both hands in supplication to a deity only you can see and..NAILED IT!

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  4. Glad to see you are taking them to task, Rich. The last few years of KQED Newsroom were pitiful and a far cry from the original concept. Now Newsroom is gone, as is most local programming from KQED. I’m a member of the Sacramento PBS station KVIE because it seems more engaged with its community. I see other PBS stations doing more, such as the one in San Diego that even has a nightly news broadcast.

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    1. As long as any deity goes "woke" it's very likely to be doomed since it'll no longer become objective and non partisan and will spew progressive opinions and it's sad to see present local PBS and NPR entities going left, used to be highly trusted to report events and news honestly

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  5. KQED is the biggest grift going. According to Propublica, their president and CEO Michael Isip made 501k in 2022: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/941241309
    According to that site, which is highly reputable, there are over a dozen managers making more than 200-300k annually. That’s insane.

    So they do Check Please which is essentially a commercial for local restaurants but that also doesn’t cost much to produce (each of the guests pays for their own meals) along with a couple other shows that nobody knows of. With their 30 pledge breaks a day it does make you wonder where the money is going. One thing we know for sure, it’s not going to producing anything local.

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    1. That's why I no longer donate

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    2. Actually, guests don’t pay for their meals entirely…the show gives you a stipend to use/spend at each one, then you cover any overage above that. You can choose what you want to order and spend $ at your descretion.

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    3. @ 10:39 Yup, used to donate, no longer, not since they turned bias and woke, no more for NPR also

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  6. Also, according to Propublica KQED raked in $89 million in ‘contributions’ in 2022 and had $110 million in total revenue. Nearly $40 million went to salary, which is bizarre in and of itself. So that’s essentially $70 million that can’t be accounted for.
    Where in the world is this money going?!!!

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  7. Here is KQED’s most recent Form 990, which details all of their financials: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/941241309/202342279349300204/full

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  8. Some eyebrow-raising details from KQED’s most recent Form 990:
    - $25,698,721 payment to Cahill LLC for ‘construction services’
    - $10,409,890 payment to Mal Warwick & Associates for ‘digital fundraising’
    - $114,195 payment for ‘legal settlements’
    - $111,088 payment for ‘bad debts’
    - $8,346,319 ‘other’ employee benefits (aside from salary, wages, and retirement
    - $3,492,165 compensation for officers, directors, trustees, and key employees
    - $36,944,284 salaries and wages for ‘everyone else’
    - $6,886,920 ‘office expenses’ (not including rent, occupancy, and IT costs)
    - $4,657,061 ‘other’ unlisted fees or services with no description

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  9. Interesting thread about kqed’s rentlentless and incessant fundraising and their lack of original programming: https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1411lwm/kqed_perennial_fundraising/

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  10. Excellent reporting, Rich. Given the evident lack of interest from the lamestream media in exposing the truth about KQED, perhaps this is an opportunity for you to truly leave your mark. Through diligent investigative reporting and thorough sourcing, you could uncover and reveal the fraud and corruption rampant at KQED, including potential financial mismanagement such as cooking the books and likely falsifying regulatory filings.

    PS: I notice when referring to the Chronicle and the SF Standard you refer to them as “Bay Area media.” If you’re going to speak about them, please call them what they are, ‘ALLEGED Bay Area media’

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  11. Wow, Betty Yu's on KTVU. She looks good and healthy.

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  12. Betty Yu on KTVU, you were right Rich. She quit KPIX move to KTVU. I am surprised KTVU will hire a sick reporter but she looks fine on camera.

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    1. That was in January. Like most people, she took a break before moving onto her next opportunity.

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  13. KQED radio started going overboard about every minority in existence - which is ok except that it became overwhelming. Must every story somehow be about a transgender person? Nothing against transgender folks, but what percentage of the general population are they, .05% ? I don’t know, but for awhile KQED gave the impression they (transgender) constituted 40% of the general population. The morbidly obese among us - and maybe I fall into that category - likely make up 40% of the adult population, but KQED rarely runs any programs about “tubby folks”.
    My point is categorizing, labeling, folks should not be part of the conversation. I do not care how you identify, I care about your thoughts, what’s between the ears.
    KQED lost me as a supporter. The OLDIES fundraising shtick got old as did trotting out David Brooks - the Trump apologist yet likely supporter.
    I sure miss Michael Krasny, he was a million times better than the sighing Harvard kid.

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  14. You will.notice "commercials" at the top and bottom of each hour on KQED. Radio too

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  15. Now you know why I donate to Montana Public Radio.

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  16. Perhaps no one commenting on this thread is actually paying attention to what is going in both public and commercial media? Seriously, dudes. Broadcast is getting pummeled and media companies are having a hard time getting an audience foothold in an increasingly competitive and expensive algorithmically fueled landscape.

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