Goodbye to KLRU Docubloggers

KLRU, public broadcasting station in Austin, Texas, had lay-offs recently:

Declining contributions from viewers, corporations and foundations in a down economy have forced KLRU, Austin’s PBS affiliate, to lay off nearly a fifth of its staff, reduce the number of hours it broadcasts each day and proceed with other cuts to make up for a projected budget shortfall of almost $1 million this fiscal year.

A dozen people will be out of work by week’s end, according to KLRU general manager Bill Stotesbery. The downsizing, hitting nearly every department, represents 18 percent of the broadcaster’s 65 current employees. Each affected worker will receive two weeks of severance pay, and health benefits will be paid through the end of June.

“These are folks who are playing very important roles at the station,” Stotesbery said. “These aren’t faceless decisions.”
Source: Austin 360

One of the casualties was Docubloggers. They write on their blog:

Due to the trying economic times facing our country, KLRU has been forced to undergo large cutbacks. On the chopping block is Docubloggers, along with Domenique Bellavia and Sean Cunningham, the show’s producers.

We’re sad to see the show go, sadder to lose our jobs, but most importantly, sad to see this experiment in social media come to an end. For all our fans and docubloggers, this is the Docu-Duo signing off.

Is there a reason why Docubloggers isn’t taking advantage of other money gathering resources, such as this one below?

“We’ll need more people who believe in the same things that you do to donate less.”
Read the rest of the story

Could this approach to saving Docubloggers and other PBS shows been implemented successfully given MORE advance warning?

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Everything posted on Miguel Guhlin’s blogs/wikis are his personal opinion and do not necessarily represent the views of his employer(s) or its clients. Read Full Disclosure