Is there a better way for MPBN to find savings?

As a resident of Hancock County, I would rather have MPBN cut services or programming equally to all listeners statewide. Go off air at 10 p.m. everywhere; cut off a premier program if that's what it takes. It was a terrible decision to sever ties to Maine's most remote residents. I will be withholding my membership renewal until MPBN treats all of its listeners as equals.

MPBN says they need $60,000 to run these transmitter sites 6 months. Why don't they take this as salary reductions at the senior management level that are a bit deeper than they have proposed? Since this is only intended for 6 months, most of them would still be making over $60,000 to $90,000 a year. Still pretty good in Maine. Even Jim Dowe's salary could be reduced to somewhere under $100,000. Small reductions in salaries at the senior management level will provide more than enough working capital to operate thse transmitter sites throughout the next 6 months. I don't expect they've considered eliminating a senior management postion---just 1 position there could provide well over $100,000 without reducing the salaries of the other senior management team.

Also note, these salary reductions are "temporary" till July 1, 2009. So a senior VP or Director looking at a 10% "annual" salary reduction will actually

be receiving only a 5% total annual salary reduction. After July 1, they'll be back to their full annual salary and benefit package. To me, that's not

a great of a sacrifice to save MPBN as the laid off employees are asked to make. They are taking a permanent 100% salary reduction and little or no chance of returning to full time at MPBN on July 1, 2009.

Check MPBN's 2008 Tax Exempt filings for 2008: Senior Management salaries are on public record on pages 25 and 27.

This is from the MPBN website home page: http://www.mpbn.net Select "About", then "AnnualReport"

Then choose "Form 990 IRS Tax Exempt Annual Filing (372 KB)" for 2008

Or directly to Form 990 for 2008: http://www.mpbn.net/Portals/0/Documents/08mpbn990.pdf

Cutbacks always hurt. The fact however remains that any attempt to "share the pain" is one most folks will find least objectionable. A number of previous comments share that thought as well. Another equally plausible alternative to abandoning Washington and northern Aroostook County covereage altogether is that MPBN look to drop internet broadcasting for that same period. Surely that would have a postive effect on the bottom line, and it would not prevent people (who can lest afford broadband services!) to be denied public radio. Seems there was not sufficient thought or public discourse on the decision. All I know is that this is devestating news. Surely there has to be another less dratic method of balancing MPBN's books...

Part of your question:

Should more locally produced programs replace nationally syndicated shows (assuming the local

shows cost less)?

We've noticed a sharp decline in MPBN's locally produced television programming over the past few years.

Maine Experience and Made in Maine were very enjoyable programs last season but are now considered

"nonessential" by MPBN. MPBN did air "Made in Maine Classics" this season but they didn't offer

very many episodes. Why not? There's gotta be at least a 20 year library of these programs among years

and years of other "Maine Made" MPBN and WCBB programs in their vaults of information, entertainment

and childrens programming we might enjoy. Perhaps their television production staff is now laid-off so there's

noone to produce the programs for air?

Now for television, we have "Maine Watch". A good program but is only focused on their "news and public

affairs" mission. I'm not sure where the new Friday night line up comes from. It's no longer the long tradition

of the Friday night "Britcoms" that made MPBN a favorite for years. I was kinda taken aback when I tuned in

one night to find midwestern farm comodity prices and livestock markets being discussed on MPBN.

MPBN has recognised they do not have a television program line up for the 15 to 45 age group besides the national network

offerings. I attended one of the MPBN Town Meetings last winter. At this meeting, many young people and young film makers

in this age group voiced the same concern and offered the concept of a Maine Filmmaker program showcasing new and established Maine

filmmakers and topics that young people in Maine would like to see on MPBN Television such as government, politics, energy, environment,

economy, education, etc.. Programs from a younger person's point of view instead of the regular "old people" "talking head" programs on

Friday night. These films and programs would be offered to MPBN at no cost to MPBN. MPBN would only have to provide air time. The idea

appeared to be well received with great interest by the MPBN representatives but we have yet to see where it stands now. This could

restore a lot of interest in MPBN by the young people of Maine. It could also provide a new pool of donor members for the long term future

as well.

There's lot's of possibilities out there. We need to provide an opportunity for new imagination and viewpoints to be heard and seen.

We may not always agree and it might make some of us a bit uncomfortable at times but it does make us think! That's what real "Public

television" is supposed to be about.

As a resident of Washington County, I add my voice to those who have already spoken of the unfairness of penalizing the least well to do areas of the state by cutting access to Public Radio. I noticed in an article in the Portland Paper about staffing cuts at MPBN that management took pains to include everyone in the decision making process of where and how the cuts would be made. Why then was the listening public, MPBN's customers, not given the same curtesy? In a time when more people are more engaged in local and national events, MPBN's message that only certain segments of the population matter is out of place.