MPBN delays service reductions
1/7/09 | 20 comments

MPBN delays service reductions


By Mal Leary
Capitol News Service
James Dowe Jr., MPBN President & CEO

AUGUSTA, Maine — Maine Public Broadcasting Network President James Dowe told lawmakers Tuesday that the public broadcaster is delaying turning off transmitters in Fort Kent and Calais, but warned that is only a temporary action and the network still faces serious revenue problems.

“We have some very active discussions going on with various parties within state government, and frankly outside of state government, that gives us some confidence to delay the shutting down of the two towers until February 28th,” he told members of both the Appropriations Committee and the Education Committee at a joint hearing on the emergency budget to fund state government for the rest of this budget year.

Under committee questioning, Dowe said the network would save roughly $71,000 by ceasing transmission of the broadcast signals of the two radio towers in Fort Kent and Calais and the TV transmitter in Calais. While saying it was a difficult decision, he defended the reasoning.

“We looked at which ones of those stations had the smallest audience, and therefore would impact the fewest number of people,” he said.

But lawmakers said they have received a lot of e-mail and phone calls from constituents upset at the network’s decision. Rep. Harold McFadden, R-Dennysville, said he had received more communications upset at MPBN’s action than he received on the controversial school consolidation legislation last year.

“I have been blasted with calls,” he said.

Rep. John Martin, D-Eagle Lake, told Dowe and other network officials the Fort Kent radio transmitter is the only emergency broadcast radio station that serves that part of the state and that it is unacceptable that it be turned off.

“Without it, especially in this last flood this last year, we would have had no ability to deliver any type of emergency information whatsoever,” he said.

Martin said there should be some federal help available through the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assure the operation of the Fort Kent transmitter. He offered to work with network officials to obtain that funding.

But, such funding may not be available in the Calais area because there are other commercial radio stations that serve that region and can provide emergency broadcast coverage.

Senate GOP Leader Kevin Raye, R-Perry, said he has been working behind the scenes to assure none of the transmitters is turned off, even temporarily. That included several discussions with lawmakers and a meeting with Gov. John Baldacci early Tuesday.

“The governor told me that in response to the concerns I raised with him, he called MPBN CEO Jim Dowe into his office and told him that he cannot accept MPBN’s decision to shut down the Washington County and St. John Valley towers,” Raye said.

The budget before lawmakers would cut $116,000 from MPBN’s state appropriation, which is just over $2 million a year. It’s a relatively small part of the overall network budget which was originally $12,225,000 this year.

Dowe detailed the network’s revenue problems. They total just over $1 million, with most of the shortfall from a drop in major contributions and corporate support, which were down $750,000. He said steps already taken by the network have saved $150,000 through staff reductions, a hiring freeze, the elimination of network matching contributions to employee retirement plans and salary reductions for remaining staff.

“We have to come up with a long-term way to sustain the network,” he told lawmakers, “Not just the short-term.”

Martin praised MPBN staff for agreeing to take a reduction in pay to help keep the network budget within available resources.

“I wish some others in government would do that,” he said.

But Raye was very critical of the way MPBN has handled the budget problems. He said the way the network has dealt with lawmakers was a “fundamental miscalculation” by the network.

“I think that it was intended as a way to ensure that they got an increase in funding,” Raye said. He added that is very unlikely given the state’s budget situation.

“So it was clear [there has to be ways to find] efficiencies in cost savings, but it can’t be done in a way that just absolutely leaves one part of the state without access to the emergency broadcasting network and without access to the programming of public broadcasting,” he said.

Members of both committees asked for more details about the MPBN budget and options for the network and that will be discussed in work sessions next week. The Appropriations Committee hopes to complete work on the emergency budget by Jan. 23.

BDN writer Diana Graettinger contributed to this report. Mal Leary is the former managing editor for radio news at MPBN, and Capitol News Service provides news to MPBN.

Not registered? Click here
E-mail this
Print this
Guidelines for posting on bangordailynews.com

Bangordailynews.com is pleased to offer a forum for readers to react to our stories, discuss them and provide additional information. We are reluctant to delete comments, but do reserve that right for those who abuse our forum. For more on using this site, please see our terms of service.

The primary rule here is pretty simple: Treat others with the same respect you'd want for yourself. What does that mean specifically? Here are some guidelines (see more):

Comments
20 comments on this item
On 1/7/09 at 12:35 AM, kylie00 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

As usual these conties take up the keyster again

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 7:12 AM, proberts wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I am surprised the governor got involved as much as he hates Washington County. MPBN is only following in his foot steps.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 7:24 AM, wallyo wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I am also very surprised , coming from the other Maine. I figured if it happened at Bangor or below it wouldn't happen. But up here we'd be on our own as always.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 7:39 AM, billmoores wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

I wonder how many people will lose their Emergency Alert System reception when MPBN shuts down its analog transmitters this weekend and goes digital only? They are doing this over one month earlier than the other stations. I'm sure there are viewers not yet ready for the shutdown.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 8:32 AM, billmoores wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Oh...you'd think that getting rid of one of their several Vice-Presidents would take care of the $71,000...and then some? How about the Advancement and New Media vice-president? That area seems a little slow right now.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 9:01 AM, SteveP wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Exactly - just get rid of the obviously incompetent Mr. Dowe and you'll have enough left over to add a couple of transmitters. I believe his salary is $100K or so and it is generally accepted that the cost to any organization for all associated expenses and benefits is roughly two times salary.

So he could help us all out here by resigning as quickly as possible. Then we can resume normal programming.

Blackmailing is still illegal in Maine, isn't it?

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 9:05 AM, pcme2000 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

The shutting down is just a way to scare people and get them to call and complain and look it worked now watch them get more State money.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 9:06 AM, waxwings wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Many of us in public radioland know where Mr. Dowe can get a good chunk of that missing shortfall he wants the state legislature to meet for him. Just bring back the humble Farmer show he cancelled last year. Lawmakers should know that Dowe and his management team threw away over $180,000 when they wrongly censored, and then fired Robert Skoglund, the humble Farmer, causing thousands of us to cancel our subscriptions and some underwriters to stop their support. This figure didn’t get pulled out of thin air. Fundraisers inside MPBN provided the amount in writing to lawmakers last December after personally handling the thousands of protest calls, letters and emails from angry listeners stopping their annual contributions. Over 60 lawmakers also joined that protest. In one simple act, the signal tower generation at Fort Kent and Calais could be restored for the next six months, and thousands of us former contributors would return as solid supporters.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 9:17 AM, augustagoverned wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

What are Dowe's qualifications for his job. He seems to make many miscalculations. Humble Framer. Shut down stations.

I don't live in the two areas affected, but I think it would be a better idea to serve them than the areas with many TV and radio choices. Washington and Aroostook are always taking it on the chin.

I think a better idea would be to shut the whole MPBN down. If they can't serve all Mainers, they don't need to serve any of us.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 10:02 AM, cartersk wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

My husband and I have written several emails to our representative and senator and Mr. Dowe expressing our dismay over his so-called cost cutting efforts on the backs of Calais and Fort Kent constituents. We received an email today from Senator Raye stating the above headline,,,wonderful news that our elected are really working to help us.

Mr. Dowe leaves little to be desired in his position at MPBN, we also feel he should resign his position. My husband and I stated we would not contribute as we do each year, as other supporters have done since his latest debaucle.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 10:31 AM, thekingofmaine wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

tonight on NOVA...

my ass

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 10:32 AM, David889327 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

MPBN should replace Humble Farmer with Rush Limbaugh. Rehab for liberals.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 10:51 AM, bogeys wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Mr. Dowe truly is the proverbial horses ass. It's quite obvious he has no regard for the communities away from the population centers and I do hope that contributions from folks in the "outback" dry up. It's time for you to move on Mr. Dowe and find new employment.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 1:07 PM, Bangorian wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

So he's basically admitted that the announcement about closing the two towever was a ploy to create public outcry in advance of the Legislature's budget review. Very clever - this guy is not incompetent at all, though I would guess that the people in Washington County feel manipulated.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 1:46 PM, Knightscross wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Shut them down already. You have been talking about shutting them down for months now. The Trailer Trash don't listen to MPBN any way. If you want them to listen then you have to transmit Red Neck Talk Shows and Country Music. We all know that's not your jar of Shine, right MPBN?

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 1:58 PM, Woody1 wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

When they rightly dismissed the Arrogant Dictator Farmer, I continued my membership. I stopped it when they started sending money to Great Britain for BBC reports. Not only were they sending my money overseas, they were putting Public Broadcasting correspondents out of work. Then they hired a Brit to do local news, instead of a qualified Mainer. Why do they have BBC reports and hire Brits? From the answers I've gotten when I've asked, snob appeal.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 3:38 PM, evasmith wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Aroostook and Washington counties have the smallest audiences - seriously? For many towns in these two counties, MPBN is one of maybe 3 channels they get. I am sure folks in-town Bangor are just avid watchers of MPBN, with all the opportunities cable and dish providers offer. Jim Dowe - were you part of the staff that agreed to take a reduction in pay? I am sure when you retired from Bangor Savings you received a good parachute - perhaps you could volunteer for the year to save the two transmitters?

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 7:05 PM, MaineOne wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

MPBN's web site, under annual report, shows Mr. Dowes 2007 salary as JAMES DOWE PRESIDENT & CEO $ 173,484.

Report abuse
On 1/7/09 at 10:58 PM, DSmall wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

Mr Dowe's motives in cutting service were clearly designed to stir people up and hopefully force the legislature to restore his budget. He isn't a manager, he is another politician. MPBN programming has turned sharply to the political left under his guidance and is becoming less relevant. It is no wonder that contributions are down.

My suggestion; Make sharp cuts in some of the overly abundant left wing programming. That would not only help restore some semblance of political balance but also reduce MPBN expenses. Bill Moyers Journal would be my 1st choice for elimination.

Report abuse
On 1/8/09 at 11:58 AM, meadowlands wrote:         Repeated separate thumbs down will cause comment to be hidden

How very interesting. A constant theme here seems to be Mr. Dowe's salary. Given that the savings factor is $71,000.00 by shutting down towersin Washinton and Aroostook, do you think there could be some wiggle room, in at least, Mr. D's Salary? Save a dime, save a dollar, decrease Dowe's salary. Is he the Best wo/man to run the show?

Many references have been made to the HUMBLE FARMER. My humble but informed opinion is as follows: The Brookings report,strongly called for promoting MAINE BRAND . The Humble Farmer is Maine Brand, just as Garrison Keilor is a type of Brand. We paid a lot of money for the MINDS from Brookings Institute to make solid recommendations. Why don't we listen to them. We need to be joined to the rest of the world and the nation. Maybe it would be better just to have the national feed for PBN but that would not allow program for us which respects our uniqueness as Mainers. We in Washington and Aroostook County(ies) are "currently" part of Maine. More and more I am wondering if we should splinter off and become part Of New Brunswick, Canada. At least we would get sorely needed National Healthcare.

Report abuse
You must be logged in to post a comment. click here to log in.

Powered by: Creative Circle Advertising Solutions, Inc.