WBUR lashes out at WGBH

[Dan.Strassberg]

If you read the article on which this thread is allegedly based, I
think you will find that WBUR's new GM (what's his name--Kravitz?)
didn't say (at least, didn't say to the reporter) what the posters
here are saying he said. Somebody on this list misquoted him and, from
there, what should have been a non-story seems to have acquired a life
of its own. Doesn't speak very well for those on this list who seem to
be aching to make a mountain out of a mole-hill. Everybody: go back to
the first posting in this thread, find the link to the article, follow
the link, and read the article for yourself. If you go by that
article, I think you will agree that we have blown the story WAY out
of proportion! I can believe that, in private conversations, somebody
from WBUR might have said what posters here are attributing to
Kravitz, but the article doesn't say he said it to the reporter. So,
based on the article, nobody on this list should be saying here what
we are alleging Kravitz said.

Based on the article, the fact is that the declines in WBUR's numbers
are not huge; WBUR's audience is still several times (probably about
three times) the size of WGBH radio's, and at its most recent
fund-raiser, WBUR listeners pledged several times as much as the
amounts WGBH attributes to its radio listeners (including listeners to
WCRB). Only if you add contributions from viewers of WGBH's two TV
stations and FIVE full-time over-the-air TV services--2-1, 44-1,
44-2, 44-3, and 44-4--does WGBH raise significantly more $$$ than
WBUR does. Considering that WGBH radio and TV (including WCRB and
network-TV production) have (according to the story) 850 employees,
whereas WBUR (radio only) has 120, one would think that WGBH (radio
and TV) would have to raise roughly seven times as much as WBUR does.
And if you consider the relative size of WGBH's and WBUR's
headquarters, a factor of seven in favor of WGBH might not come close
to doing it.

-----
Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net)
eFax 1-707-215-6367

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob DeMattia" <bob.bosra@demattia.net>
To: "boston Radio Interest" <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 16, 2011 8:32 PM
Subject: Re: WBUR lashes out at WGBH


> Some how I couldn't see something like:
>
> *WRKO management is fuming that Boston can only support one talk
> radio*
> *station and WTKK stole our format.*
>
> Maybe they might think it, but saying it to a reporter?!?
> Sounds like the WBUR manager needs to grow up.
>
> -Bob
>
>
>
> On Sat, Apr 16, 2011 at 9:27 AM, Kevin Vahey <kvahey@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> The Globe ( 4-16) looks at the war between WBUR and WGBH and at
>> first
>> glance
>> WGBH is winning as 90.9 is bleeding listeners.
>>
>> WBUR management is fuming that Boston can only support one public
>> radio
>> outlet and GBH stole our format.
>>
>>
>> http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2011/04/16/wgbh_changes_sting_public_radio_rival/?p1=News_links
>>