Annenberg/AU Media Futures Forum

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Session 1 – February 16, 2012

Reflections On Public Television’s FutureDennis L. Haarsager

Challenges, Opportunities

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• We are dealing with fundamental long term changes in media usage and economy that are impacting the established media marketplace, including public media.

• Most foundations and many individuals with capacity are looking to support accountability and change. We see increasing competition for philanthropy.

• Non-profits and government provide over $4 trillion in public services each year, many times under-achieving mission with isolated impact

• Our capital replacement needs are way under-funded and have been hard-hit by loss of tax-based funding.

• There are numerous opportunities for station collaborations for savings and best practices.

Be More “PBS” - Be More Local Framework• Recognizes stations have two lines of business:

– Acquisition, scheduling, marketing, fundraising around national programming

– Production and distribution of local programming• Takes advantage of:

– Public media strengths and opportunities in building impact in communities

– Best practices from broadcasting and digital media worlds– Responsive to the changes in how people use media

• Cuts costs through multiple collaborations and changed modes of local production

• Increases revenues and impact through:– Increased investments in high-ROI national programming– Reliance on engagement-based projects in local production– Better practices in individual giving through scale

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Increased ROI from Scale

Task Type Ops Savings Cap Savings RevenueFinance/Human resources Admin $

Individual giving Devel $$ $$$

Underwriting/sponsorships Devel $$ $$

Engagement prod’n focus Local $$ $$ $$$

Multi-market NGO partnering Local $

Exploit digital platforms Local $$ $$

Regional studio production Local $$$ $$$

Acquisitions/scheduling Progr $$

Interstitial production Progr $

Promotion Progr $

Engineering planning Tech $ $$

Master control Tech $$ $$$

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Dennis L. Haarsager, President & Executive DirectorPublic Television Major Market Grouphaarsager@gmail.com ● @haarsager on Twitterwww.technology360.com ● 202-280-3988PO Box 617, Purcellville, VA 20134