–Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs, retired journalist, and sometimes, crazy blogger
PBS 39 — aka Lehigh Valley Public Media — listed four top officers in fiscal 2023, paid $965,000 total.
Three are gone, but former Chief Executive and President Tim Fallon remains as “CEO Emeritus.” He took that title April 1.
He was credited with leading a “transformation” at LVPM, which is oddly enough now seeking a “transformation officer” who will work part-time for maybe six months for an organization that spent $8.66 million more than it took in, in fiscal 2023.
Another transformation is needed? Already?
The station said in February that there would be a “national search” for a successor.
What has happened since then?
As of April 1, the plan was (according to Lehigh Valley News, the government-supported news operation PBS 39 runs):
An employee who is now no longer there “will take over day-to-day operations of the organization on an interim basis with Fallon, (board President Michael) Keim, and board members Susan Yee and Laks Srinivasan providing additional support.”
What is above is “just the facts.” Here’s a taxpayer’s opinion:
I listened to the mind-boggling July board meeting. CEO Emeritus Fallon, after overseeing fiscal 2023, which even Yee has criticized, discussed plans to seek more federal and state money for LVPM.
Fallon was paid $308,084 in the year of the $8.66 million deficit.
After burning through enough cash to accelerate global warming, the organization has given him the task of finding more. More money, and public money at that. Your money.
“I’m burning, I’m burning, I’m burning for you,” as Blue Oyster Cult sang.
That is an insult to taxpayers and to supporters.
But hey, it’s only money!
Back to the management issue: So as of now, an organization that had about 80 employees not long ago and now has 58 (based on the WLVT.org website), is run by … board members?
By the same board members who oversaw fiscal 2023’s $8.66 million — almost $1,000 per hour — deficit?
ENOUGH! STOP THE MADNESS!
By now, the board should have asked for an audit of operations. To my knowledge, it has not. Maybe it has. It has not responded to my inquiry of last week.
There are some new board members. In my humble opinion, there should be a housecleaning of the board. I don’t think that’s much of a stretch here. The organization is losing money, preparing for more cuts, its mission is amorphous and it is seeking MORE MONEY!
Anybody can ask for an operations audit. That means YOU!
You can ask for a PBS 39 audit .. or you can turn the page. Or scroll down, perhaps.
PBS 39, based near ArtsQuest in south Bethlehem, still sits on an $80 million pile of public money, its mission statement makes no sense, and its recent track record is a mess.
Ask PBS 39:
https://www.wlvt.org/contact-us/
Ask the federal Inspector General for public broadcasting:
https://cpboig.oversight.gov/report-fraud-contact-us
(Note the above link. I’m not saying there is fraud, I’m saying there is an appalling lack of respect for taxpayers’ money. This is a public outfit.)
or via email: OIGemail@CPB.org
Ask your city officials in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, elected officials in the county governments of Lehigh and Northampton counties, and state and federal officials.
I’m working my way down the list, but the more who ask for accountability, the better.
Most of all, don’t jump to support an organization because you have fond memories of what public TV used to be.
Demand accountability. Demand more. Demand it be better.
OK. I’m putting the drum down for today. Maybe.
And don’t touch that dial: tomorrow (Monday, Sept. 2) at 4 p.m., PBS 39 will broadcast Engelbert Humperdinck, Live in Hawaii!
It doesn’t get any better than that!
Lehigh Valley News Briefs 