PBS 39: So Far, Apathy Rules as Public Money is Wasted

I’ve posted repeatedly about the Financial Follies at PBS 39, the Lehigh Valley’s public media outlet.

I have also contacted various local elected officials in Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, and in the governments of Northampton and Lehigh counties. Also some state representatives, U.S. Rep. Susan Wild, and the Inspector General for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

I will try to get to all of them by the end of this week, along with national media outlets and journalists I know from my 23 years at Bloomberg LP, a financial news and data company.

There are two issues: an operations audit of PBS 39 (aka Lehigh Valley Public Media) is needed and the flow of public money to the outlet has to stop. In fiscal 2023, PBS 39 ran a deficit of $8.66 million.

It’s early but the response so far has been underwhelming. I hope that alerting county officials will lead to some tough questions the next time PBS 39 comes around with its hand out for your money.

I did get one waggish response: “Sesame Street is expensive real estate.” It sure is.

My big concern is at the state level. At the last PBS 39 board of directors meeting, plans to grab federal and Pennsylvania tax dollars were raised. State Rep. Josh Siegel, Allentown, was mentioned as being friendly to this plan.

To be fair to Siegel, he was not represented at the meeting. I have contacted his office, no response so far. I will do so again.

As for the media response, an ex-colleague told me something that is sad but true: “This happens all the time.”

Yes, the bar is low for public broadcasting, but missing a low bar is one thing. Taking the bar and burying it is another.

Other reporters may take some interest. The story’s basis would be public records, which makes the work a bit easier.

I’m still plugging away.

Please contact your elected officials and ask them to seek clarity about what PBS 39 is doing and what its mission is.

The City of Easton recently voted to give PBS 39 a grant of $8,000. That was from a federal program that is supposed to help low- and moderate-income people, not a media outlet that in fiscal 2023 lost money at a rate of nearly $1,000 per hour.

If you know anybody on Easton City Council, ask them if the city checked on why the money is needed and the finances of PBS 39 before voting.

Stop the flow of public money to PBS 39.