Oct. 5, 2026
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
Lehigh Valley Public Media keeps trying to shut out the public.
First, the board of directors of this money-burning boondoggle cut back to two annual public meetings from six. Then a third meeting for 2026 was posted. After that drew some interest, the meeting was changed to a “private executive session.”
The board might discuss former chief executive Hasanna Birdsong’s parting of the ways with the operator of Channel 39, WLVR FM and a digital news outlet. Personnel issues can be dealt with privately, but the board could have met in public, explained what nonsense has been going on for years (if they’re aware) and held a closed session afterward.
It’s easier to shut people out.
The private meeting will be at 4 p.m. today at the south Bethlehem headquarters of LVPM.
4 p.m.? Hey, that’s Happy Hour! And while LVPM doesn’t do much, it can sure throw a party. Roll out the barrel!
The question is, who’s buying? That’s a serious question in this case. Who got stuck with the tab?
I used to promise to buy every fifth round, hoping people would forget after the fourth beer.
After I started caterwauling about how LVPM has burned tens of millions of dollars and run huge deficits while going hat-in-hand to local governments asking for a few thousand dollars here and there, several elected officials told me they wouldn’t approve another penny.
So how about private donations?
My attitude before was that if people want to give money to this boondoggle, that’s your call. Now I suggest donors ask hard questions before you give another cent.
Don’t circle the wagons. Demand answers.
What does this place do? It’s a mystery. Who’s in charge? It’s a mystery. How many local residents are even aware it exists? That’s a big mystery.
For a quick review of just some of LVPM’s disasters, see this link.
Here’s a list of board members. If you know any of them, ask what is going on with LVPM’s $80 million pile of money, and suggest it could be put to better use.
