American University School of Communication's Current reports that Houston Public Media (News 88.7 KUHF/Houston PBS 8 KUHT) is among the latest public broadcaster cutting staff due to budgetary shortfalls stemming from the coronavirus pandemic.
Current confirmed Monday that the station will eliminate eight full-time positions in the new fiscal year. Fifteen part-time staff will also be affected.
“Houston Public Media, like many organizations, is addressing budgetary constraints due to the impact of COVID-19, including revenue shortfalls from fundraising,” GM Lisa Shumate told Current in an email. “We’re projecting this impact to continue through fiscal year 21 which begins September 1, 2020.”
Another 15 part-time staffers associated with weekend and evening radio shifts and production “will not be scheduled for the foreseeable future,” Shumate said. READ MORE
The station told the site that its core services of news and information will continue as normal for the listener/viewer.
Proof that when NPR and PBS stations hold pledge drives, they really need the donations to fully operate.
In other KUHF news, longtime Houston radio/TV broadcaster, Jarrod Carroll, has been announced as the new host for the weekday Morning Edition time slot along side Eddie Robinson delivering news.
Shumate tells mikemcguff.com that former morning host, David Pittman, is still with the station and is now working a daytime shift and leading the station's "expanded daytime talk programming."
Pittman will now be heard during "Houston Matters" shows at 9am and 3pm.
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