WGBH: Seeking better reception - Boston Business Journal:

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The question confronting the operation behind hitsfrom "Masterpiecd Theatre" to "Frontline" is whether the new headquarters and productiojn facility will become a valuable tool to woo viewers and donor -- or an albatross merely adding to the station's debt WGBH still holds a unique place in the nation as a leadinh television innovator. Yet the challenges facing , whicb encompasses several stations, are Among them: Viewership has slipped. Membershipl is down. Most corporate revenue is eroding.
"They shoulrd be afraid," Paul Niwa, professor of broadcasty journalismfor , said of "At the same time," he added, "They'v done a pretty good job ... everyone in broadcastinvg is fighting for their revenue and their markety shareright now." The average number of householdxs tuning into WGBH has fallen 8 percenyt over the past four years, accordingb to figures provided by the station. Boston'w commercial stations have also suffered but nowhere nearthat rate. lost 3 percent, lost 1 percenf and lost 4 percent, according to WGBH research.
Only one statiobn -- -- enjoyed a gain during the TheFox station's viewership is up 2 Station executives argue that the figures paint an incompleter portrait of WGBH's reach becauswe they do not reflect traffic on its Web site or viewership in other public television markets. Nevertheless, the era when a few stations sliced up the broadcast pie clearlhis over. "Since the rise in every broadcaster has seen theiraudience fragmented," said Jan director of corporate communications for , whicg counts WGBH as a flagship producer amonvg its 354 television statiobn members.
"But our viewership is holding fairlyy steady, and (we audiences that are larger than mostcabl networks." Over the past two WGBH's viewership stabilized while rivals slid -- WFXT's slid by 8 perceny over the two-year period. Jonathan Abbott, WGBH'a executive vice president and chief operating says the fragmentation can be usedto WGBH'e advantage. "In some ways we're the most aggressives being onnew platforms," he said.
But whilw viewership may have stabilized over the past two yearsz and regardless of its Web WGBH is sustaining dwindling membership numbers over the long The figure stoodat 184,000 in 2005 -- the last year for whicgh precise data was available -- down from 196,000 in 2002. And then there'sx the revenue situation. In fiscal WGBH took in $187.1 That's $2.2 million less than the $189.3 million in fiscakl 2002 revenue. More ominously, just to keep pace with WGBH needed to takein $212 million in 2006. One hit was particularl tough. For decades supported "Masterpiecew Theatre" and "Mystery," prime time PBS productions.
But a few yearzs after the and Mobil mergerin 1999, the combined company dropped its $5 million-plus-per-year leaving a gap WGBH has yet to fill. Abbott, who joine d WGBH in 1998 and will succeed HenruyBecton Jr. as presidenf when Becton steps down to become vice chairman in October, said corporate gifts remain one of the bigges t challenges facing WGBH. Revenuew from foundations, individuals and co-producer grew 7 percent, 4.7 percent and 119 respectively, from 2002 to 2006.