WNET’s Baker to deliver annual Loper Lecture on Nov. 12 Posted October 26, 2007

Contact: Geoffrey Baum, (213) 821-1491

Series highlights challenges and opportunities facing public media

LOS ANGELES, October 25, 2007 – William F. Baker, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Educational Broadcasting Corporation – which operates WLIW and WNET, the nation’s most-watched public television station and largest producer of cultural and arts programming – will deliver the third annual James L. Loper Lecture in Public Service Broadcasting on Monday, November 12, 2007 at 11:30 a.m. at USC’s Davidson Conference Center, 3415 S. Figueroa Street in Los Angeles.

The Loper Lecture, named in honor of communication professor James L. Loper, was established by the USC Annenberg School for Communication in 2005 to bring industry leaders together to assess the state of public service broadcasting and chart a course for the future. The event is open for coverage and is free and open to the public. Lunch will be served.

To reserve a spot or for more information, visit http://annenberg.usc.edu/loper.

Baker’s career spans four decades, during which he has played a leading role in helping to shape American broadcasting in both the commercial and public sectors. He has headed Educational Broadcasting Corporation since 1987 and remains a well-known advocate for the educational potential of television. Previously he was president of Westinghouse Television, Inc. and chairman of Group W Satellite Communications. During his 10 years at Westinghouse, five cable networks were launched, including the Disney Channel and the Discovery Channel. He also introduced Oprah Winfrey as a talk-show host. He is a member of Broadcasting & Cable’s Hall of Fame.

“It will be interesting to hear why someone who was very successful at Westinghouse chose to move to public broadcasting,” says Loper. “I have admired Dr. Baker for years, and I expect his remarks about programming and the current state of public broadcasting to be very inspirational.”

Loper spent almost 20 years in various positions at KCET, the Los Angeles public television station, including vice president and general manager, and president and CEO. He was the founding chairman of the board of the Public Broadcasting Service and served three terms as PBS chairman during its formative years. He has been a visiting scholar and executive in residence at USC Annenberg since retiring as executive director of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in 1999.

“The future is very uncertain for all broadcasting, particularly for public broadcasting, with the fragmentation of the audience due to the proliferation of cable television, personal devices such as iPods, texting, etc., which sap away part of the audience,” says Loper. “We hope the lecture series increases awareness of public broadcasting and the issues it faces.”

Past speakers in the series are Minnesota Public Radio founder and CEO William H. Kling (2006) and Public Broadcasting Service board chair Mary Bitterman (2005).

“At USC Annenberg, we are deeply interested in the critical role that media plays to inform and engage the public,” says Ernest J. Wilson III, USC Annenberg dean, Walter Annenberg Chair in Communication and the ranking senior member of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting board of directors. “Through the Loper Lecture, the work of our exceptional faculty like Jim Loper, Judy Muller and Sandy Tolan, along with my own personal experience, the Annenberg School is becoming the leading center for research and debate about the future of public service broadcasting.”

The lecture series is made possible with support from the H. Russell Smith Foundation. Smith is the former president and chairman of the board of the Avery Dennison Corporation. He has chaired the boards of KCET and the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.

About the USC Annenberg School for Communication
Located in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California, the USC Annenberg School for Communication (annenberg.usc.edu) is among the nation’s leading institutions devoted to the study of journalism and communication, and their impact on politics, culture and society. With an enrollment of more than 1,900 graduate and undergraduate students, USC Annenberg offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in journalism, communication, public diplomacy and public relations.

Parking: Credentialed media will receive complimentary parking at the Jefferson East Parking Plaza (enter at the Jefferson Boulevard Entrance at Royal Street, entrance #4).




back to top