APM cancels Live From Here amid other layoffs and cuts

Full news article here.

Intro from the article:

American Public Media Group has halted national production of “Live From Here,” the successor to “Prairie Home Companion.” It was the most high-profile casualty in a day of major cuts at the company.

“While this news fills me with sadness, I understand the decision,” tweeted host Chris Thile who was handpicked by Garrison Keillor to take over “Prairie” when he stepped away in 2016. “My extraordinary teammates and I conceived of ‘Live From Here’ as a celebration of live, collaborative audible art, and there’s just no telling when it could be that again.”

American Public Media Group, which includes Minnesota Public Radio, American Public Media and Southern California Public Radio confirmed Tuesday that 28 people had been let go. In addition to ending “Live,” it also announced the cancellation of the podcast “The Hilarious World of Depression” hosted by John Moe.

Boo

Well that sucks.

So are live radio music/variety broadcasts going the way of the woolly mammoth? They depend on live audiences, impossible to assemble in Pandemic-Land, and underwriter funding, also very competitive with so many alternative worthy causes.

Comedy, commentary and call-in can be done from "remote locations" -- the late-night TV comedy shows survive in their "socially distant" formats -- but IMHO you need a critical mass of live audience members to make a show like LFH work.

You'd think perhaps, with most other sources of live musical entertainment shut down (I've lost about 50 gigs so far, more to come), that good live broadcasts would be welcomed by the stay-at-homes. But of course, my listening to public radio at home in my basement, doesn't pay the show's bills.

Wonder if something else will emerge, when we re-open? We can hope. Doubt, however, that it'll have mandolin "front and center."

Speaking as a broadcast engineer; There is no technical barrier to doing live music at a central venue with multiple talent in the same stage space using safe isolation barriers. Guests from locations with good fibre connectivity are also a possibility, including bands cascaded from multiple locations. Audiences can be similarly virtually connected, with a mix of live separated audiences infilled with virtually attending audience members, all can be ticketed or subscribed. We use the required technologies on a daily basis, whether there's a will to invest in making it work is another thing.

This makes me sad. I never watchEd/listened to PHC, but I looked forward to LFH Each week...

2020 is sucking B@))$ so far...

As I said in the other thread, almost everything about my current musical life can be traced back to Chris taking over PHC/LFH. Sad about this.

I’m deeply saddened by the news, but I still feel so fortunate to be alive while Chris Thile is in his prime and just hitting his stride. That guy will find other ways to bring incredible artists together, create musical alchemy, and spread a preposterously disproportionate amount of joy in the world for a single, humble, tiny-guitar player.

I really loved those live video feeds from LFH. So much fun to watch and so much new music I would have never heard without LFH. So sad it won't be happening again. Damn.

I think this has more to do with public funding (remember when PBS and other public funded organizations took at hit ten years back?) than with audiences and social distancing. Many states are going to be looking for monies to offset their budget woes. I know New York and NJ have already been talking about their shortfalls.

LFH was really starting to push for donations directly to the show from listeners, at least in their email newsletters and in the youtube chat each week, which I did. They had just started up a fan club which was going to give perks to anyone who donated.

I am saddened by this news. The world was a better place with the show.

From Bluegrass Today, June 16, 2020

Live From Here with Chris Thile another casualty of COVID-19

Excerpt from the article:

In a message to fans this afternoon, Chris expressed his sorrow over this decision, but shared some positive thoughts as well.

“And again I say AHOY!!! This message is for anyone out there who has made Live from Here a regular part of their listening lives. Not one live broadcast has gone by where I didn’t thank my absurdly lucky stars for your wide open ears and hearts. Over the weekend, I was informed that American Public Media will no longer be producing the show. While this news fills me with sadness, I understand the decision, as my extraordinary teammates and I conceived of Live from Here as a celebration of live, collaborative audible art, and there’s just no telling when it could be that again.
Speaking of my teammates (both on-air and behind the scenes), nothing you’ve heard over the last four seasons would have been possible without their boundless ingenuity, and inexhaustible drive. I’ve been in awe of them every step of the way, and will forever be grateful to have shared the stage AND the office with them.
Though it turns out this past episode of Live from Here was our last new show, I know we’ll have many, many more music-filled evenings together by and by, and I’d like to propose a toast: to all you listeners out there. Thank you. It’s time for this noise-maker to follow your lead.
Love y’all, stay safe!”


Full article here:
https://bluegrasstoday.com/live-from...y-of-covid-19/

So Chris didn't even realize it was thier last show? That must be the dark side of showbiz. Good candidate for a podcast. Be the master of your own domain.

With this sad news I'm even more glad that I got to take my son to see LFH this past year in Chicago--it was a special trip. I don't think we are done seeing spectacular work from these folks--and it only seems like a natural thing for Chris to spread his wings out into a new adventure at some point. Maybe this was just the nudge he needed!