Why a merger made sense now for GBH and New England Public Media
Cuts to federal funding increased urgency, but the stations had been discussing a new relationship for years.
Concerns about financial resources and questions about how best to serve the state of Massachusetts were key factors behind the merger of GBH in Boston and New England Public Media in Springfield, Mass.
GBH CEO Susan Goldberg said that she and NEPM President Matt Abramovitz began discussing the idea informally shortly after she became GBH’s leader in late 2022. Members of both stations’ boards also had conversations.
Related Knowledge Center: State of the business model
The traditional journalism business model has long since collapsed, and news organizations have shrunk or disappeared entirely. While a number of promising experiments are under way, the public has not shown a willingness to buy what news organizations are selling.