Steve Bass
@bassclar.bsky.social
Thanks to Current for publishing my thoughts.
"Change requires new approaches. Public media needs a different set of technical tools now and going forward." current.org/2025/09/clin...
Clinging to distribution is costing NPR a chance to focus on its strengths
By seeking a restraining order, NPR has doubled down on the status quo, caused significant expenditure of resources and put key relationships at risk.
current.org
September 30, 2025 at 9:46 PM
Thanks to Current for publishing my thoughts.
Reposted by Steve Bass
OPB is partnering with Lewis & Clark Law School to pair journalists with law students in the pursuit of access to public records.
Beginning this fall, the program will offer free legal support to journalists who hit roadblocks trying to access public records.
Beginning this fall, the program will offer free legal support to journalists who hit roadblocks trying to access public records.
New Oregon Public Records and Government Transparency Project to serve journalists, media outlets and audiences
OPB and Lewis & Clark Law School partnership will improve access to public information for rural as well as urban communities.
www.opb.org
June 4, 2025 at 4:41 PM
OPB is partnering with Lewis & Clark Law School to pair journalists with law students in the pursuit of access to public records.
Beginning this fall, the program will offer free legal support to journalists who hit roadblocks trying to access public records.
Beginning this fall, the program will offer free legal support to journalists who hit roadblocks trying to access public records.
It’s disturbing how this was handled or not handled.
Earlier this month, DEQ warned its staff not to click a hijacked link it included in a statewide press release. If they clicked it, it would install malware on their computers.
It didn’t share the same warning with the general public who also received that email. www.opb.org/article/2025...
It didn’t share the same warning with the general public who also received that email. www.opb.org/article/2025...
DEQ’s statewide email included ‘dangerous link’ — but it didn’t warn the public
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality internally warned its staff about a 'dangerous link' in its statewide press release. The message came ahead of the agency's public announcement about a m...
www.opb.org
April 29, 2025 at 4:35 PM
It’s disturbing how this was handled or not handled.
Reposted by Steve Bass
news: The Trump administration tried to fire several board members of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS. They sued to stop it.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/b...
Corporation for Public Broadcasting Sues White House to Block Board Firings
The media organization said that the White House emailed three of the company’s five directors on Monday, telling them that their positions had been terminated.
www.nytimes.com
April 29, 2025 at 4:22 PM
news: The Trump administration tried to fire several board members of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which funds NPR and PBS. They sued to stop it.
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/b...
www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/b...
Reposted by Steve Bass
Oregon once again wants to send foster kids out of state, despite numerous major issues in that past with that practice.
Oregon lawmakers consider sending kids in foster care out of state, again. Only this time, with less transparency
Oregon lawmakers are considering sending kids in foster care out of state, again. Only this time, with less transparency
www.opb.org
March 24, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Oregon once again wants to send foster kids out of state, despite numerous major issues in that past with that practice.
Reposted by Steve Bass
Elon Musk says that no one has died because he slashed humanitarian aid. I went to South Sudan to check if that's true. It's not. Meet Peter, Achol and Evan, ages 10, 8 and 5. The reckless actions of the world's richest men are killing the world's poorest kids www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Opinion | Musk Said No One Has Died Since Aid Was Cut. That Isn’t True. (Gift Article)
A journey through the front lines of global poverty shows that when the world’s richest men slash aid for the world’s poorest children, the result is sickness, starvation and death.
www.nytimes.com
March 15, 2025 at 11:31 AM
Elon Musk says that no one has died because he slashed humanitarian aid. I went to South Sudan to check if that's true. It's not. Meet Peter, Achol and Evan, ages 10, 8 and 5. The reckless actions of the world's richest men are killing the world's poorest kids www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Steve Bass
Reposted by Steve Bass
Tesla's shares sinking faster than Russian navy.
March 10, 2025 at 8:07 PM
Tesla's shares sinking faster than Russian navy.
My section for Mozart’s Gran Partita with the Vancouver Symphony winds (and strong bass).
March 10, 2025 at 3:37 AM
My section for Mozart’s Gran Partita with the Vancouver Symphony winds (and strong bass).
Reposted by Steve Bass
Three people familiar with internal operations at BPA confirmed that 89 staff who’d been fired are receiving emails or letters asking them to return to work. About 35 were already hired back in mid-February.
Bonneville Power Administration offers jobs back to staff fired by Trump adminsitration
Roughly 120 employees were fired from BPA last month - raising alarms from experts in the power grid and Gov. Tina Kotek. They've now been asked to return, but the agency will still be down hundreds of positions since the start of the Trump administration.
www.opb.org
March 7, 2025 at 6:00 AM
Three people familiar with internal operations at BPA confirmed that 89 staff who’d been fired are receiving emails or letters asking them to return to work. About 35 were already hired back in mid-February.
Reposted by Steve Bass
New executive orders from the Trump administration last weekend call on federal agencies to fast-track logging projects by circumventing endangered species laws, and to investigate whether lumber imports threaten national security.
Trump’s timber directives could sway Oregon forest policy, but market effects remain unclear
President Donald Trump called on agencies to expand domestic timber supply. That could influence prospective forest polices that are currently in the works, but implications for Oregon's timber industry are less clear.
www.opb.org
March 6, 2025 at 5:00 PM
New executive orders from the Trump administration last weekend call on federal agencies to fast-track logging projects by circumventing endangered species laws, and to investigate whether lumber imports threaten national security.
Reposted by Steve Bass
Guide Dogs for the Blind bills itself as the largest guide dog school in North America, having graduated more than 16,000 guide dog teams from its campuses in San Rafael, California, and Boring, Oregon, since 1942.
Guide Dogs for the Blind plans to expand Oregon campus in Boring
The planned facility would more than double the number of clients the nonprofit could serve in Oregon.
www.opb.org
March 2, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Guide Dogs for the Blind bills itself as the largest guide dog school in North America, having graduated more than 16,000 guide dog teams from its campuses in San Rafael, California, and Boring, Oregon, since 1942.
Reposted by Steve Bass
Since 2022, Lisa Ellsworth has been studying how different communities across the West Coast recover from wildfires.
A federal order has frozen funding, saying it violates executive orders by President Trump.
A federal order has frozen funding, saying it violates executive orders by President Trump.
Oregon’s researchers ordered to stop their studies by Trump administration face uncertainty, anxiety and frustration
Stop-work orders for research projects are landing at Oregon universities from numerous federal agencies.
www.opb.org
February 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Since 2022, Lisa Ellsworth has been studying how different communities across the West Coast recover from wildfires.
A federal order has frozen funding, saying it violates executive orders by President Trump.
A federal order has frozen funding, saying it violates executive orders by President Trump.
Reposted by Steve Bass
Pamela Slaughter knows what it's like to feel unsafe outdoors. Years ago, she and her daughter faced harassment from a group of skinheads. That experience helped fuel her decision to form People of Color Outdoors, creating a safe, welcoming space in nature through hikes and other activities.
People of Color Outdoors cultivates community by leading outside gatherings
Portland group helps BIPOC communities strengthen their connection to nature. “My main job is to help people gain access to beautiful places and to new skills and activities,” says Pamela Slaughter, the group's founder.
www.opb.org
February 27, 2025 at 6:30 PM
Pamela Slaughter knows what it's like to feel unsafe outdoors. Years ago, she and her daughter faced harassment from a group of skinheads. That experience helped fuel her decision to form People of Color Outdoors, creating a safe, welcoming space in nature through hikes and other activities.
Reposted by Steve Bass
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, a three-term Republican lawmaker from Ontario, was on Think Out Loud today.
He said the nation’s spending on Medicaid programs is unsustainable, and he urged patience as Republicans in Congress formulate their plan to dramatically reduce spending on the health care program.
He said the nation’s spending on Medicaid programs is unsustainable, and he urged patience as Republicans in Congress formulate their plan to dramatically reduce spending on the health care program.
Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz defends cutting federal spending, discusses Medicaid cuts
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Oregon, said Wednesday that the nation’s spending on Medicaid programs is unsustainable, and he urged patience as Republicans in Congress formulate their plan to dramatically reduce spending on the health care program.
www.opb.org
February 27, 2025 at 12:10 AM
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, a three-term Republican lawmaker from Ontario, was on Think Out Loud today.
He said the nation’s spending on Medicaid programs is unsustainable, and he urged patience as Republicans in Congress formulate their plan to dramatically reduce spending on the health care program.
He said the nation’s spending on Medicaid programs is unsustainable, and he urged patience as Republicans in Congress formulate their plan to dramatically reduce spending on the health care program.
Reposted by Steve Bass
Reposted by Steve Bass
Come for the way national politics trickles down into local governance. Stay for the former Proud Boy leading the Clackamas County Republicans charge against DEI.
Estacada city officials dissolve DEI committee, echoing national rhetoric
Supporters unsuccessfully asked critics to disentangle the local committee from national politics.
www.opb.org
February 25, 2025 at 10:33 PM
Come for the way national politics trickles down into local governance. Stay for the former Proud Boy leading the Clackamas County Republicans charge against DEI.
Reposted by Steve Bass
Federal workers are being laid off through the weekend. I’ve been in back-to-back calls with people told to clear their desks. I spoke to someone today with MS in rural Oregon who has no idea what other job he can do. He expects more people to be laid off tomorrow, on Presidents’ Day.
February 17, 2025 at 3:37 AM
Federal workers are being laid off through the weekend. I’ve been in back-to-back calls with people told to clear their desks. I spoke to someone today with MS in rural Oregon who has no idea what other job he can do. He expects more people to be laid off tomorrow, on Presidents’ Day.
Reposted by Steve Bass
Following OPB's reporting on cuts at the Bonneville Power Administration, Oregon's senators are calling on the Trump White House to halt its actions.
Wyden, Merkley urge Trump to reconsider ‘ludicrous’ job cuts at Bonneville Power
The Democrats cited OPB’s reporting that BPA could lose nearly 20% of its staff because of buyouts, a hiring freeze and termination of probationary employees coming as part of President Donald Trump’s...
www.opb.org
February 15, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Following OPB's reporting on cuts at the Bonneville Power Administration, Oregon's senators are calling on the Trump White House to halt its actions.
Reposted by Steve Bass
One of several Oregon-based lawsuits against the White House today. Another: OR suing over gender-affirming care order
February 7, 2025 at 7:15 PM
One of several Oregon-based lawsuits against the White House today. Another: OR suing over gender-affirming care order
January 20, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Reposted by Steve Bass
Opinion | American universities must end DEI and bring back the meritocracy.
by Jared Kushner and RFK Jr.
by Jared Kushner and RFK Jr.
January 11, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Opinion | American universities must end DEI and bring back the meritocracy.
by Jared Kushner and RFK Jr.
by Jared Kushner and RFK Jr.
Reposted by Steve Bass
How will public media tackle an uncertain future? Join us Thursday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. ET for a thought-provoking webinar exploring how public media can adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape. Sign up: uwmadison.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Innovate with Current: Visions for Public Media’s Future. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
There’s a saying: “What got you here may not get you where you’re going.” PBS and NPR have rich histories of service to Americans. But, frankly, the speed of change in media poses a serious threat to ...
uwmadison.zoom.us
January 9, 2025 at 7:18 PM
How will public media tackle an uncertain future? Join us Thursday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. ET for a thought-provoking webinar exploring how public media can adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape. Sign up: uwmadison.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Reposted by Steve Bass
I'm hosting this conversation next week and it should be a great chat — join us!
How will public media tackle an uncertain future? Join us Thursday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. ET for a thought-provoking webinar exploring how public media can adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing landscape. Sign up: uwmadison.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Innovate with Current: Visions for Public Media’s Future. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.
There’s a saying: “What got you here may not get you where you’re going.” PBS and NPR have rich histories of service to Americans. But, frankly, the speed of change in media poses a serious threat to ...
uwmadison.zoom.us
January 9, 2025 at 7:19 PM
I'm hosting this conversation next week and it should be a great chat — join us!
Reposted by Steve Bass
news: Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes says she's quitting the newspaper after a cartoon depicting Post owner Jeff Bezos and other billionaires genuflecting toward President-Elect Trump was killed
t.co/0TKDRFfxUs
t.co/0TKDRFfxUs
https://anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-quitting-the-washington-post
t.co
January 4, 2025 at 1:50 AM
news: Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post editorial cartoonist Ann Telnaes says she's quitting the newspaper after a cartoon depicting Post owner Jeff Bezos and other billionaires genuflecting toward President-Elect Trump was killed
t.co/0TKDRFfxUs
t.co/0TKDRFfxUs