Thursday, March 24, 2011

Brutal Honesty!

I am a honest person. If I don't like someone, I usually just ignore them.  If I screw up, I admit it. I may be sometimes flowery with my words but it is honestly how I think and write. I enjoy writing this blog because I am writing it for you and for me. I'm not trying to make a big company happy because I don't work for one. Goodness knows, no big corporation would put up with the assortment of things I write about. The Farmer and I work for ourselves, our family, our farm, our land, our art and craft, our animals and for the future of this patch of earth that we are caring for. Most people would think us nuts. Sometimes I agree with "most people" but I just keep going.

Many of my friends work on the fringe of the real world. Some own their own businesses, however big or small they are. They plod along, doing their good work, keeping at whatever it is they are trying to do for the world. Some of my friends are farmers - their dedication is to the future of the earth and to feeding their neighbors good and healthy food. Some of my friends are artists - their dedication is to the beauty of their art. Some of my friends are teachers - their dedication is to their love of learning and showing their students their way.

And then there is my very good friend Candi Jensen. Candi is a knitting and crochet designer and author. Candi and I met over 25 years when we were both working for yarn companies. Candi is passionate about her craft and about sharing her craft with others. That is why she began her PBS television show Knit and Crochet Now. Candi is the reason I am on the show and I thank her for the opportunity.

I doubt most of you know how these PBS shows work so I am going to let you in on it. A producer comes up with an idea and finds corporate sponsors to fund the production of the show. The producer has to pay a PBS station to tape, film, edit, pay for the "experts" to fly in, feed them, and then pay for all the post-production. If there is any money left over, the producer may be able to pay the host, the experts and take a profit. Let's just say that no one involved in K&CN is making anything off of it. The bare minimum to produce a series of 13 shows is $125,000. And this is bare minimum - everything done on the cheap.

Money is really tight for everyone now as if you didn't know. Candi's source of the corporate funding has pretty well disappeared. She is still out looking for corporate underwriters to support the knitting and crochet show and time is running out. She wants to tape a new season so that she can keep spreading the knitting and crochet love. It is an incredibly expensive proposition to say the least.

When the show gets aired on PBS, the individual PBS station does not pay Candi to air it. How crazy is that? The money you give your local PBS station goes to staff the office, pay for the airtime, the satellite feeds, whatever it is that makes t.v. happen. It's all a mystery to me.

Candi produces this show because she wants to keep the knit and crochet world inspired. She has devoted her life to the crafts of knitting and crochet. She wants to spread the stitching love throughout the television world so more people will pick up needles and stitch. It is a huge goal for her. She works alone out of a home office. She calls on friends to devote their time and skills to her cause (that would be me and the other "experts"). Designers donate their projects to be shown on the air. Maybe I get some publicity out of it all but that's not what it is about for me. I do the show to help Candi and so that viewers can better their skills of the crafts I am teaching. I hope that they will pass their skills on to their friends, neighbors, children and grandchildren so that the textile arts will endure for future generations.

So now I would like to ask you to help Candi out! If you have the means and desire, send the show some money so that it can go on. There is a PayPal button below. Click on it and donate what you can. Any amount will help. If you have a blog and would like to add the Paypal code to your site, email me and I can get you set up. Please SPREAD THE WORD!

If you prefer to send a check, send it to:
Candice Jensen Productions
708 Gravenstein Highway, #231
Sebastopol, CA 95472

And if there are any corporate people out there who are wanting to sponsor the show, please e-mail me privately and I will tell you how to get a hold of Candi.






Thank you all for whatever you can give.

10 comments:

Missouri Gal said...

I love PBS but I didn't know how it worked! You are a good person and a great friend! She is blessed to have you for a buddy!
I agree with you. I'm honest and I stay away from people I don't like as well. I left a scrapbooking club because all the back stabbing. I recently was invited to a get together. I declined stating, I don't like to pretend I'm friends with people!

tracy_a said...

Kristin - I know there's not a lot of money in producing public TV - but I did want to correct something in your post. Your donations to local stations ARE used to pay dues to PBS - PBS purchases programs from producers. Lest people think their donations to local stations are not used for programming - they are - through PBS station dues.

Anonymous said...

Maybe she should consider looking at an Internet self produced show? Available by subscription online. For an example of an otherwise produced show, but not by paid subscription, look at TWiT TV.

I'd like to support her, and you, but things are tight for us right now also. I sincerely hope someone with foresight will sponsor it.

I never thought I would say this but I'm getting more and more exasperated with how 'regular' TV works and the choices of shows that do get aired. Of course I do have the benefit of Internet service and one that is fast and reliable. Ultimately I'd like to be able to curate what I watch and be able to watch Knit and Crochet Today even if my local PBS chooses not to air it. As it is I have to record it anyway, it's shown at some very early time of the day and only once a week.

Good luck to both of you. --elizaduckie

Chppie said...

Would Candi consider making season DVDs? We don't get the show on our PBS but I'd sure be open watching it on DVD. The online idea wasn't bad either but personally DVDs are more portable for us.

Thanks for making us aware of the situation.

Kristin Nicholas said...

There are DVD's of all the seasons. They are available on the Knit and Crochet Now website. Check it out!
In fact, I had a giveaway last week of seasons 2 and 3. I guess you missed it!

Tracy A - I'm checking into this for you and hope to have a response from PBS. Stay tuned.

Auntie Shan said...

For "the cost of a Ball of YARN", I've just made my Donation, Kristin. And, I'll also be LINKING This POST onto My BLOG Entry for Today.

BTW, if any of Your "FOLLOWERS" are on TWITTER, have them go to Brett's Page: brettbara

They can RE-TWEET her "Request" to Their Followers. And, so on and so on....

And Candi appears to be at:
knitcrochetnow


:-D

Elizabeth Boyle said...

I got the chance to go yarn shopping with Candi a few years back on a visit to San Fran and I have to say, she is the loveliest of women and so devoted to crafts, knitting and crochet. Truly a gem and her vision for keeping it on television is a gift to us all!

Elaine said...

I mailed Candi a check 2 days ago because I love this program and set aside time to watch it when it's on. I can't believe that corporate sponsors won't come forward to keep producing this show. Working with yarn is forever in our hearts and hands and I hope everyone who reads this can send some funds to keep this great program on. Kristin does a great job in her knitting segments with easy to understand instructions and close up camera work. Maggie Pace, knitter, Drew Emborsky, Robin Chachula, crochet experts, round out the cast of amazing instructors.
Elaine

Kathy in Canada said...

Kristin, thanks for letting us know about the plight of the Show. I stumbled upon it a couple of years ago, and watch every chance I can. Although small, I've made my donation in hopes that my bit will help. This show and all of you, the "experts" are inspiring, and truly gems in a pile of stones. Keep it going!!

Anonymous said...

I agree with Tracy A about the funds raised by local PBS stations. They do pay for programming (dues to national PBS or acquiring programs from independent distributors/producers). Donations also pay for outreach materials for local reading programs, electricity to broadcast, produce local programs, etc.

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