Related stories, Pages C-1 and C-5.

PASADENA, Calif. -- PBS president Paula Kerger said that the worldwide recession has impacted the organization, which laid off 10 percent of its staff this summer, and PBS stations such as Pittsburgh's WQED, which had nine layoffs last month.

"Corporate funding is difficult for everyone in the media, and public television is not exempt from that," Kerger said. "Our funding this year has been more or less flat, actually probably a percentage or two declined from last year. [It's] relatively stable at the national level, but at the local level, it has been challenging. And philanthropy has been challenged in a number of markets around the country."

Kerger said PBS sent representatives to Pennsylvania to try to help get state funding re-instated for stations in the state, which has not happened. But she expressed hope that a new effort to request government funds will help public radio and TV stations "stabilize."

"There is a lot of competition for money in Washington, and we are also very much aware of that. ... And if we get some funding for emergency purposes for the stations, I think that will be tremendously helpful," she said.

On a national level, Kerger said she's optimistic that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes funds to PBS and other public media entities, will see an increase in government funding, from $430 million to $450 million. It will be the first time in eight years public broadcasting has received "full funding," she said.

A few weeks ago, WQED announced a plan to move the "and viewers like you" credit to the front of its on-air funding acknowledgments, something PBS is looking at as well.

"The truth is the majority of our support comes from individual philanthropy and I do think we need to do a better job of making sure people recognize that," Kerger said. She wasn't sure if PBS or WQED first came up with the idea to re-visit the on-air credits. "I have a feeling, as with many great ideas, that they happened in parallel. I know we've been talking to them about the implementation. Obviously, part of the reason we're interested is to help stations signal value in their own communities."

At the national level, Kerger said she's committed now more than ever to the role of public media as a source of quality journalism. She also wants PBS to take a more cohesive approach to news that includes collaboration across PBS programs and platforms.

"Independent, intelligent, and fair reporting and analysis are needed now more than ever, and I think this is what PBS does best," she said.

Kerger said she's concerned about the state of the arts in America.

"I do worry that in tough economic times, there are people that think the arts are dispensable. And I think that the arts are critical. Societies are defined not by their commerce, but by the great art that is created."