Bush targets public television. . .AGAIN!
As part of his ongoing efforts to bloat the US military budget and reward America's wealthiest citizens with tax breaks they can't possibly need, da Shrub is reopening his fight against government support of public television. His 2007 budget would cut federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting by nearly 25 percent.
Between $114 and $145 million of the $460 million CPB budget would be cut. The total impact could be even greater when cuts in related programs such as upgrades to radio station satellite facilities are added. "It's more of the same," said John Lawson, president and CEO of the Association of Public Television Stations, pointing to previous fund-cutting efforts for public TV that were overturned by Congress.
U.S. Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee's telecom panel, ripped the cuts. "In a 24-7 television world with content often inappropriate for young children, the public broadcasting system represents an oasis of quality, child-oriented educational programming," he said. "We owe America's children and their parents this free, over-the-air resource."
A CPB analysis of the budget said the cuts include the $50 million already appropriated by Congress for next year, elimination of additional funding for digital conversion of public TV stations and a slight decrease in the Ready to Learn program. In addition to the cuts, the traditional advance funding for future years' programs would disappear, potentially making it harder for public stations to commit to future TV programming.
Lea Sloan, VP of communications for PBS said that the cuts would be "disastrous" for public television. "For PBS, it could mean the end of our ability to support some of the most treasured educational children's series and primetime icons to which CPB funding contributes," she said, adding that the lack of advanced funding would "cripple PBS' ability to support programs that take years to develop."
"We are hopeful that Congress will recognize the unique value public stations offer to their communities in everything from advancing literacy, math and science skills among children to providing rich, diverse cultural arts as well as news and public affairs programming to people of all ages".
Please help save NPR and PBS from Bush's proposed drastic cuts. We've stopped similar cuts in the past, but enough is enough: With the new Congress, we can make sure this never happens again. We need Congress to save NPR and PBS once and for all. Sign the petition to Congress at the following link:
Labels: public broadcasting
posted by John Good @ 7:26 PM
11 Comments:
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Bush cutting funding to CPB is just a slap at his own constituency. The three biggest public broadcasting systems in the nation are Minnesota Public Radio, WGBH (Boston) and KQED (Bay Area), and not a one of these gets more than 10% of their funding from CPB. KQED, in fact, gets less than 5% is on a continual drive to eliminate CPB funding from their budget entirely. If Bush cut's out 25% it will fall most heavily on rural public broadcasters, exactly those broadcasters that might be serving a more conservative audience.
So go ahead George...smack CPB! I dare ya!
At least we wouldn't be subjected to those dreadful campaigns for money that seems to be 24/7. I know they have to do this...it's just such a drag though. My husband would be absolutely lost without PBS. I'll sign...thanks for bringing this up...I've been so busy with the Anna Nicole Smith death and the astronaut diaper caper that I can't concentrate.
I've signed.
Having followed to an extent the Irving Lewis Libby trial, and seen the propaganda-dissemination machine that the Bush/Cheney Regime has made of the mainstream media, it is more important than ever to have a free, unfettered public broadcasting vehicle to counteract this anti-constitutional terrorism.
I signed it and my whole family did, too. We love NPR and PBS.
signed it yesterday -- thanks for getting the words out!!!
Off to sign the petition now.
John, now you know as well as I do that with PBS out of the way the Right could finally get their version of the "truth" out without it being filtered through a REAL spin-free zone. I'll be off to sign that petition now.
OT, but looking forward to Friday Night Retro. It's an addiction now.
It's 8pm on Friday, Where is our Friday Night Retro?
I think our pressure will make Congress fully fund PBS. I'll contact my Reps. myself. Moveon is easy when it comes to giving up addresses.
Peace.
Thank you all for signing the petition! Your Friday Nite Retro is NOW available. . .
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