Posted on 07/01/2004 6:22:05 PM PDT by wagglebee
A media watchdog organization believes it is time for the U.S. Congress to re-evaluate the necessity of allocating 86 million taxpayer dollars to National Public Radio (NPR) in light of the tremendous private funding it receives.
Recently, National Public Radio announced that it plans a $15 million expansion of its news operation. NPR is funding the expansion with just a fraction of the 200 million-dollar bequest the network received last fall from the late widow of McDonald's magnate Ray Kroc.
Seeing how the public radio network appears to be living high on the hog, Tim Graham of the Media Research Center says he cannot understand why NPR continues to feed of the public trough. "I would think that Joan Krok giving 200-million dollars to NPR would be something that you could easily go to the House Appropriations Committee [with] and say, 'They can make a go of it on their own. They don't need government funding,'" he says.
However, the media analyst says the political will to stop the government funding simply does not exist, and even Republicans in Congress seem to lack the desire to tackle the issue. The last time conservative lawmakers targeted federally subsidized public broadcasting for budget cuts, they had to deal with accusations that they were trying to "kill Big Bird," an icon of public broadcasting and children's television, with a huge, multigenerational following.
"I think they're nervous about taking on the media," Graham says, "and perhaps more importantly, they don't want to be seen as bashing 'Big Bird.' So they go easy on this subject, and clearly that's something that they could afford to be a bit harder on."
But at the same time, the Media Research Center spokesman notes, public sentiment also tends to favor continued support of NPR. He contends that many listeners have too much interest in the music, entertainment, and educational programs that public radio offers to concern themselves about its liberally biased news and topical commentary.
"Obviously, more politically sophisticated people would say that the journalism on these outlets is liberally biased," Graham says, "but they offer more than that. They offer opera, and children's programming, and so on and so forth."
Because of all this ear candy, the media analyst says, "everybody then will focus in on that hour or two of public radio or television that they like and suggest the Republicans are basically against opera, against Big Bird, against all of the wonderful things that are on television and radio. That's obviously not the case."
NPR has announced plans to hire 45 new reporters and producers over the next three years. Graham and other critics believe the expansion will only serve to amplify the well-endowed public radio network's already expansive liberal agenda.
Let Barbra Streisand fund NPR.
I hope that I see the elimination of tax money going to the NEA, the CPB, and NPR in my lifetime. All three remind me of the able-bodied 40 year old still living at home off his parents.
Look, it's fine with me if they get this money. But I insist, out of fairness, that the government give $86 million per year to Rush Limbaugh.
"Look, it's fine with me if they get this money. But I insist, out of fairness, that the government give $86 million per year to Rush Limbaugh."
Wow! That's an excellent idea! LOL... very well put.
Publis radio and TV have already made the adjustments in anticipation of the end of public funding. The politicians just have not kept up.
Last night I happened upon "Rebels and Redcoats" on the local PBS channel, part of a series on the American Revolution (this one mainly about fighting in Georgia and the Carolinas in 1779 and 1780). It was the first time I had seen a treatment of the Revolution where the Loyalists were depicted as the good guys and the Patriots (constantly referred to as "rebels") were denigrated. The Brits were praised for helping slaves escape--there was no mention of the fact that England was still at that time involved in the slave trade. I guess it's the kind of treatment I should have expected PBS to air.
When I was 2 or 3, I thought Sesame Street was the dumbest thing I'd ever seen. I'm not sure I've ever actually watched a program on PBS. I don't even know what channel its on where I live, no idea how to find NPR on the radio either.
Interested if your congress critter supports "public Broadcasting"? Click on my name and check out my home page.
PS: It's pledge time at FreeRepublic. May I suggest you voluntarily give what you can to a good cause.
It's time they entered the free market. Let's see how they fare. I always e-mail them asking for a tax refund. I want it personally signed by Nina Snotenberg.
Don't forget the LSC - Legal Services Corporation! That's the Federal catch-all clearing house for 'funding' NGO's and worthwhile organizations through special grants. Hillary had a great hand in it's operation and it continues to be a vast leftist boondoggle.
You've got a point about Republican lite politics, but I'll wait for the numbers to shake out.
Gen X&Yer's are about 1::1 replacement with the boomers. krinton's GAO released a report in the early 90's that stated to maintain government services (at all levels) at then current levels when boomers checked out of the system in 2012 and beyond, the taxation rate will need to be 89 cents on the dollar earned. Most X&Yer's I know don't dig that scenario.
The squeeze WILL come and the ground work should be laid now in order to steer it best when it comes.
An able bodied man who has an alcohol problem, doesn't clean up after himself or help around the house, and hates his parents who support him.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.