Congress Looks to Defund PBS

NewsMax ^ | 6/10/05 | Carl Limbacher

[wagglebee]

In a move seen as a Republican attack on public broadcasting and its "liberal bias,” a GOP-controlled House subcommittee has voted to cut federal funding for public television and radio nearly in half.

The move would eliminate a $23 million federal program that helps underwrite popular children’s shows such as "Sesame Street” and "Postcards From Buster.” Also, the subcommittee voted to eliminate within two years all federal money for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides a portion of public broadcasters’ funds, beginning with a 25 percent cut in CPB’s budget for next year – from $400 million to $300 million.

On top of that, the House Appropriations subcommittee on labor, health and human services, and education cut $50 million that was supposed to go toward upgrading the network’s aging satellite technology.

"Expressing alarm, public broadcasters and their supporters in Congress interpreted the move as an escalation of a Republican-led campaign against a perceived liberal bias in their programming,” the Washington Post reported.

In fact, the CPB’s own new chairman, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, has readily admitted that public television has a liberal bias, stating: "I frankly feel at PBS headquarters there is a tone deafness to issues of tone and balance.”

As NewsMax.com reported, Tomlinson insisted that CPB needs to take a more balanced approach to politics in order to attract a wider range of donors.

Nevertheless, Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin, the ranking Democrat on the subcommittee, said the Republicans "are trying to put their ideological stamp on public broadcasting.”

But the subcommittee’s Republican chairman, Rep. Ralph Regula of Ohio, said the cuts had nothing to do with dissatisfaction over public broadcasting.

"The thinking was, there’s not enough money for everything,” he said in an interview.

"There are ‘must-do,’ ‘need-to-do’ and ‘nice-to-do’ programs that we have to pay for. [Public broadcasting] is somewhere between a ‘need-to-do’ and a ‘nice-to-do.’

"No one’s out to get” public broadcasting, he said. "It’s not punitive in any way.”

Regula said public stations could "make do” without taxpayer funds by getting more donations from private sources, including corporations and viewers.

The cuts in financing went significantly beyond those requested by the Bush administration and are likely to be approved by the House, according to the New York Times, although the House could restore the funding when it meets with the Senate on budget legislation later this year.

Small public radio stations in rural areas are expected to be particularly hard hit if the spending cuts are approved because they’re already operating on very tight budgets.

"This could literally put us out of business,” Paul Stankavich, president of the Alaska Public Radio Network, an alliance of 26 stations in the state, told the Post.

"Almost all of us are down to the bone right now.”

[Charles Wickman]

the only thing i can say in defense of npr is that I like the lack of commercials...same with public tv...
those commercials really wear you down...a few weeks ago, the wife timed her soap: 38 minutes of show + 22 minutes of commercials.

That's too many commercials!

[ALPAPilot]

There are ‘must-do,’ ‘need-to-do’ and ‘nice-to-do’ programs that we have to pay for. [Public broadcasting] is somewhere between a ‘need-to-do’ and a ‘nice-to-do.’

I think he forgot "irritating to the taxpayer", "total waste of money", and "intrinsically harmful."

I would argue PBS is somewhere between "total waste of money" and "intrinsically harmful."

[sharkhawk]

Moyers made millions from PBS.

My favorite is when they throw out "The Republicans want to defund Big Bird" line, or "Isn't Sesame street wonderful, no commercials". The people who make Sesame street have made even more money than Moyers on our dime. And every time I go to the toy store there's more cheap Chinese made Sesame Street crap on the shelves.

[IronJack]

The move would eliminate a $23 million federal program that helps underwrite popular children’s shows such as "Sesame Street” and "Postcards From Buster.”

Boo hoo. That money also underwrites Bill Moyers' latest irrelevant pap and the rest of the PBS Hate America claptrap. Oscar the Grouch and Buster will be just fine. Or they can get day jobs.

Republicans "are trying to put their ideological stamp on public broadcasting.”

"Which is completely unacceptable. Everyone knows that liberalism is the only ideology that's tolerated within the public broadcasting arena!"

"This could literally put us out of business,”

Egad! Not THAT!

[PAR35]

and "Postcards From Buster.”

But... but... but how are children supposed to learn about Vermont lesbians and what they do in the woods?

[PAR35]

I like the lack of commercials...same with public tv...

Lack of commercials? Have you ever watched public TV? Ads for Juicy Juice and Frosted Flakes between each show; interminable fundraising breaks every few months?

[Czar]

Great idea. Toss in the UN and lets make it a defunding "twofer"...

[Maceman]

This is great news, there is no reason our tax money should be used to fund anti-American propoganda.

Or pro-American propaganda.

This defunding should happen because the government ought not be subsidizing any type of broadcasting content, period.

[Tacis]

Why is this so hard to accomplish?

Our PBS/NPR outlets are grossly overstaffed and they are grossly overpaid. Put aside for a moment that ultra-left wing bias that is broadcast every day, and just examine the costs for limousines. That, and catering costs, should be enough to cause even scumbags to back away.

I got to admit that I watch PBS frequently and listen to NPR fairly often. In both cases, especially radio, whenever (frequently) they begin a program or segment that emphasizes that fairies are truly wonderful and superior people, I change stations.

Our NPR station used to be so much better before the unilaterally and without notice or opportunity for public comment, dropped most music programs.

BTW, there is no better example of the neocommunist, extremist leftists' success as manipulating and capturing our language as their use of the concept of "noncommercial broadcast." They exclude commercials for themselves (tedious, tedious commercials during the endless fund drives - who actually watches that crap?) and then, by definition, call it "noncommercial." SHUT THE FLAMING ELITISTS DOWN!!!!

[BenLurkin]

Whoo - Hoo!

[Owl558]

"They call it "listener-supported radio" here in Indiana. Could it really be "taxpayer supported radio"? Hmmm."

Who gets the jillions of dollars generated yearly from the marketing of Seseme Street toys to our kids? I have always wondered.

Maybe PBS owes taxpayers dividends since we foot the bill for keeping these stations on the air.

[The Brush]

There are so many liberals in this country who believe that not enough of their money is being taken by government. If each of them were to write a check to public broadcasting for half of what they believe they owe, they wouldn't need public funds at all...
If they then sent the other half to fund education, government could get out the bias business completely.

That's this white Christian's opinion anyway.

[shellshocked]

Propaganda and BS.

[upchuck]

a few weeks ago, the wife timed her soap: 38 minutes of show + 22 minutes of commercials. That's too many commercials!

You're right! As a former Traffic Manager for a broadcast TV station, I can tell you that at one time the FCC had very strict rules about this.

8-11pm you could not run more than 12 minutes of commercials per hour. In other hours you could have 16 minutes of commercials per hour. And during the entire broadcast day, each commercial break could have only 4 "units" or commercials.

Stations that abused this policy on a regular basis were fined big time.

[Texas Eagle]

The move would eliminate a $23 million federal program that helps underwrite popular children’s shows such as "Sesame Street”

Why does Sesame Street need to be underwritten? Elmo alone brings in about a billion dollars a year. Where does that money go?

[Trillian]

I think they should cut ALL of their funding.

[righttackle44]

"This could literally put us out of business, . . ."

I have no problem with that. I'd like to see
Scott Simon have to get a real job. (I do
have some sympathy for Scott having to interview
Daniel Schorr who has really bad breath, I betcha.)

[Doe Eyes]

PBS was a useful alternative when there were three networks in America. They are no longer needed (or at least, they don't need a government subsidy).

[demkicker]

If only the department of education could be next.... And no, I'm not on drugs, just fantasizing.

[Trillian]

Ahh, if only..

I got a letter from npr requesting I send them money yesterday (no idea how I got on their list). Forcing money from us through our taxes isn't enough for them.