Posted on 06/23/2005 10:21:54 AM PDT by SmithL
In the 24 years since Nancy Dobbs founded Rohnert Park public television station KRCB, facing federal funding crises has been a regular part of her job.
But this year the KRCB president and CEO says the news is potentially worse than ever, arriving like an ambush and threatening the future of public television and radio stations across the nation.
The House Appropriations Committee less than two weeks ago proposed a 45 percent cut in federal funds to public broadcasters -- and the full House of Representatives could vote on the spending bill as early as today. Dobbs and other public TV executives have had little time to mobilize opposition to the cuts and are trying to assess the impact if the proposal ultimately is approved.
"We usually get a few months' notice," Dobbs said. "Generally speaking, the committee members want to hear about the impact the cuts will have, but that just didn't happen this time. It was a done deal before we heard about it. "
Big-market stations such as KQED in San Francisco say the cut in Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding, plus the proposed elimination of other federally funded programs, could change the look of its television and radio stations. KQED receives 8 percent of its funding from the federal government. KRCB gets between 25 and 30 percent of its budget from the government. Dobbs said the station would be devastated by the proposed cut but likely would continue to exist.
But the cuts could force public TV and radio stations in more rural areas to pull the plug altogether. At Eureka station KEET, where 46 percent of funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, station officials say the cuts would be a death sentence.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
WHAT?!? THEY ARE CUTTING FUNDING TO PBS?!?!
WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH..
ALL OF OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE STUPID IF THEY DON'T GET THEIR BOOBAHS AND TELETUBBIES!!!!
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
/end DemocraticUnderground Rant.
You betcha, we don't owe these people a living.
If they are good broadcasters, they will be able to find gigs in the private sector. And many of the shows could be sold to cable networks.
These folks are afraid of walking the wire without a net(like the rest of us).
I do take great umbrage at the use of my tax dollars paying for viewpoints I do not endorse.
PBS should call it self the "Antiques Roadshow" network anyway, and NPR should re-name itself "The No Possible Reason(why)" network.
Sheesh.
NPR salaries for FY 2003:
Robert Siegel, Senior Host
Compensation: $259,777
Benefits: $22,971
Total: $282,748
Robert Edwards, Senior Host
Compensation: $256,942
Benefits: $31,150
Total: $288,092
Scott Simon, Senior Host
Compensation: $214,950
Benefits: $25,947
Total: $240,897
Michele Norris, Host
Compensation: $199,039
Benefits: $3,207
Total: $202,246
Steve Inskeep, Correspondent
Compensation: $175,551
Benefits: $26,827
Total: $202,378
These are the figures listed for the NPR executives and officers:
Kevin Klose, CEO
Compensation: $309,080
Benefits: $62,962
Expenses: $5,957
Total: $377,999
Kenneth Stern, Executive VP
Compensation: $195,395
Benefits: $58,722
Total: $254,117
Bruce Drake, VP
Compensation: $162,011
Benefits: $30,347
Total: $192,358
Jeffrey Dvorkin, Ombudsman
Compensation: $148,837
Benefits: $25,611
Total: $174,448
It's soooooo nice to see the RATS squealing.
Their panties are in quite a twist. Did you get that bit about Boxer and Feinsteinn wanting President Bush to fire Mr. Tomlinson for actually telling the naked truth about NPR and PBS? That's rich.
Yes indeed, it IS time to give them the royal flush...down the toilet.
...OK. Pull the plug on National. Public radio needs the support of the public. I make a donation evvvry month. I love the jazz, I hate the commercials,,, radio...
Get a satellite radio. Same money, no commercials, more choice.
dung.
I wonder who these folks made political donations to.
After watching that nakedly biased hit piece against Iraq contractors, how can PBS even PRETEND to be objective?
There is plenty of great documentary talent out there without having to rely on overpriced liberal ranters like those on Public TV/Radio.
Whoa! Lotsa money in propaganda.
>>
ALL OF OUR KIDS ARE GOING TO BE STUPID IF THEY DON'T GET THEIR BOOBAHS AND TELETUBBIES!!!!
<<
YES, YOU BET!!!!!
No way any private production company would pick'em up for cable.
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