Statement of Public Broadcasters (Budget cuts to NPR/PBS)

CPB ^ | June 19 2003 | staff

[Drango]

For Immediate Release
June 19, 2003

Statement of Public Broadcasters
In Response to the House Labor/HHS Appropriations Mark-up

[Note to editors and reporters: Today, the U.S. House Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations Subcommittee agreed to the President’s budget proposal, which provides no new separate funding in FY 04 to public broadcasting for its digital transition or satellite interconnection. Instead, the Subcommittee opted to allow the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to spend up to $100 million (out of its $380 million 2004 general appropriation) to pay for these important priorities. CPB had requested $60 million in FY04 for digital conversion funds and $20 million in interconnection funds, and $410 million for FY 2006.

Further, the Subcommittee approved only $330 million for CPB’s FY 2006 general appropriation, which if enacted would be a $60 million reduction from CPB’s FY 05 level ($390 million) and $80 million below CPB’s request for 2006.

The House Full Committee on Appropriations is expected to mark-up the funding bill on Wednesday, June 25, 2003. The Senate Subcommittee has tentatively scheduled their mark-up that same day.]

If enacted, the Subcommittee’s recommendations would be a double blow to public broadcasting. Not only would it fall far short of meeting pressing needs for digital conversion and interconnection, it would reduce federal support by $100 million in fiscal year 2004, resulting in a possible 26 percent cut in operating grants to each of the nation’s more than 1,000 public television and radio stations.

Further, these cuts would hit public broadcasting stations at an already difficult time, when they are eliminating programming and cutting other services due to the weakened economy, cutbacks in state funding, and increasing operating costs. And, they would inflict serious damage on programs and services that are essential to children, parents and educators alike.

We believe that the Administration and the House recognize public broadcasting’s need for federal assistance in the digital conversion and interconnection. These technologies are the backbone of public broadcasting. However, cutting operating funds to pay for equipment needs will seriously compromise our mission to deliver quality educational programming and services to the American public. And, such cuts could literally deny the public any new services which the digital investment is intended to make possible.

We are pleased that the Subcommittee recognizes public broadcasting’s unique needs by providing an advance appropriation. However, the figure proposed would take CPB supported programs back to levels of six years ago.

For 35 years, public broadcasters have met the federal mandate of providing universal service, meaning that every community in America has access to a wealth of independent, non-commercial programming and educational resources, as well as local services that are highly valued by their citizens. This service is deeply threatened by this proposal, as is CPB’s investment in new national programming for TV and radio. Given the debate over media consolidation, this is an especially unfortunate time to undermine public broadcasting, the last locally-controlled media in many American communities.

The federal budget process requires difficult choices. Public broadcasters will continue to work with the Administration and Congress to ensure that millions of Americans receive the quality educational public broadcasting services upon which they rely. That is our mission.
###

Robert T. Coonrod, President and CEO, Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Kevin Klose, President and CEO, National Public Radio
John Lawson, President and CEO, Association of Public Television Stations
Pat Mitchell, President and CEO, Public Broadcasting Service

[Bigg Red]

cutting operating funds to pay for equipment needs will seriously compromise our mission to deliver quality educational programming and services DNC propaganda to the American public.

&&&

Typical Rats-- calling it a cut when they just did not get the increase they wanted.

[Fresh Wind]

To be fair and balanced, there is at least one NPR station which is virtually free of the relentless leftist political bias that plagues the rest of them. That station is WWFM (http://www.wwfm.org/) which is 100% classical music, with only occasional 5 minute news breaks (which can be ignored, for all practical purposes). I wouldn't doubt most of the staffers are leftists, but they keep it to themselves, which is fine with me.

[m1911]

Far be it from me to support CPB, but the first two paragraphs look like this is in fact an actual cut in funding.

It claims that the FY 2004 budget is $380 million, and the already approved 2005 budget is $390 million. Now, in addition to not adding the $80 million CPB wanted for digital, they set the 2006 budget at $330 million. That's a real cut from the previous years level, not just a reduction in the amount of increase.

Cool.

[Fresh Wind]

The URL is http://www.wwfm.org/ (sorry, the FR auto-HTML absorbed the closing parenthesis).

[Drango]

there is at least one NPR station which is virtually free of the relentless leftist political bias that plagues the rest of them.

Good...however, there is still no reason *I* should be forced to pay for it.

[wattsmag2]

100%? Hell, make em pay pack some of the money they've wasted. Give em a 110% cut.

[Drango]

look like this is in fact an actual cut in funding.

Yeah but this *maybe* cut of 26% won't happen IMHO. Normally staunch Republicans like Zack Wamp and George Nethercutt who sit on the appropriations committee, ALSO sit on the Friends of "Public Broadcasting" collective. Go figure...

Wamp is a founding member of the Public Broadcasting Caucus Group! (see my home page for a full list...)

[gcruse]

Well, that is good news. I am happy to be corrected.

[Bigg Red]

...first two paragraphs look like this is in fact an actual cut in funding.


You are correct. So much for my skimming....

[razorback-bert]

Keep me on the death wish watch list.

[m1911]

You're right. And even if it gets out of the House, the Senate will beat it to death before it can escape and do any good.

[withteeth]

Thanks, keep me on.

[TontoKowalski]

There was a time when I could possibly see some justification for PBS. Back in the day when there were only three stations on the air: ABC, NBC, CBS.

Back then, PBS could truly offer the viewer an array of programming not found on regular stations.

But now, we have the History Channel (more than one of them), Discovery (again, several of them), AnimalPlanet, National Geographic Channel, A&E, The Learning Channel, Educational children's programs, all sorts of woodworking/handyman programs, hell, even the BBC so the Blackadder fans aren't even cheated.

The free market has eliminated the need for a government program. It's a conservative's dream. Only problem is that the government program won't give it up.

[floriduh voter]

Bttt and why is pbs recranking old Boston Pops shows instead of producing new ones? If they want people to support PBS, they need more than Sesame and the Antiques Roadshow.

I am smart enough to know when I'm seeing an old Boston Pops show.

And, the Brit tv shows are also very old. What have they been doing with all the money they've received to date? Obviously, it's not gone into new programming. FV

[185JHP]

Please leave me on your ping list. I despise PublicEnemyRadio. It reminds me of that quote about how "they'll sell us the rope..."

[185JHP]

The funding drives are about money to provide "jobs for Muffy and Biff." Very few PublicEnemy stations produce any programming whatsoever. They do, however, like to nosh and travel...

[Drango]

And even if it gets out of the House, the Senate will beat it to death before it can escape and do any good.

*UPDATE* http://www.apts.org/html/whatsnew/Senate_FY04_Subcommittee.htm

APTS, NPR, CPB and PBS Applaud Senate Funding for Public Broadcasting

On June 25, the Senate Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations endorsed $400 million in advance appropriations for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in fiscal year 2006. It also recommended that $55 million in "new" money be specifically targeted to the digital conversion and $10 million for the first phase of interconnection for fiscal year 2004.

Public broadcasting applauds the Senate action, as it offers vital support for public broadcasting in its mission to provide quality educational programming and services to the American public. The funding proposed by the Senate will contribute significantly to the efforts of more than 1,000 locally owned public television and radio stations as they translate exciting new technologies into valuable learning tools for every home, school and workplace.

The Senate levels are particularly welcome as they exceed earlier recommendations by the Administration and the House Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Subcommittee. While the Senate's action is an important step, differences in the final two bills passed in the House and Senate will have to be settled in a joint conference later this year.

 

[m1911]

No surprise there. Great 4th of July present.