[Howlin]

I have a really dumb question: why can't Big Bird and Clifford, etc., PAY THE BILLS?

[Army Air Corps]

Because, on the open market, they would have to change format or die. They do not have enough viewership to sustain them in the real world of market economics; they can only exist in the fairytale land of socialism.

[Now_is_The_Time]

I wondered that myself. $50 million is chump-change to Elmo and his posse at Socialist Street.

[Yaelle]

I have a really dumb question: why can't Big Bird and Clifford, etc., PAY THE BILLS?

With what they make from toy merchandising, especially? Half the toys in Toys R Us have a PBS character on them.

[blackbart.223]

"I have a really dumb question: why can't Big Bird and Clifford, etc., PAY THE BILLS?"

Because they don't have the ratings to do so. Plus no one with a brain gives a shit about them anyway.

[MJY1288]

Because they don't sell advertising like the other legitimate Broadcast Media outlets do.

I think they should be told by Congress to drop all their NEWS shows and stick to children's shows and educational shows or we quit financing them. Tell Bill Moyers that if he wants to spew his Liberal tripe, we should not be forced to subsidize him or his show with our tax money, Moyers should compete in the arena of ideals if he's gonna express his views on the airwaves, just like Rush Limbaugh does. Moyers wouldn't last a month

[justche]

PBS says the proposed cuts would have severely impacted "Sesame Street," "Clifford," "Between the Lions" and other popular children's shows.

here's the thing I don't understand --I called Sesame Street Workshop because there were so many repeats. They only make less than 26 new shows a year now. There's only one month of new shows a year. So if they are selling cd's and tapes, plus all the products, how is it they need to be publicly funded at all?

They must get their budgeting plans from school administrators.