As a fan of “American Experience”, the Ken Burns’ “Baseball series” and other programs on NPR and PBS, I support efforts to defund those networks in President Trump’s budget. This is from The Hill:
“The Budget proposes to eliminate Federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) over a two year period,” according to the proposal.“CPB grants represent a small share of the total funding for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR), which primarily rely on private donations to fund their operations,” it continues.“To conduct an orderly transition away from Federal funding, the Budget requests $15.5 million in 2019 and $15 million in 2020, which would include funding for personnel costs of $16.2 million, rental costs of $8.9 million; and other costs totaling $5.4 million.”In a statement in March 2017 after the first Trump budget proposed the elimination of CPB, the 50-year-old nonprofit characterized itself as “one of America’s best investments.”
Best investments? Great, go get some investors to fund your programs!
Back in the 1970s, NPR came to Milwaukee and I enjoyed their programming. I still do. I often catch “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered” in the car when I am going here and there.
But that was then and this now. We have TV cable systems with hundreds of channels and satellite radio is also an option.
Last, but not least, NPR & PBS have become more and more liberal. Why should the government fund anything that is so biased? They also pander to identity politics.
So let it go! Make NPR and PBS stand on their own.
P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter.