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You know that email petition that keeps circulating about how Congress is slashing funding for NPR and PBS? Well, now it’s actually true. (Really. Check the footnotes if you don’t believe me.)
Sign the petition telling Congress to save NPR and PBS:
www.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting
A House panel has voted to eliminate all funding for NPR and PBS, starting with “Sesame Street,” “Reading Rainbow,” and other commercial-free children’s shows. If approved, this would be the most severe cut in the history of public broadcasting, threatening to pull the plug on Big Bird, Cookie Monster, and Oscar the Grouch.
The cuts would slash 25% of the federal funding this year?¢‚Ǩ‚Äù$100 million?¢‚Ǩ‚Äùand end funding altogether within two years. The loss could kill beloved children’s shows like “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” “Arthur,” and “Postcards from Buster.” Rural stations and those serving low-income communities might not survive. Other stations would have to increase corporate sponsorships.
If we can reach 250,000 signatures by the end of the week, we’ll put Congress on notice.
www.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting
Thanks!
P.S. Read the Washington Post report on the threat to NPR and PBS at:
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Very cool blog you got! I just added you to my bookmarks!
I have a great article resource you might want to check out.
Well, Thane. In case you ever come back here and check comments agian. I do give money to PBS and NPR. I am a member of the Leadership circle for KQED tv. I also send money to KQED radio and to the local PBS and npr stations here in Sonoma County. Unfortunately with commercial free, educational tv and public radio, not enough people send money to support it. In some parts of the country npr is the only decent radio provided for people – generally associated with the local college.
I have an excellent alternative to cheering on the tax collectors and those fickle folks who may (or may not) choose to spend $400 million on CPB.
If you really think Sesame Street *must* be supported send them money yourself.
I think it is immoral to rob the taxpayer to pay for PBS and NPR.
It is horrific!!!!!!!!!! Although I’m pissed still that Moyers was bamboozled and thought that it signaled some “taming” for the station, I also cannot imagine life without publich radio or tv. I have already signed this petition as well as emailed my reps!
yeah, totally, mom. I got off on a tangent, but I guess what I should have said is that it’s the adult quality programming that I’m worried about! And I DO think that PBS does some quality kid’s programs (like Reading Rainbow which is under threat).
I agree with you, Stephanie, but I also do not want to see the loss of npr and other pbs stuff. I also want to submit that pbs programming is a step above commercial tv station programming for children – would you agree with that? It would damage my mental health to not have most npr and pbs. Perhaps we can deal with the programming aimed at preschoolers in another way.
Well, this brings up conflicting issues for me. On the one hand, I am very fired up about the diminishing funding of public broadcasting. I depend on public broadcasting for less-biased (and less-corporate controlled) news and information.
That said, I am not sure how I feel about public funding of programming aimed at young children. Even the very conservative American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of two watch NO TV, “educational” or not, NO TV. Yet PBS aggressively markets shows to this age group. That’s just wrong.
In my opinion, there is no such thing as “educational” TV for preschoolers and younger. It is wrong for PBS to market crap like Clifford and Arthur as educational. Studies show a direct correlation between TV watching in young children and violent/aggressive behavior as well as ADD. This is regardless of content. It doesn’t matter if they are watching a violent cartoon or Elmo singing about love and tolerance. Excessive TV-watching is damaging to young brains.
Sorry, for the long comment, Mom. Thought you knew this was one of my hot button issues!
Thanks Gerrie, I signed this and forwarded the message. I really cannot imagine television or radio without PBS and NPR. Jen