Posted on 12/14/2010 2:17:23 AM PST by Walter Scott Hudson
While channel surfing a couple years back, I stumbled upon a program on Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) called Lost Twin Cities. It was a fascinating documentary of the oft-changed architecture and infrastructure in the Minneapolis/ St. Paul metropolitan area. I was impressed. So I coughed up the cash to become a member of TPT in exchange for the program on DVD. That is to say, I saw value in a particular product and was willing to pay a price to obtain it.
The following year, TPT called looking for more money. However, this time they had no product I desired. I declined further voluntarily contribution. Despite that, I remain compelled through taxation to pay for public broadcasting.
There is an insidious aspect to this arrangement which has troubled conservatives and libertarians for many years. Public broadcasting is vaunted by some among the Left as a voice of the people unadulterated by commercial influence. However, the truth is quite apparently the opposite. Commercial television serves the public interest far greater than subsidized programming ever could. Given the shifting political climate in Washington, there is fear among its advocates that public broadcasting could come to an end.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsrealblog.com ...
I would be in agreement to fund public radio if they stuck to a format of opera, jazz and classical music. I realize that will never happen...so defunding them is likely the only solution.
As for PBS? I’d suggest a three-year plan with a twenty percent budget cut each year. I can see a reason for kid’s type programming. The trouble with PBS is talk-shows that are mostly political and could be easily axed because CNN, MSNBC and Fox News carries the same format.
Funding radio and television with my tax dollars is not a constitutional role of the federal government.
We are broke as a nation and need to start cutting out unnecessary “benefits” such as Public Broadcasting.
Bingo!
While we are at it, could we also eliminated all government funding of PSAs on commercial television as well? The ones that aren’t evil are insipid (”Don’t lean metal ladders against power lines!”).
There are plenty of cable and internet channels that do what PBS did well years ago now. It is past time for it to go. I hope that Gov. Nikki when she goes to make cuts takes a close eye at the PBS network here. 95% of it could be phased out and almost no one would notice.
What is the content of said 'kids shows' these days? Remember that the same folks are at the helm for the political AND for the childrens' programming.
I doubt they are only playing reruns of Mr. Rogers. Even Sesame Street is more PC than it was in the late 80s when I was growing up.
But NPR is the libs propaganda tool.
“I would be in agreement to fund public radio if they stuck to a format of opera, jazz and classical music. I realize that will never happen...so defunding them is likely the only solution.”
It’s not a proper Constitutional role, no matter what they broadcast.
Back in the early 1990’s, I supported Temple U. Public Radio because I liked their programming. When Congress threatened to defund public broadcasting, instead of asking for more monetary support from contributors, the public broadcasters beseached us to call our congressmen to demand that they continue to fund public broadcasting with tax dollars. Since then, I have not contributed a dime to public broadcasting.
I hope the GOP has the guts to defund them. They didn’t then, and I’ll believe it when I see it now.
You’re right. Not their job, they can’t afford it anyway. Time to cut them off.
”Don’t lean metal ladders against power lines!”.
There are at least 5 cable channels that are dedicated to kids programs and the big bird is so popular, that if PBS dropped that show, an over the air network would pick it up in a second.
There is no reason, in 2010, that my tax dollars should support any government news or entertainment program.
There is no iron curtain that needs to hear our message blasted to them, even people in China have the internet.
“Besides defunding NPR and PBS, it’s time to kill the National Endowments for the Arts and its brother program for the Humanities. Totally worthless. Also, a worthy first start. “
And about half of the cabinet departments - education, interior, labor, commerce, agriculture, energy, epa for starters.
But where will all the fair minded great thinkers like Gwen Ifill find work?
They already have corporate sponsorship
Oh yeah......"and viewers like you"
They need to be de-funded.
At one of the UHF stations that require a tin foil wrap on your receiver for full reception.
The remuneration may be a bit lower.
The Federal Government should not duplicate for “free” (i.e. with taxpayer money) what can be sold in the marketplace by a private company.
There should be NO COMPETITION with the private marketplace by the feds.
It should be a Constitutional amendment IMO.
This is a 2-edged sword, IMO.
I love to listen to 90.0 WETA in Washington, DC for its COMMERICAL-FREE classical music format.
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