| Today's Show is brought to you by the letter R for Republicans who don't like NPR |
[Jun. 8th, 2006|10:10 pm] |
http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting/
Oh. My. Fucking. god.
House Republicans just voted to slash funding for NPR and PBS this year--and eliminate funding altogether in two years. If you appreciate public radio and television (and if you don't maybe you don't belong on my friends list) go sign the petition and pass this along.
"Everyone expected House Republicans to give up efforts to kill NPR
and PBS after a massive public outcry stopped them last year. But
they've just voted to eliminate funding for NPR and PBS--
unbelievably, starting with programs like "Sesame Street." [1]
Public broadcasting would lose nearly a quarter of its federal
funding this year. Even worse, all funding would be eliminated in two
years--threatening one of the last remaining sources of watchdog
journalism [2].
Sign the petition telling Congress to save NPR and PBS again this
year:
http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting/
Last year, over 1 million of us signed the petition, and Congress
listened. We can do it again if you pass this message along to any
friends, neighbors, or co-workers who count on NPR and PBS for news
or children's programming.
This would be the most severe cut in the history of public
broadcasting. The Boston Globe reports the cuts "could force the
elimination of some popular PBS and NPR programs." NPR's president
expects rural public radio stations may be forced to shut down.
The lawmakers who proposed the cuts aren't just trying to save money
in the budget--they're trying to decimate any news outlets willing to
ask tough questions of those in power. Americans trust public
broadcasting more than any corporate news media [3]. This is an
ideological attack on our free press.
President Bush's budget proposed cuts to NPR and PBS [4], but
Congress is going even further: slashing 23% of this year's public
broadcasting budget--$115 million--and denying NPR and PBS any
funding in two years. The cuts immediately terminate support for
commercial-free children's shows like "Sesame Street," "Clifford,"
and "Maya and Miguel."
The House and Senate are deciding if public broadcasting will
survive, and they need to hear from viewers like you. Sign the
petition at:
http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting/
Thank you for all you do.
--Noah, Eli, Adam G., Tom, Marika and the MoveOn.org Civic Action
Team
Thursday, June 8th, 2006
P.S. You can learn more about the threat to public broadcasting from
our friends at Free Press at:
http://www.freepress.net/publicbroadcasting/
Sources:
1. "GOP takes aim at PBS funding," Boston Globe, June 8, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1864&id=7967-4238603-
wExZvZOX_tnkvfEXlnEzGg& t=4
PBS' Ready to Learn program (funds "Sesame Street" and other
children's shows) http://www.pbs.org/readytolearn/
2. "CPB Responds to House Appropriations Subcommittee's Proposed
Funding Levels for Public Broadcasting," Corporation for Public
Broadcasting, June 7, 2006
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=551
3. "2005 'Open to the Public' Objectivity and Balance Report,"
Corporation for Public Broadcasting, January 31, 2006
http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/goals/objectivity/
4. "Bush Budget Pumps Propaganda, Slashes PBS," MediaCitizen,
February 7, 2006 http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1865&id=7967-4238603-
wExZvZOX_tnkvfEXlnEzGg& t=5 " |
|
|
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
tobyhush's journal