Kaptur Opposes 25 Percent Cut in Public Broadcasting Funding
KAPTUR OPPOSES 25 PERCENT CUT IN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FUNDING
Jun 22, 2005
WASHINGTON -- Today, U.S. Representative Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) announced her strong opposition to a provision in the FY 2006 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill coming to the House floor this week that cuts FY 2006 funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting by 25 percent - cutting the appropriation from $400 million to $300 million.
"Public broadcasting is a national treasure," Rep. Kaptur stated. "For millions of parents, public broadcasting represents a children's television network of unparalleled excellence and value. At a cost of just over $1 per year per person, what parents and children get from free, over-the-air public television and public radio is an incredible bargain."
The provision in the bill would eliminate $100 million in federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, upon which it heavily relies. The Association of Public Television Stations has stated that these cuts are "so drastic that they will severely impact every public television and radio station's ability to provide educational, cultural and informational programming in local communities and throughout the nation."
"In these economic times, placing more financial burdens on local communities is not a practical answer," said Rep. Kaptur. "If this nation can find the money to support broadcasting in Iraq, then certainly we can find money to support public television in the United States."
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is the U.S.-taxpayer-funded agency that provides critical dollars to public broadcasting across the country. According to the nonpartisan Roper polling firm, Americans consider the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) the nation's "most trusted" among nationally-known organizations. They also believe that PBS is the second "most valuable" service taxpayers receive, outranked only by national defense. The same poll also found that a majority of Americans believes the system receives too little funding.
"Today, public television and its educational mission are needed more than ever," continued Rep. Kaptur. "Think about PBS's early childhood learning, its decency in programming compared to so many of the debasing programs on commercial television. As this bill moves forward, I will fight to have this damaging cut in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting restored."
http://www.kaptur.house.gov/PressRelease.aspx?NewsID=1400