Here is an email from my US Rep Baldwin (D) that I got in response to an email I sent her a few weeks ago.
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Thank you for contacting me regarding funding for the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). It is good to hear from
you.
As you may know, public broadcasting was established by
Congress in 1967 with the creation of the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting. CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation mandated to
provide nationwide radio and television programming to further
the educational and cultural interests of the American people. One
avenue through which CPB does this is by providing funding to the
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), a private, non-profit media
outlet that produces and distributes programs. Although created as
an independent entity, the CPB is accountable to Congress for its
faithful execution of its statutory mandate, expenditure of
appropriated funds, and adherence to policy conditions set by
Congress. Funding levels are set two years in advance of all media
stations receiving their funds from the CPB.
On June 16, 2005, the House Appropriations Committee reported
out of committee the fiscal year 2006 Labor, Health and Human
Services, and Education (LHHS) Appropriations bill (H.R. 3010)
that included a $100 million funding cut for CPB, as well as a plan
to eliminate all funding for the CPB within two years. During
floor consideration of the H.R. 3010, Representative Obey (D-WI)
offered an amendment (H.Amdt. 343) that restored funding for
CPB to its FY 2005 level of $400 million. I voted for this
amendment, which was passed by a vote of 284 to 140. The
LHHS funding bill passed the House on June 24, 2005 by a vote of
250 to 151 and has been sent to the Senate, where it is awaiting
consideration. The proposed cuts would have reduced CPB
formula grants to Wisconsin Public Television and Wisconsin
Public radio stations by nearly 45 percent.
I was outraged by the proposed funding cuts to public
broadcasting. I believe it is vital to provide adequate funding for
public broadcasting. For 38 years, public broadcasting has been a
staple in millions of households across the nation, serving the
public as a source for education, entertainment, and news.
Students, parents, children, teachers, and the public have turned to
public broadcasting for its outstanding educational resources and in
depth programs.
Many of the calls and letters to my office came from constituents
who wanted to share moving stories about how public television
and public radio have impacted their lives and the lives of their
children. There is no other media outlet that serves Americans the
way that public broadcasting does.
As journalist Bill Moyers wrote recently,
..public television was meant to do what the market
will not do. From the outset we believed there should
be one channel not only free from commercials but
free from commercial values; a channel that does not
represent an economic exploitation of life; whose
purpose is not to please as many consumers as
possible, in order to get as much advertising as
possible, in order to sell as many products as possible;
one channel - at least one - whose success is measured
not by the numbers who watch but by the imprint left
on those who do.
Certainly, the same can be said for public radio. I am appalled at
this attempt to destroy an American institution. I can assure you
that I will continue to fight for full funding for the Corporation for
Public Broadcasting.
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till then.
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