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February 11, 2012
 
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Bush proposes drastic cuts to PBS budget

by Julia Ward, posted Feb 5th 2007 8:04PM

Sesame Street Burt and ErnieThe next "save PBS" email petition you receive may not be a scam. President Bush has proposed a nearly 25% cut to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's annual operating budget. John Lawson, president and CEO of the Association of Public Television Stations, notes that this move on the part of the White House is "more of the same." Similar cuts have been proposed in the past, and they have been overturned by Congress.

A spokeswoman for PBS has said that the cuts would be "disastrous" and would undermine PBS' ability to "support some of the most treasured educational children's series." She probably means Sesame Street and not Buster the Bunny, which has raised the ire of Republicans in the past for its depiction of a lesbian couple as well-adjusted, loving parents. (Despite rumors to the contrary, the two guys depicted to the right are not gay.)

I don't want PBS going anywhere, and with a Democratic-controlled Congress in place, it won't be going anywhere anytime soon. We need a true alternative to commercial broadcasting that isn't owned by Time Warner or Viacom, but what is the role of a public broadcasting station today? I've said it before, and I'll say it again. With Bravo, Discovery, the History Channel, Nickelodeon, Sundance and IFC, would anyone notice if PBS just slipped away taking its membership drives and the Boston Pops Orchestra with it? Did the culture wars in the early 90s, when the NEA's budget was perpetually under fire, forever diminish the quality of PBS programming? Fortunately, Big Bird and Charlie Rose are good enough reasons to keep PBS around while they figure out what to do themselves in the 21st century.

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Milwaukee Male

All of the PBS bashing, "you can find this stuff elsewhere" types conveniently forget one fact; NOT everyone can afford cable TV!!

For the millions who can only pick up over-the-air broadcasting, PBS stands as the only alternative to commercial piffle and political pandering.

Why all the anger, anyway? You so-called "compassionate conservatives" had six years at the wheel and look what a mess the entire world is? We can't you simply click to the FOX Noise channel and hear what you want to believe and let millions of Americans who DON'T share your narrow viewpoints have some worthwhile programming?

Or are you still pissed off that a cartoon character had two mommies?

February 12 2007 at 3:07 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
childrensmediaconsultant

Read the Children's Media Consultant story here:
http://www.childrensmediaconsultant.com/http:/www.childrensmediaconsultant.com/save-sesame-street.htm

February 07 2007 at 10:57 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
childrensmediaconsultant

Could Sesame Street survive without PBS? The Children's Media Consultant explores how the show could exist without PBS, and what is at risk. Read the story

February 07 2007 at 10:55 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Adam

look, cuts are going to have to be made so that the War on Terrorism is somehow funded. We as Amerrricans should be more open minded and let bush take control and make necessary cuts, he only trying to erradicate the evil in this world. O and to also to avenge his daddy!

February 06 2007 at 8:57 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Repubs suck azz

OK "compassionate conservatives", why don't we cut all government programs that aren't profitable i.e. cushy handouts to create nuclear power plants, the post office, etc. etc.

Maybe if 95% of our taxes didn't go to our military and failed wars, we could have some nice in this country after Bush.

February 06 2007 at 2:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
nikolai

So many angry "conservatives" on this blog. Why be so hateful? Why not just state your case with logical arguments and spare us the insults which help negate or at least denigrate your statement? The same goes for the "liberals" who bash bu$h every chace they get. It doesn't help the liberal cause to rub salt in the wounds of the conservatives. We're supposed to be united, remember???

February 06 2007 at 1:51 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
SoftGuy

I am OK with killing PBS. I hope they also end the war, kill NASA, the NEA, the Fed Dept. of Education, AmTrak, and most other govt programs and balance the budget and pay off the debt.

February 06 2007 at 1:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jersey Todd

I talked about the previous cuts on my podcast a few weeks ago, these new cuts are horrible...

http://m.podshow.com/media/540/episodes/41259/jerseytodd-41259-12-10-2006.mp3

February 06 2007 at 1:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
const

how many of you bleeding hearts actually watch pbs? Not many out there, huh?

Great shows on pbs. So great, many of them are already on cable. So, what's the point of continuing it? For liberal indoctination by the likes of bill moyers? Is that where my tax money is going to?

After reading many of the "as usual" nasty republican insults, it seems that it would do y'all good to actually watch the kids shows you menion. There's no place for your hatred on them, so you might actually learn to practice what you preach.

Liberals: so high and mighty, yet widely ignored. and for good reason.

February 06 2007 at 1:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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