If the Corp for public broadcasting is defunded...

[markwooldridge]

How many public TV and radio stations face closure? I read this report from the corporation for public broadcasting - link http://goo.gl/kHKJx - From this I gather that rural TV and radio stations get aa while lot of their funding from the CPB.
This coupled with other federal grants and state funds account for over 30% of theire revenue., most of these are running deficits. Many of these stations provide the only TV or radio service for that area. No commercial interes ts would fill the void. 58 TV stations would be too small to survive. 76 radio stations would be in the same situation. 60 TV stations would have severe budget difficulties, 150 radio stations would be in the same situation.

So which stations would close?

 

[only1moore]

If that were to happen, one can expect the secondary PBS or NPR stations to be the first to go. As for the rural outlets (like Smoky Hills in Western Kansas), they're going to find ways to survive and chances are that they will because viewers will not let them leave the air quietly.

 

[arnoldevns]

First of all, lets not use a report paid for by the CPB as the gospel for what would happen. This is a political document designed to get congress to continue the federal funding for the CPB. A good analogy would be getting all up in arms over a medical report that shows abortions cause cancer.. then find out the report was paid for by a pro-life group. Don't believe what you read in this report.

Second, this report really does not identify which stations they say are in trouble. There are some stations used as examples, but they don't really tell us which ones they think would go away. If you look at a lot of PBS stations, you'll find they're part of a statewide "network" that operates one big station in the state's largest market then retransmits it to smaller markets in the state via full power stations. Losing some of those stations would not really constitute a loss of "local" programming since they don't currently air any anyway.

I also think the argument that some of these smaller stations wouldn't survive without the help from congress is rapidly becoming a good reason to let the federal subsidy go away. If the stations can't get the public to support it enough, why should congress keep throwing money at it? Seems to me like the public is voting "no" on these small PBS/NPR stations.

In a world of Netflix, cable, satellite, etc.. the argument that this programming won't be available to people is rapidly losing its credibility.
Some will argue the poor can't afford such things. The reality is that if you look at many poor areas today, you'll see Dish and Directv satellite dishes in public housing areas, run down neighborhoods, etc. I'd also argue that folks who are poor are probably not exactly all that excited about Downton Abbey or even Sesame Street. Where they get their next meal or paycheck is of more concern. And that should be our concern too.

My view is that congress should end the funding of the CPB. They should also loosen the rules about what sort of sponsorship announcements could be aired. I wouldn't let the stations just go completely commercial with lots of commercial breaks, but there's nothing wrong with letting them run full-blown ads at the end of show as a sponsorship. (they kind of do that now, but there are still some restrictions that severely limit the stations on what those ads can contain)

The result of cutting federal funds would undoubtedly be the loss of some PBS and NPR stations. But it would also not be nearly as dire as this report suggests. I think the CPB could replace a lot of the federal funds with retransmission fees and increased corporate donations from their supporters.

One big positive change would be the fact that PBS and NPR would no longer be political footballs. If they aired a controversial program, politicians couldn't deride them for using federal funds for it. (this happens every year and impacts donations)

 

[ajc_trw]

How many public TV and radio stations face closure?

KCET Los Angeles left PBS and is doing quite well. WYBE has been independent public for years and is rolling along just fine. It all depends on how much they're supported by donations.

OTOH how much does PBS make on DVD & Blu-ray sales? Can independents and PBS affiliates do the same with local programming? Just sayin'

 

[Bob1370]

KCET is a major production center in Market #2 able to sell programming internationally, and hardly a barometer of anything.

Expect stations below the top 50 markets to be severely impacted and many of them to go away.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is also an important funding source for many medium and smaller market stations on both radio and TV.

What this would do is eliminate the one reliable nonpartisan news and public affairs source for many cities across the country. Just the thing that Clear Channel (owner of a number of blowtorch signals purveying Limbaugh, Beck, etc., and a company that's being hit hard by public radio competition in many cities) wants to see at a time they've been losing audience and sponsors. Could be a real lifesaver for some of their properties, and could make their Premiere Networks properties more profitable.

It's important to remember Bain Capital is a major equity holder in Clear Channel, which means Mitt Romney may personally profit from CPB's and PBS's demise and NPR's shrinkage.

Hey kids, can you say "conflict of interest"?

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

I also think the argument that some of these smaller stations wouldn't survive without the help from congress is rapidly becoming a good reason to let the federal subsidy go away. If the stations can't get the public to support it enough, why should congress keep throwing money at it? Seems to me like the public is voting "no" on these small PBS/NPR stations.

Hoss.... I got a feeling you don't live in rural America. Those folks would love to be able to pay their own way on EVERYTHING if they could.

I grew up dodging tumbleweeds as I drove the tractor to bury what was left of cotton stalks so the Boll Worm would not survive the Winter. I've gotten up at 5:30 to hand milk cows before catching the school bus to a high school where we had about 150 students.... The whole district... one high school... 150 students.

Back then we had a bank that was locally owned and managed. It was small, but it was a possible career and something you could dream of owning some day. Today they have a branch bank and all the officers live three states away. We had our own tractor dealer back then. Today you drive maybe 60 miles to buy parts to repair that tractor. The power company, the phone company, the gas company used to have a local office where you could walk in a pay your bill, and sit down face to face and talk about changes to you home phone system. Today you have no idea where the nearest office for any of these utilities is. So let's see: we've lost bank employees, we lost our tractor mechanics and parts guys, we lost our utility company jobs. Most of the home-owned shops have gone out of business because we now have a Walmart over in the next town. And today they have consolidated the school systems so we ride busses 30 miles to school... and all the teacher all live over there.

But you are sure that today we should step up to the plate and fund our own local PBS and NPR to serve our little rural community.

We're a bit miffed by all that. We thought all the bankers and tractor techs and cotton ginners and untility folks off in some distant metropolitan area who would get mighty hungry if we quit driving those tractors might like to help us keep the stations going. Maybe we should just shut the farms and ranches down and move in with you folks. Then we can buy all our food and produce from China and Brazil and Australia. That ought to do something great for our National Debt that is the focus of the political campaign today.

And now you city folks have voted that you want all the Latinos who use to come and make it possible for us to harvest our crops to go back to Mexico and other Latin American countries and stay there. That isn't helping your food prices much either, is it.

Now, as you are rightfully assuming, I packed up and left the farm quite a few years ago. I have family still there so I get to go back quite often which has become more painful with every passing year because each time one more building is boarded up where I retain some pleasant memories. On one of those trips two years ago I put my money where my mouth is on this little essay.... we bought cemetery lots back in the crumbling little community where some of my classmates still live.

Making a political football out of Big Bird and telling the people of rural America they should "suck it up" and pay their own way on PBS strikes me as a pretty damned un-neighborly way to treat the people who work long hours to feed you and grow fiber for the clothes you wear.

It's a pretty pitiful picture of our political process when one of the more clever cartoons of the week is captioned: "Obama got Bin Ladin. Romney promises to get Big Bird".

 

[recto101]

How is it that MSNBC and Fox News gets away with more Propaganda than media in other countries or even PBS and NPR. I know the National Cable Talk/Talk Radio say San Francisco is MSNBC Country due to the fact that it supported Gay Marriage and regulation of Businesses. But if that is true why does the San Francisco Ratings show more people want Objective News and Objective Talk from PBS and NPR and NPR affiliate KQED-FM is in the top 5 in the Market or PBS TV and the other Local TV stations in the Bay Area. Also Why is it that more people in the market consider themselves as Moderate or Independent. Sure UC Berkeley does have activists and other parts of the Bay Area do but they don't call themselves left wing as Fox News and Talk Radio says to be. It just means that the Bay Area and to a certain extent Washington DC wants the objective truth based on hard evidence not what fits with a Lobbyist who has a show on Fox or MSNBC.

We should be cutting MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, HLN off and removing them from our Cable Lineup

Somebody Mentioned that that Fox News only Attracts 2 Million People and MSNBC only attracts 1 million people if thats true. How is it that NPR has more listeners than the total number of people listening to MSNBC. Example San Francisco's KQED-FM they have 900,000 to 1.2 million listeners than MSNBC. Or CBS secondary all-news station 1010 WINS-AM attracts 3.5 Million People in NYC over the total number of people who listen to Fox News.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Its really hard to say what would happen if the CPB were dismantled because the business model of public TV is so strange.

Let me take WVUT, licensed to Vincennes University in Vincennes, Indiana as an example. Vincennes University is a 2-year public college, so it receives state funds. The city of Vincennes is relatively small, although WVUT is seen in many of the Indiana counties in the Terre Haute market (which is still a small audience).

Their 2011 fiscal year financial disclosure states that revenue for WVUT's operation was received from:
- Corporation for Public Broadcasting
- State of Indiana
- Vincennes University
- Members of the public
- Private foundations
- Payment for services rendered (e.g. renting space on their very tall tower)

WVUT's expenses for fiscal 2011 were about $2.2 million. Close to 1/3 of that came from CPB grants. About 44% of that came from Vincennes University. 10% came from private foundations, 8% came from the State of Indiana, 5% for services rendered, and 1% from viewer contributions.

You pull out the CPB grant, and WVUT has to cut deeply. The largest expense is the cost of producing and purchasing programming, just more than half of the station's budget. If all of the money goes out of programming, then WVUT will go from spending $1.2 million on programs to $300,000.

I'm not well-versed in the costs of PBS programs, but I would forsee lots of reruns of "Travel with Rick Steves" - or a new alliance of Indiana's public broadcasters like many other states have. Another alternative would be an increase in the State of Indiana's support - Indiana has such a healthy budget that taxpayers will be getting refund checks early next year

 

[RadioFanBoy]

'm not well-versed in the costs of PBS programs, but I would forsee lots of reruns of "Travel with Rick Steves" - or a new alliance of Indiana's public broadcasters like many other states have.

Not to worry. Al Jazeera English and China Central Television will have lots of money to spend on soon-to-be former PBS stations. And that's where you'll be getting your news from Rural America. Aren't you lucky??? :-\

 

[Darth_vader]

Seeing AJE over terrestrial air wouldn't be half-bad, you know.

"The reality is that if you look at many poor areas today, you'll see satellite dishes in public housing areas, run down neighborhoods, etc."

^ Fixed.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Its really hard to say what would happen if the CPB were dismantled because the business model of public TV is so strange.

Let me take WVUT, licensed to Vincennes University in Vincennes, Indiana as an example. Vincennes University is a 2-year public college, so it receives state funds. The city of Vincennes is relatively small, although WVUT is seen in many of the Indiana counties in the Terre Haute market (which is still a small audience).

Their 2011 fiscal year financial disclosure states that revenue for WVUT's operation was received from:
- Corporation for Public Broadcasting
- State of Indiana
- Vincennes University
- Members of the public
- Private foundations
- Payment for services rendered (e.g. renting space on their very tall tower)

WVUT's expenses for fiscal 2011 were about $2.2 million. Close to 1/3 of that came from CPB grants. About 44% of that came from Vincennes University. 10% came from private foundations, 8% came from the State of Indiana, 5% for services rendered, and 1% from viewer contributions.

You pull out the CPB grant, and WVUT has to cut deeply. The largest expense is the cost of producing and purchasing programming, just more than half of the station's budget. If all of the money goes out of programming, then WVUT will go from spending $1.2 million on programs to $300,000.

I'm not well-versed in the costs of PBS programs, but I would forsee lots of reruns of "Travel with Rick Steves" - or a new alliance of Indiana's public broadcasters like many other states have. Another alternative would be an increase in the State of Indiana's support - Indiana has such a healthy budget that taxpayers will be getting refund checks early next year

Don't republicans control Indiana's (and most other) state legislature?

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Has anyone here given to an PBS or NPR station?

Will you give if Mitt defunds it? ;D

 

[upstate29651]

Re: Has anyone here given to an PBS or NPR station?

Will you give if Mitt defunds it? ;D

You're stupid.

Those who earn a taxable income contribute every April 15.

G

 

[mnradiofan]

Re: Has anyone here given to an PBS or NPR station?

Will you give if Mitt defunds it? ;D

You're stupid.

Those who earn a taxable income contribute every April 15.

G

We all "contribute" to things we don't like. Personally, I don't liike "contributing" to killing innocent people in wars, yet a portion of my taxes goes to developing weapons to do just that. I also don't like "contributing" to large corporations' bottom line, yet I do that with corporate tax breaks every year.

Education, let it be from public television or radio, or through funding of schools and colleges, is never a bad thing, and really should be treated as a matter of national security. A more educated population means that more of the money stays here, so we can keep paying for wars or national defense. The dumber a population, the lower they get paid, the less money we have to keep ourselves safe. I can't believe something so common-sense like hasn't been brought up before.

Now, how we spend that money in education is another thing, and that system is definitely broken, but it doesn't mean we should defund it all together. But that is too off topic for the OP.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Since the private market's idea of "learning" is Honey Boo Boo, we need PBS now more than ever.

 

[recto101]

Re: Has anyone here given to an PBS or NPR station?

I have bought Nova Episodes from PBS before. But I have no clue how much money from the Nova Purchase goes to the PBS or NPR affiliates. I know that the production group for Nova gets the money but thats about it.

 

[Al Timiter]

Re: Has anyone here given to an PBS or NPR station?

Amen, mnradiofan!

 

[anotherguyTN]

Re: Has anyone here given to an PBS or NPR station?

I've never donated to a PBS station and never will as long as they use the tactics they do during their pledge drives when they run specials to attract the general public and beg for money "to keep great programs like this on channel XX." But once the pledge drive is over you'll never see anything like the specials they were showing until the next pledge drive.

 

[LKellerIII]

Re: Has anyone here given to an PBS or NPR station?

I've been mostly an NPR/PBS moocher - I've rarely donated, though I did donate 2 older cars to our local PBS/NPR stations (KQED) about 6 years ago. I figure that bought me a few years of guilt free viewing and listening...though I did it for the tax write-off as much as anything.

If Mitt is elected and de-funds public broadcasting, I would probably donate more money more often. PBS I could live without (don't watch much), but I'm an NPR junkie.

 

[FRR]

Re: Has anyone here given to an PBS or NPR station?

Will you give if Mitt defunds it? ;D

You're stupid.

Those who earn a taxable income contribute every April 15.

G

We all "contribute" to things we don't like. Personally, I don't liike "contributing" to killing innocent people in wars, yet a portion of my taxes goes to developing weapons to do just that. I also don't like "contributing" to large corporations' bottom line, yet I do that with corporate tax breaks every year.

Education, let it be from public television or radio, or through funding of schools and colleges, is never a bad thing, and really should be treated as a matter of national security. A more educated population means that more of the money stays here, so we can keep paying for wars or national defense. The dumber a population, the lower they get paid, the less money we have to keep ourselves safe. I can't believe something so common-sense like hasn't been brought up before.

Now, how we spend that money in education is another thing, and that system is definitely broken, but it doesn't mean we should defund it all together. But that is too off topic for the OP.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Since the private market's idea of "learning" is Honey Boo Boo, we need PBS now more than ever.

If you truly believe that PBS is "needed more now that ever" let it compete in the free market. If the public likes the shows, it will survive, and if they don't, they won't. I get tired on contributing to people on food vouchers that buy steak for their dogs instead of dogfood, but I sure can't do anything about it. I get tired of parents insisting that their kids get identified as Special Ed so they get SSI every month, but no one says anything about that and only complains about big business and useless wars. Guess they would rather be living under the Taliban. PBS has some good productions, but most of it is so bias it isn't worth watching. I don't give because they seem to have such a liberal slant. Just look at Moyers for instance.

 

[FreddyE1977]

Re: Has anyone here given to an PBS or NPR station?

Never have.

The reason, as I've stated on these threads before, is that as a political Conservative
I feel singularly unwelcome at those stations.

Oh, I'm sure they'll take my money. But as they do they'll look at me disdainfully as some sort
of freak from a sideshow. And forget about encouraging me by airing programming that reflects
my point of view.

I have no problem with the left-leaning programs they run (aside from the fact that they're taxpayer funded)
I'm for the First Amendment. But public broadcasters do little if anything to convince me that I am desired
as a member.