NPR/PBS - Another Alternative

[KevinFodor]

I'm just throwing this out for thought and discussion.

Politics totally aside, the economic reality that America may soon face is that we may find ourselves in a position where we must make major, drastic budget cuts...or else face the prospect of a national bankruptcy or national financial collapse of some sort that could take a long time for us to recover from, if it's even possible.

I don't think this is arguable - just look at the debt vs. GDP, etc. The possibilities are there.

The day may come when the country may face some serious financial choices. At such a point, anyone would conclude that public broadcasting is a "nice to have", but not a "need to have", from a federal spending point of view.

Now, me? While I disagree with some things I hear in public broadcasting, I do believe that opposing viewpoints should be heard. And, despite the political vitriol over this topic, I hear a program or two on Public radio that I find interesting from time to time and find myself watching a PBS show now and then, too. So I don't think de-funding them without doing something for them would be proper, especially when you consider that NPR stations can be and are top 5 in some cities, ratings wise...even #1.

Hence why I throw out the question. If public broadcasting must be a liability of the U.S. budget crisis we may find ourselves in, is it time to consider allowing them some allowances for selling commercial time...even if it's limited in some form? (Perhaps only 6 am-6 pm for radio...or...prime time for TV?)

It's a completely reasonable question. Your thoughts?

 

[Talk_Dude]

I'm just throwing this out for thought and discussion.

Politics totally aside, the economic reality that America may soon face is that we may find ourselves in a position where we must make major, drastic budget cuts...or else face the prospect of a national bankruptcy or national financial collapse of some sort that could take a long time for us to recover from, if it's even possible.

I don't think this is arguable - just look at the debt vs. GDP, etc. The possibilities are there.

The day may come when the country may face some serious financial choices. At such a point, anyone would conclude that public broadcasting is a "nice to have", but not a "need to have", from a federal spending point of view.

Now, me? While I disagree with some things I hear in public broadcasting, I do believe that opposing viewpoints should be heard. And, despite the political vitriol over this topic, I hear a program or two on Public radio that I find interesting from time to time and find myself watching a PBS show now and then, too. So I don't think de-funding them without doing something for them would be proper, especially when you consider that NPR stations can be and are top 5 in some cities, ratings wise...even #1.

Hence why I throw out the question. If public broadcasting must be a liability of the U.S. budget crisis we may find ourselves in, is it time to consider allowing them some allowances for selling commercial time...even if it's limited in some form? (Perhaps only 6 am-6 pm for radio...or...prime time for TV?)

It's a completely reasonable question. Your thoughts?

It'll happen no matter whether it's permitted or not. By that I mean that if there is enough demand for that type of programming, and public radio shuts down in some markets because of a lack of Federal money, then entrepreneurial broadcasters will put together programming very similar to what is on public radio, but they'll put it on commercial stations.

My guess is that it would start on brokered stations, possibly AM stations that are otherwise dying. Some enterprising capitalist will put together a syndicated program that's more like what's typical on public radio and will sell it as an alternative to Rush, Hannity, and all the other current talk shows. It might take a few false starts to get it right, but eventually someone will do it right. Then, when faced with both no Federal money and viable competition from the private sector, the FCC might finally relent and adjust their underwriting rules in a "too little, too late" gesture. At that point, public radio will switch to being mostly infomercials for people like Deepak Chopra and Wayne Dyer, and music shows that are infomercials for artists like Celtic Thunder or oldies reunion shows, just like public TV has become.

 

[johnbasalla]

Yes to allowing non-comms to sell time. Get the Government out of financing broadcasting, they have more important things to use their money for.

 

[TheBigA]

If public broadcasting must be a liability of the U.S. budget crisis we may find ourselves in, is it time to consider allowing them some allowances for selling commercial time...even if it's limited in some form?

I'd imagine the commercial broadcasters would object. I'd also imagine that if the government is in such dire straits, it would want to find a way to collect taxes from these newly commercial radio stations. And wouldn't this also make the restriction of certain frequencies for "non-commecial, educational broadcasting" as useless. Thus opening those stations to be bought by commercial companies. And leading to the end of the concept of "the public airwaves." It's just a thought.

 

[Talk_Dude]

If public broadcasting must be a liability of the U.S. budget crisis we may find ourselves in, is it time to consider allowing them some allowances for selling commercial time...even if it's limited in some form?

I'd imagine the commercial broadcasters would object. I'd also imagine that if the government is in such dire straits, it would want to find a way to collect taxes from these newly commercial radio stations. And wouldn't this also make the restriction of certain frequencies for "non-commecial, educational broadcasting" as useless. Thus opening those stations to be bought by commercial companies. And leading to the end of the concept of "the public airwaves." It's just a thought.

The government invented the concept of "the public airwaves". The government can un-invent the concept just as easily.

 

[TheBigA]

The government invented the concept of "the public airwaves". The government can un-invent the concept just as easily.

They already have. These days the FCC auctions off spectrum to the highest bidder. That could easily apply to the broadcast spectrum.

 

[Ai4i]

They already have.

Every few years, Enhanced Underwritting becomes more enhanced.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

Give Obama and his pals some time and you'll be reduced to watching standard def TV over-the-air or on most rual cable systems and little dish networks. It's all about the gov't pigs rooting though the broadcast spectrum and gobbling it up for the data/cell phone guys. The rest of us be damned. Yes, commercial FM freqencies have been on highest-bidder sales for quite some time now. It's all about the bottom line for the gov't. Non-comm has been spared of that insanity at this point in the game. It's still based on how one can make the numbers lie like you want them too and "prove" you're more "worthy".

 

[Ai4i]

...gov't pigs rooting though the broadcast spectrum and gobbling it up for the data/cell phone guys.

Please help me understand your perspective: Are you saying that the public is better off having a dozen or so "local" broadcast stations from which to choose than several thousand in their cars or on their phones?

 

[DonTheTrucker]

I'd imagine the commercial broadcasters would object. I'd also imagine that if the government is in such dire straits, it would want to find a way to collect taxes from these newly commercial radio stations. And wouldn't this also make the restriction of certain frequencies for "non-commecial, educational broadcasting" as useless. Thus opening those stations to be bought by commercial companies. And leading to the end of the concept of "the public airwaves." It's just a thought.

I'll remember all this when I'm fighting off mobs of people trying to break into my house for food. At least I'll be able to listen to Morning Edition commercial free.

 

[MattParker]

How about this: Legalize recreational drugs. Tax them like liquor and cigarettes. Spend some of the money for the FDA to make sure the product is not adulterated. Then spend some of the rest on CPB.

 

[DonTheTrucker]

$14 trillion is a lot of dime bags of weed.

 

[MattParker]

$14 trillion is a lot of dime bags of weed.

$14 tillion? ???
CPB's operating budget last year was $422 million.

The government could save more than that in savings on drug enforcement - turn drugs from a cost center to a profit center. Also places with taxes on junk food would see an increase in those revenues from "the munchies."

 

[DonTheTrucker]

$14 tillion? ???
CPB's operating budget last year was $422 million.

The government could save more than that in savings on drug enforcement - turn drugs from a cost center to a profit center. Also places with taxes on junk food would see an increase in those revenues from "the munchies."

$14 trillion is how much we owe, which is the reason CPB shouldn't get a penny. As far as legalizing drugs, if they're legal they shouldn't be taxed any more than any other legal product. Enough of the taxation to mold behavior.

 

[TheBigA]

No one is talking about revenue creation. It's all about cuts.

But the fact is they can shut down defense, defund medicare and Social Security, fire the entire government, and still can't come up with $14 trillion.

 

[DonTheTrucker]

No one is talking about revenue creation. It's all about cuts.

But the fact is they can shut down defense, defund medicare and Social Security, fire the entire government, and still can't come up with $14 trillion.

Not in one year. That's why we have to stop running $1.5 trillion deficits. We'll never dig out of the hole until we stop making it deeper. But hey, let's just print more money? Right?

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

"Please help me understand your perspective: Are you saying that the public is better off having a dozen or so "local" broadcast stations from which to choose than several thousand in their cars or on their phones?" I AM one of those data-hungry people that would probably benifit personally from the extra room. Here's what wrong though with the deal. OTA TV suffers from less room. Ultimately FREE TV and rual viewers get substandard service as all that will be left is room for SD, amd maybe less power if things get tight enough. Less actual signals will be available so when the big storm comes rolling though, it takes out station A and B carrying ALL the TV signals on it (because the FCC repacked it on less real carriers) and weather info doesnt get out. My phone calls and data aren't really worth killing people. The underline thing they want to do is sell the channels to the cell guys so they don't have to put up more towers and reuse what they've got. To heck with 'em. They need to go do with what they've got.

 

[Ai4i]

Less actual signals will be available so when the big storm comes rolling though, it takes out station A and B carrying ALL the TV signals on it (because the FCC repacked it on less real carriers) and weather info doesnt get out.

You don't think broadband service will be available to ruralites.
I get ALL my audio and video news and entertainment on line, and yes, even weather information.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

Reliably? Hell no. People that live in the country have utility outages and failures, and it takes them generally longer to get someone to come fix it. It's just the way it is. The current wireless internet providers are a good example. They sure beat dialup or having nothing, but they are a far cry in most cases from cable or DSL those of us in the city have for reliablity. There's plenty to go wrong, and it does from time to time. If that's your lifeline for real weather info, it's pretty darn shaky. My guess is those politicians that are up in Washinton, DC really don't have a clue of how rual areas really work when it comes to technology. Heck, in some smaller towns that are remote in this state, the power or telecom/internet could be out for days if the wrong thing happens. They rely on OTA broadcast television more most would think. (feeds their cable system, etc)