What is the point of PBS and NPR?

[eohrnberger]

Well I mean like I said, NPR is good news. Bias news, but still news. Even so, the government doesn't NEED to fund it. I would be fine if some funding was channeled away from NPR and to PBS.

Rather surprised that you'd on one hand consider it as biased news, and then also call it good news. I kinda always thought that news should be factual and unbiased. But maybe that's just me.

 

[JayDubya]

Well see normally people would have money that could be potentially useful.

Instead, what NPR and PBS do is take that money and waste it.


You're welcome for the explanation.

 

[Fiddytree]

Watch Frontline.

 

[Visbek]

I have explained this to you several times and you don't seem to be getting it. Funding for individual public stations in states comes from block grant funding sent from the Fed to the states. Full stop.

I have explained this to you several times and you don't seem to be getting it.

The federal budget allocates funds to CPB, which develops programming and also financially supports local PBS/NPR stations. The federal government does not directly fund PBS/NPR stations, it does not control the CPB, and the CPB does not make block grants to state governments. There are no block grants to the states or stations.

From its own funding page:

CPB distributes its appropriation in accordance with a statutory formula outlined in the Public Broadcasting Act. Ninety-five percent of CPB's appropriation goes directly to content development, community services, and other local station and system needs. Only five percent is allocated to administrative costs—an exceptionally low overhead rate compared to other nonprofits. By statute, Community Service Grants (CSGs), which go directly to local public television and radio stations, make up 70 percent of CPB's entire appropriation. Stations have wide latitude to use CSG funds to serve local needs in a manner they choose, which often includes community outreach, program purchasing, and local content development.
CPB?s Federal Appropriation Request & Justification | CPB

There is some funding exclusively from states for public broadcasting. It has nothing to do with any federal block grants.

So.... Trump plans to cut all federal funding for the CPB. This in turn means CPB will have to cut grants to local stations. It will be up to the CPB to decide which grants to cut.

Defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting won?t kill PBS. It will hurt Trump voters. - Vox
Trump Budget Calls for Eliminating Funding for Public Broadcasting | Variety
Can Big Bird survive Trump? - POLITICO

 

[Pureinheart]

I think to understand "the point", one needs to be old enough to remember why PBS and NPR came to be.

Both were designed to provide programing that did not have commercial considerations.

Of course, this was before Cable with 100's of channels, and Sat Radio with it spectrum of programing.

Today, very little funding comes from the government. Also, both have become politicized, as evidenced by the over the top reaction to cutting the tiny bit of government funding both receive.

Well good, then neither will miss much once they are defunded- problem solved.

 

[Mac77]

I have explained this to you several times and you don't seem to be getting it.

The federal budget allocates funds to CPB, which develops programming and also financially supports local PBS/NPR stations. The federal government does not directly fund PBS/NPR stations, it does not control the CPB, and the CPB does not make block grants to state governments. There are no block grants to the states or stations.

From its own funding page:

CPB distributes its appropriation in accordance with a statutory formula outlined in the Public Broadcasting Act. Ninety-five percent of CPB's appropriation goes directly to content development, community services, and other local station and system needs. Only five percent is allocated to administrative costs—an exceptionally low overhead rate compared to other nonprofits. By statute, Community Service Grants (CSGs), which go directly to local public television and radio stations, make up 70 percent of CPB's entire appropriation. Stations have wide latitude to use CSG funds to serve local needs in a manner they choose, which often includes community outreach, program purchasing, and local content development.
CPB?s Federal Appropriation Request & Justification | CPB

There is some funding exclusively from states for public broadcasting. It has nothing to do with any federal block grants.

So.... Trump plans to cut all federal funding for the CPB. This in turn means CPB will have to cut grants to local stations. It will be up to the CPB to decide which grants to cut.

Defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting won?t kill PBS. It will hurt Trump voters. - Vox
Trump Budget Calls for Eliminating Funding for Public Broadcasting | Variety
Can Big Bird survive Trump? - POLITICO

Considering how much liberals love public tv and radio I'm happy to hear cutting off federal funds wont be the end for them

If leftwing radio can survive in the private marketplace on its own then this is no big deal

 

[jonny5]

I already gave you the reason. It's the same reason that public funding can be used for things like roads and dams regardless of where you live. Taxes are the toll we pay to live in a society. If you are so concerned about paying for things other people use go ahead and move to an uninhabited island.

Sure, and how about I force you to build a billion dollar bridge to it so I can get to my house? And also run network cables and broadcast NPR. Im only concerned with paying for things that other people use that the rest of us dont.

 

[Mac77]

Sure, and how about I force you to build a billion dollar bridge to it so I can get to my house? And also run network cables and broadcast NPR. Im only concerned with paying for things that other people use that the rest of us dont.

If you have little children on the island who might miss Sesame Street MrPeanut might spend a billion tax dollars to bring them PBS

 

[nota bene]

I haven't read every page of this thread, so apologies if someone has already posted this, but last night I watched two "Sesame Street" videos provided in a Townhallarticle about "Ronald Grump" (1988) and "Donald Grump" (2005): https://townhall.com/tipsheet/chris...ld-trump-from-the-80s-is-pretty-wild-n2302095

 

[Mac77]

I haven't read every page of this thread, so apologies if someone has already posted this, but last night I watched two "Sesame Street" videos provided in a Townhallarticle about "Ronald Grump" (1988) and "Donald Grump" (2005): https://townhall.com/tipsheet/chris...ld-trump-from-the-80s-is-pretty-wild-n2302095

PBS is clearly a leftwing cons;piracy that libs want government to pay for

 

[nota bene]

PBS is clearly a leftwing cons;piracy that libs want government to pay for

PBS does lean left, but describing the org as a "conspiracy" doesn't really work for me.

 

[Mac77]

PBS does lean left, but describing the org as a "conspiracy" doesn't really work for me.

Leaning left means they hire left, promote left and think left

If you don't want to call that a conspiracy its ok with me

 

[MrPeanut]

Sure, and how about I force you to build a billion dollar bridge to it so I can get to my house? And also run network cables and broadcast NPR. Im only concerned with paying for things that other people use that the rest of us dont.

Do you think that only one person watches PBS or NPR, or do millions of people live at your house? If millions of people live at your house it probably would be good to look into building a bridge to allow them to drive to and from work.

 

[jonny5]

Do you think that only one person watches PBS or NPR, or do millions of people live at your house? If millions of people live at your house it probably would be good to look into building a bridge to allow them to drive to and from work.

Oh this is about ratings? Then I want HBO. More people watch that than PBS. And I dont get HBO on my island.

 

[MrPeanut]

Oh this is about ratings? Then I want HBO. More people watch that than PBS. And I dont get HBO on my island.

It's about providing educational programming for millions of people regardless of income level. We publicly fund many things with the goal of providing access to things deemed important by a society to the most people possible. That's why we publicly fund the police, firefighters, the military, roads, etc. If public access to educational programming is not important to you than that's fine. I don't view it as stealing my money anymore than any of the examples I've already stated. I think it's a very basic service that most developed countries provide.

 

[jonny5]

It's about providing educational programming for millions of people regardless of income level. We publicly fund many things with the goal of providing access to things deemed important by a society to the most people possible. That's why we publicly fund the police, firefighters, the military, roads, etc. If public access to educational programming is not important to you than that's fine. I don't view it as stealing my money anymore than any of the examples I've already stated. I think it's a very basic service that most developed countries provide.

If its fine that is not important to me then stop charging me for it. Is that acceptable to you?

 

[Moot]

You mean PBS isnt going to disappear from the face of the earth if they dont have federal funding?

Aw shucks.

But at least they won t be brainwashing the progressives with our tax money.

Thats right...it's "our" tax money and thats why PBS and NPR aren't like FoxNews and the Limbaugh show.

 

[YorkshirePete]

What appears might be an interesting discussion broke out in the cartoons thread



[/indent]
Not wanting to run afoul of the cartoon thread rules, I thought I'd bring the discussion here.

Kobie, now granted the meme is a bit over the top, but I'd like to understand more of your points "Save me the taxpayer and "marketplace of ideas" garbage. That's not the point of PBS and NPR."

Specifically:
What is the point of NPR and PBS?
Why do you think that the taxpayer and "marketplace of ideas" is a garbage position?

Does not NPR and PBS receive at least some of their funding from the government, i.e. the tax payers?

And do please elaborate as to what is 'point' of NPR and PBS.

Education? A verboten subject these days

 

[Moot]

If its fine that is not important to me then stop charging me for it. Is that acceptable to you?

Unfortunately, your money got spent bribing Fat Leonard. So stop whining.

 

[YorkshirePete]

If its fine that is not important to me then stop charging me for it. Is that acceptable to you?

Absolutely. Thought you would be a Christian? Help. Your fellow man. Or the good old American way? I'm ok, screw the rest.? Very noble.
Just because you like being an ignoramus doesn't mean we others like to give people the chance for education
Resent 5c / year?
No problem with 1/2 our discretional spending going to the glorified military? That's billions

 

[Moot]

 

[Mac77]

Thats right...it's "our" tax money and thats why PBS and NPR aren't like FoxNews and the Limbaugh show.

They may have to lower themselves to competing in the marketplace to make up for the lost federal dollars

 

[Mac77]

The lying liberal fake news factory sold you another lemon

That story is not true

Winston Churchill on the Arts

 

[Moot]

The lying liberal fake news factory sold you another lemon

That story is not true

Winston Churchill on the Arts

Well, thats good to know. NTL...the logic and sentiments would be the same no matter who said it.

Here's a quote that Churchill did say...

“The arts are essen*tial to any com*plete national life. The State owes it to itself to sus*tain and encour*age them….Ill fares the race which fails to salute the arts with the rev*er*ence and delight which are their due.”​

Btw...isn't Snopes a 'liberal fake news factory' funded by Soros? At least that's what conservatives tell me.

 

[Moot]

They may have to lower themselves to competing in the marketplace to make up for the lost federal dollars

Then it wouldn't be public broadcasting.