NPR/PBS funding

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George W. Bush is trying--yet again--to slash funding for NPR and PBS.
This week, Bush proposed a new budget with devastating cuts to public
broadcasting [1]. "Sesame Street" and other ad-free kids' shows are under
the knife. So is the independent journalism our country needs.

Enough is enough. We've fought this fight before and won--but we can't
afford the risk anymore. With the new Congress, we can make sure this
never happens again. We need Congress to insulate NPR and PBS from the
political winds.

We can make it happen if enough of us sign this petition: "Congress must
save NPR and PBS once and for all. Congress should guarantee permanent
funding and independence from partisan meddling." Clicking here will add
your name to the petition:

http://civ.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting/o.pl?id=9851-3948011-VGljuSqZQ6yWqFJDA.vKvw&t=2

After you sign, please forward this email to your friends, family, and
co-workers to keep this campaign going. We'll deliver the petition to
members of Congress as they consider Bush's budget--offering a public
counterpoint to this dangerous attack.

Congress can protect NPR and PBS from future cuts. The long-term solution
to save public radio and TV is to:

* fully restore this year's funding
* guarantee a permanent funding stream free from political pressure
* reform how the money is spent and keep partisan appointees from
pushing a political bias

Bush's budget would cut federal funds for public broadcasting by nearly
25% [1]. According to PBS, the cuts "could mean the end of our ability to
support some of the most treasured educational children's series" like
"Sesame Street," "Reading Rainbow," and "Arthur." [2]

As telecommunications chair Rep. Ed Markey said, "In a 24-7 television
world with content often inappropriate for young children, the public
broadcasting system represents an oasis of quality, child-oriented
educational programming. We owe America's children and their parents this
free, over-the-air resource." [1]

The cuts could also decimate one of the last remaining sources of watchdog
reporting on TV--continuing the partisan war on journalism led by the
ex-chair of public broadcasting, Ken Tomlinson [3]. More people trust
public broadcasting than any corporate news media [4]. President Bush
would rather undermine our free press than face reporters who are asking
tough questions.

Let's put an end to the constant threats to NPR and PBS. Let's ask
Congress to guarantee funding and stop partisan meddling. Clicking here
will add your name to the petition:

http://civ.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting/o.pl?id=9851-3948011-VGljuSqZQ6yWqFJDA.vKvw&t=3

Thank you for all you do.

--Noah, Marika, Eli, Adam G. and the MoveOn.org Civic Action Team
Thursday, February 8th, 2007

P.S. Our friends at Free Press have more on how to save NPR and PBS once
and for all:

http://www.freepress.net/publicbroadcasting/=policy

Sources:
1. "Bush Proposes Steep Cut to PBS Funding," TV Week, February 5, 2007
http://www.tvweek.com/news.cms?newsId=11508

2. PBS' Ready to Learn program (funds "Sesame Street" and other children's
shows)
http://www.pbs.org/readytolearn/

3. "Tomlinson Slinks Away," MediaCitizen, November 3, 2005
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=2347&id=9851-3948011-VGljuSqZQ6yWqFJDA.vKvw&t=4

4. "2005 'Open to the Public' Objectivity and Balance Report," Corporation
for Public Broadcasting, January 31, 2006
http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/goals/objectivity/