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House Subcommittees Vote Severe Funding Cuts for Public Broadcasting
June 16, 2005
Never before has public broadcasting faced such a severe funding crisis.
Never before has your voice in support of public radio been more important.
On June 16, the House Appropriations Committee voted to slash Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding for public radio and television by more than 40 percent next year. The legislation could go to the floor of the House of Representatives as soon as Thursday, June 23.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has not yet voted on funding for public broadcasting. Once the Senate appropriates funds, "conferees" from both the House and Senate will meet to reconcile their differences on funding.
Public broadcasting faces unprecedented cuts—cuts that will affect every public radio station in the nation. Federal funding accounts for about 10 percent of Minnesota Public Radio's budget. This funding is vital to our ability to provide quality news, information, cultural and entertainment programming and Web content.
If public radio serves as a vital voice in your life—and if you believe it is an important institution to continue to support—we encourage you to make your voice heard. What matters most now is that our elected officials hear from the community that values public radio, especially about the unique role public radio plays in our democracy.
If you count on Minnesota Public Radio, we urge you, your family and friends to contact your representatives in Congress to ask them to restore public broadcasting funds.
Click in the resources section on the top right-hand side of this page for contact information for your Senators and Representatives. Read below for examples of points to include in your phone call or e-mail (regular U.S. Mail will not reach them in time).
Thank you for your support.
Message Points
The following message points may be helpful as you draft an e-mail or prepare for a phone call to your Senators and Representatives:
- Support restoration of funding for FY 2006 that is equal to current funding.
- Support reinstatement of two-year advance funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a funding mechanism that protects program creation from political influence.
- Oppose the rescission of advanced funding already earmarked for stations by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
- Oppose the elimination of the vitally important Public Telecommunications Facilities Program.
- Oppose the elimination of funding for public broadcasting's digital transition.
- Oppose the elimination of irreplaceable early-learning initiatives, such as public television's Ready to Learn.
- Oppose the elimination of funds to renew and replace public television's satellite interconnection system.
- These proposed funding cuts will have a severe impact on public radio and public television stations, especially those serving rural and minority audiences.
- Many of these stations are the primary sources of news, information, public safety and cultural programming to their communities.
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