As someone who has worked at an NPR station for a five year stint, I must say I’m in favor of defunding tax dollars. Not for ideological reasons. Public broadcasting could make up the lost funds through fundraisers and other sponsorships and continue its own identified mission if it so chooses.
I completely agree with what Bernie said in today's No BS Zone - there may have been a time when it made sense to use public funding to ensure that there was educational programming on television, like back in the '70's when we had 3 networks and a handful of independent channels to watch. Talk radio was AM, and local only, and of course there was no internet (at least not for the general public).
Now, there are so many choices between podcasts, blogs, websites, youtube, Satellite Radio, and cable TV - why should taxpayers continue to fund these two privileged channels - what makes them so special? As Bernie points out, if they have content that is worth watching, they can sell advertising or a pay service like every other content provider.
It’s time to do away with funding of NPR and PBS. There is enough bias on regular news stations. We don’t need to be paying taxes for the government to spew out more propaganda.
I'm on the fence with this one- PBS and NBR have so many great programs for all, children's, history, human interest stories, arts, etc. I say to not totally cut them off. I love many programs they televise.
I recently spent time with a friend who relies on NPR for her “news”. Needless to say, we do not see eye-to-eye on politics.
As a right-of-center Independent, the last thing I want is for taxpayer dollars going to an ideological propaganda machine. It’s bad enough that our tax dollars go to millions of foreign nationals living in our country illegally, but to pay a “media” outlet to openly condone this travesty is shameful.
By the way…my friend thinks that only a few thousand immigrants crossed our southern border (illegally) during the Biden administration. I rest my case.
As someone who has worked at an NPR station for a five year stint, I must say I’m in favor of defunding tax dollars. Not for ideological reasons. Public broadcasting could make up the lost funds through fundraisers and other sponsorships and continue its own identified mission if it so chooses.
Government should not be funding the news. Too easy to influence content when you're paying the bills.
I completely agree with what Bernie said in today's No BS Zone - there may have been a time when it made sense to use public funding to ensure that there was educational programming on television, like back in the '70's when we had 3 networks and a handful of independent channels to watch. Talk radio was AM, and local only, and of course there was no internet (at least not for the general public).
Now, there are so many choices between podcasts, blogs, websites, youtube, Satellite Radio, and cable TV - why should taxpayers continue to fund these two privileged channels - what makes them so special? As Bernie points out, if they have content that is worth watching, they can sell advertising or a pay service like every other content provider.
NPR is currently funded by the government, corporations, and fund raisers. If they cannot survive without tax dollars then they shouldn't survive.
It’s time to do away with funding of NPR and PBS. There is enough bias on regular news stations. We don’t need to be paying taxes for the government to spew out more propaganda.
NPR and PBS started as public service radio without fees or commercials. they have become left bias commercial radio.
I'm on the fence with this one- PBS and NBR have so many great programs for all, children's, history, human interest stories, arts, etc. I say to not totally cut them off. I love many programs they televise.
I support not funding PBS and NPR
Right, why do we need them when you can have government propaganda outsourced to Fox News channel or MSNBC when a Democrat president is in office?
I would have liked another option:
NPR - Defund
PBS - Fund
I recently spent time with a friend who relies on NPR for her “news”. Needless to say, we do not see eye-to-eye on politics.
As a right-of-center Independent, the last thing I want is for taxpayer dollars going to an ideological propaganda machine. It’s bad enough that our tax dollars go to millions of foreign nationals living in our country illegally, but to pay a “media” outlet to openly condone this travesty is shameful.
By the way…my friend thinks that only a few thousand immigrants crossed our southern border (illegally) during the Biden administration. I rest my case.
The same people saying NPR should be de-funded are probably cheering that VoA got shit-canned as well.
A terrible outcome both domestically and internationally on several levels.
NPR and PBS should continue by raising their own funds not taxpayer dollars. simple as that