I kid you not:
NPR says a proposal from the co-chairs of President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to eliminate federal funding for public media would have a profound and detrimental impact on all Americans.
As Radio World’s sister publication Broadcasting & Cable reported, the co-chairs recommend zeroing out funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as a way to help the government save some $200 billion. They recommend cutting about $500 million from the CPB funding that NPR and PBS combined receive for member stations.
In a statement, NPR said Thursday that “public radio is the last remaining source of independent, non-commercial and thought-provoking broadcast media in the country” and the only source of such programming in some small towns, it added. Federal funding is a central component of public radio’s ability to serve listeners. It’s imperative that this funding continue, according to NPR.
Independent broadcast media? Really?
Umm… anyone ask Juan Williams?
