I don't really care if NPR is defunded

[cali]

or more accurately if the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is defunded. For one thing, I don't think NPR is the liberal bastion that it's widely perceived as. Furthermore, most of the funding doesn't come from government and there's good reason to believe that it would survive without such funding. Lastly, I'm sick and tired of it being used as a bludgeon by the right. I'm much more concerned about funding being cut from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.

[Teaser]

1. I do care and it's not that it is a liberal bastion (which it isn't)

it's that it produces some of the best quality programming in America. Quality matters more to me than ideology.

[sendero]

5. NPR does proeduce some great quality programming..

... it's just that it is usually about things that are completely unimportant, and in lieu of talking about what is.

I hope they drop funding, and NPR might have a chance to fulfill their real mandate. It would be nice to have ONE, JUST FUCKING ONE liberal voice on the airwaves. They can't be remotely progressive while bending over backwards to kiss the asses of the Repukes for peanuts.

[bluethruandthru]

2. NPR has been so cowed by the right that in the last several

years they have gone overboard to the right trying to avoid being called "liberal" by repubs.

Much the same as our politicians and president.

Maybe without the fear of republicans defunding them...they'll go back to being a real news organization.

[old mark]

3. K&R-It will be better when it is really independent...maybe it actually WILL be liberal...

FWIW, I think the righties think any programming that is in favor of the environment or anything cultural or intelligent is by definition "liberal"...it scares them...they might have to think!
(And they might even find out they LIKE that stuff!)

mark

[scarletwoman]

4. It's more complicated than that, there are numerous small public radio stations that depend

on that federal funding for 20% or more of their operating budgets. Public radio isn't just NPR, it's many small stations all over the country located in rural areas and on Indian reservations that probably wouldn't be able to survive. Those stations serve an important and irreplaceable function in their communities.

Let us not be blasé about this concerted attack against our Commons, we ought to be fighting hard against it.

sw

[demmiblue]

7. +1

[fishwax]

10. +1

:thumbsup:

[Native]

11. What she said.

[cordelia]

12. Thank you.

[Lefta Dissenter]

14. ditto

(can't believe I just said that - that word has been ruined) to what scarletwoman said. :thumbsup:

[madrchsod]

6. you do know that there is a whole lot of local programming on npr?

do you know that there are far more programs on npr besides the news? my station has far more music,local news, and other local programming than it has national. plus my station has bbc overnight from 12-6.

if my station gets de- funded i doubt we could fully support it. and guess who will grab the frequencies and the repeaters?-right wing christian broadcasters. they own all the frequencies around my local npr station now and they would love to get the frequencies and the repeaters.

[cali]

8. I do. I live in a rural state. and VPR does a great job on local

news. We also have 2 nothing but music VPR stations. I believe that that will all survive without the gov't funding.

[Cleita]

9. The reason it took a turn to the right was because of

less and less federal funding, which brought in the corporation endowments and other special interests. I would like it fully publicly funded to squeeze out the special interests.

[geckosfeet]

13. Agreed x 10!! The worst thing that they (NPR) ever did was to accept government money.

Accepting government money meant that they had to tow the line, follow political guidelines and stop being 'so critical' of government. Being funded by donors and listeners will help ensure that they remain politically independent and less susceptible to political criticisms and influence from RW politicians, baggers and cranks.

Let NPR go back to its roots and truly represent a liberal progressive perspective - not some washed out middle of the road non-committal dish rag.

[Hugabear]

15. The GOP has demonized NPR to the point where even some of us are willing to walk away from it

Looks like they did their job well. That's their MO - demonize something they don't like, keep ratcheting up the pressure, keep demonizing it, and eventually most people won't care when it's gone.

[KharmaTrain]

16. It's Not Supposed To Be A "Liberal Bastion"...

...and in many cases it isn't. The fact that truth and reality has as Mr. Colbert so astutedly noted "a liberal bent" describes more a talking point than reality. In this case the equivelency game does work as both right and left are pissed so maybe they are doing something right. Or at least balanced.

The deal is NPR and in specific the CPB is far more than "liberal" or "conservative". In many rural areas its the only local voice for weather and news. It's also a musical alternative and airs shows that aren't "commercially viable". Programs are underwritten but detaching CPB money that pays for the basic operations means either the stations will have to replace that lost funding through corporate "donations" or to close shop or downsize. This would deprive many from valuable local information and put many people out of work.

The reality is NPR's funding will not be cut...this bill will die in the Senate or face a veto. It's yet another act of mental masturbation by the unhinged right to pander to their base of ignorant, arrogant and greedy. Look at the bigger picture to understand what this whole charade is all about and also the value of Public Broadcasting beyond a political viewpoint.

Cheers...