Is it just me, or does it blow your mind that a government/administration that is so concerned about the filth that is on TV right now (and I agree with them - there is a lot of filth) is proposing cutting funding for PBS by over $220 million? Over $220,000,000.00?!?!?
Please note that particularly hard hit will be PBS's "Ready to Learn" Programming which includeds Sesame Street, Arthur, Reading Rainbow, and several others. Yeah, I guess the conservative Congress would rather have their children watch people who cheat on their girlfriends with their mothers on Jerry Springer... or people eating maggots out of rotten meat on NBC's "Fear Factor"... or Britney Spears say things like "more better" and talk about her sex life on UPN's "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic"... or teen sex, drugs, and alcohol on Fox's "The OC". Those are much more wholesome characters than say Big Bird or Oscar the Grouch.
The list of horrifying filth that litters our TV screens could go on forever. And yet here we have our Republican Congress - supposedly the great leaders on family values - getting ready to cut the only decent programming on TV. Wasn't everyone, especially the right wing, up in arms just over a year ago when we saw Janet Jackson's nipple for half a second? Honestly, where is the outrage now? Where are Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson when you really need them?
Don't get me wrong, PBS hasn't done itself any favors by showing, no matter how innocently, lesbian couples on "Postcards from Buster". But that was one episode, and as best we can tell, they've learned their lesson. There's no reason to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Who are the players? Well the cuts will ultimately come from the House Committee on Appropriations. The Chairman of the committee is named - believe it or not - Jerry Lewis. The cuts are originating in the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. The chairman of that subcommittee is Ralph Regula
For a look at some of what is being proposed from the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies you can see the FULL COMMITTEE REPORTS FY06 LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILL You'll notice that they don't say anything about the cutting of funding for PBS other than noting the amendment proposed by ranking minority member David Obey which "provides $400 million in FY08 advance funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting." Let's just hope the CPC can make it to 2008.
I urge everyone to fight this proposal. Call Ralph and Jerry. Call your representative. If it makes it to the Senate, call your senator.
For more information about what is being done and how to stop it visit the Save PBS page and the Association of Public Television Stations
Please note that particularly hard hit will be PBS's "Ready to Learn" Programming which includeds Sesame Street, Arthur, Reading Rainbow, and several others. Yeah, I guess the conservative Congress would rather have their children watch people who cheat on their girlfriends with their mothers on Jerry Springer... or people eating maggots out of rotten meat on NBC's "Fear Factor"... or Britney Spears say things like "more better" and talk about her sex life on UPN's "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic"... or teen sex, drugs, and alcohol on Fox's "The OC". Those are much more wholesome characters than say Big Bird or Oscar the Grouch.
The list of horrifying filth that litters our TV screens could go on forever. And yet here we have our Republican Congress - supposedly the great leaders on family values - getting ready to cut the only decent programming on TV. Wasn't everyone, especially the right wing, up in arms just over a year ago when we saw Janet Jackson's nipple for half a second? Honestly, where is the outrage now? Where are Jerry Falwell or Pat Robertson when you really need them?
Don't get me wrong, PBS hasn't done itself any favors by showing, no matter how innocently, lesbian couples on "Postcards from Buster". But that was one episode, and as best we can tell, they've learned their lesson. There's no reason to throw the baby out with the bath water.
Who are the players? Well the cuts will ultimately come from the House Committee on Appropriations. The Chairman of the committee is named - believe it or not - Jerry Lewis. The cuts are originating in the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. The chairman of that subcommittee is Ralph Regula
For a look at some of what is being proposed from the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies you can see the FULL COMMITTEE REPORTS FY06 LABOR, HHS, EDUCATION APPROPRIATIONS BILL You'll notice that they don't say anything about the cutting of funding for PBS other than noting the amendment proposed by ranking minority member David Obey which "provides $400 million in FY08 advance funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting." Let's just hope the CPC can make it to 2008.
I urge everyone to fight this proposal. Call Ralph and Jerry. Call your representative. If it makes it to the Senate, call your senator.
For more information about what is being done and how to stop it visit the Save PBS page and the Association of Public Television Stations
posted by Floyd the Barber at 5:51 AM
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