[Peace-discuss] Help: Real Federal funding crisis for public broadcasting

[Kranich, Kimberlie]

Hi, all.

If you love WILL radio or TV, please call your congressman. Losing our
federal $ would be disastrous for us.  It could happen.  DOn't let it.

See contact list below.

Thanks,

Kimberlie



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FAQ - House Appropriations Subcommittee Announcement
What happened?
On June 9, the House Appropriations Subcommittee that oversees budget for
the Corporation for Public Broadcasting - a private organization created by
Congress to support and fund public broadcasting - voted to eliminate $100
million from the previously-approved fiscal year 2006 CPB budget, which
begins in October. The Senate Appropriations Committee has not yet finalized
its 2006 budget for CPB. Once the Senate appropriates funds, "conferees"
from both the House and Senate will meet to reconcile the differences in
their approaches to the federal budget. As part of these dramatic cuts, the
subcommittee rejected the existing approval for funding designated for
public radio's digital transition, while eliminating funding for public
television's obligatory renewal and upgrades to its satellite
interconnection system and its Ready to Learn program endorsed by the White
House. 
If yesterday's decision by the House Appropriations Subcommittee is not
reconsidered and emerges as the final funding recommendation, it means that
starting in four months, public broadcasting will, all told, face an
approximately 40 percent reduction in funds.


Why did this happen?
The enormous federal deficit is placing intense pressure on Congress to hold
down spending in every domestic discretionary program except homeland
security. The Administration's budget recommendations submitted to the
Congress earlier this year proposed a spending cut of approximately 25
percent for public broadcasting. However, the size of the House
subcommittee's funding reductions was surprising and unanticipated. 
At this time, little is known about the circumstances surrounding this
decision. As has been reported by various media, however, the numerous
comments and actions undermining public broadcasting made over the past two
months by CPB Chairman Ken Tomlinson, the person appointed by the President
to help ensure the success of public broadcasting, could have had an effect.
His comments, which he chose to provide only to the media, contradicted
CPB's own polling that identifies public broadcasting as one of the most
trusted institutions in this country. In addition, he has undertaken a
series of actions reported by the media, including generating secret
investigations into public broadcasting programming and diminishing the
authority of his own staff, that have perhaps colored some opinion in
Congress as to the value of public broadcasting.
What is CPB's role in public radio?
The CPB is distinct from both NPR and PBS: It is not a broadcaster, but a
private corporation created by Congress in 1967 with two primary functions:
to serve as a firewall between partisan politics and public broadcasting,
and to help fund programming, stations and technology. Historically, it has
also acted as public broadcasting's primary supporter during congressional
appropriations hearings. 
What would be the impact on public radio stations?
If the cuts survive the legislative process, public radio stations will be
severely affected by this decision on several levels. The primary impact on
local stations will be a significant reduction in the grant money they
receive from CPB to fund their operating and programming expenses. Called
Community Service Grants (CSGs), this revenue helps stations with everything
from local production to acquisition of NPR programming, critical community
outreach projects and the most basic operational services, such as
electricity and other utilities. This funding, coupled with donations from
listeners, is crucial to the survival of stations across the nation,
especially rural and minority stations, many of which are sole, critical
radio services to their communities. If the cuts are finalized, many
stations will have to reduce or eliminate programming and other important
community outreach activities. In the case of some rural and minority
stations, their very financial survival may be at stake.
In addition, the cuts to CPB's budget eliminate funding this coming year for
public radio stations' conversion to digital radio, a new technology that
enables stations to offer their communities additional channels of public
broadcasting programming. NPR and its member stations have been leaders in
developing and implementing this new media platform, which is designed to
answer listeners' interest in both news/information programming as well as
more targeted music program opportunities.
Ultimately, severe cuts to CPB funding have a direct impact on the quality
and depth of programming public radio stations are able to create and
broadcast in their local communities. There will be a reduction in the money
necessary to support the news, public affairs, and music programming
stations broadcast as well as community services they offer.
What is the impact of the CPB budget cut beyond my public radio station?
The hardest hit in this decision are the most needy: small stations, those
in rural communities and those serving minority audiences. Rural stations
provide essential local news and safety information in areas traditionally
underserved by other media outlets. Public radio plays a similarly major
role within minority communities across the nation, including the
historically Black college and university radio stations and stations
managed by and serving Native Americans. The public broadcasting system is
concerned that these stations cannot survive drastic reductions to their
financial support. 
Was CPB consulted before these cuts were made and did it attempt to prevent
the decision?
While we know that CPB's mid-level staff had made efforts to justify and win
support for the existing funding requirements, it is unclear if the CPB
Board of Directors or its Chairman took any positive action. Additionally,
since Mr. Tomlinson had fired the CPB President and CEO several months ago,
there has been no stable, senior leadership within the organization to lead
a thoughtful, diligent effort.
What happens next?
The full House Appropriations Committee will review the recommendations made
by the subcommittee shortly. It is unlikely that the full committee will
alter the recommendations, but strong public reaction might spark
reconsideration of the decision. If the committee adopts the
recommendations, they will then go to a floor vote in the House. Senate
action on public broadcasting funding will occur over the next several
weeks, after which the House and Senate funding recommendations will be
reconciled.
What can listeners and other public radio supporters do to encourage action?
Stations are subject to restrictions on lobbying activity. The so-call "Byrd
Amendment" prohibits recipients of federal funds from using those funds to
lobby the Executive or Legislative Branches to obtain, extend or modify a
federal award. For example, drawing salary from a federal award while
attempting to influence the award of federal funds constitutes lobbying and
is prohibited. Many stations are also tax exempt organizations, and the
Internal Revenue Code limits the extent to which such organizations may
engage in direct and grassroots lobbying. In addition to federal lobbying
restrictions, individual states may impose restrictions, particularly on
state and local public broadcast entities. Particularly with respect to the
tax and any state law restrictions, stations should proceed carefully and
consult appropriate counsel.
In this context, there are things that stations may choose to do:
1. Stations may report on this matter as it would any other newsworthy issue
through whatever means it possesses, including its broadcast facilities or a
station website or newsletter. Since lobbying involves expressing a view on
the matter and encouraging listeners to contact Members of Congress, a
neutral news report would not constitute lobbying.
2. Stations might editorialize generally in support of federal funding for
public broadcasting through whatever means it possesses, including its
broadcast facilities or a station website or newsletter, so long as it does
not refer to specific legislation or past or impending legislative action,
or encourage listeners to contact their Members of Congress. Given the
balance and objectivity obligation under the Public Broadcasting Act,
stations should be prepared to broadcast alternative views on the subject of
federal funding for public broadcasting.
3. As long as federal funds are not involved, stations may post explanatory
materials on station websites or transmit such material to station members
via station newsletters. These materials can contain a comparison of funds
available for public broadcasting during the current fiscal year and the
recommendations approved earlier this week by the House subcommittee.
Clarifying the impact of this funding comparison on a station's public
service may also be useful. Such communications may not encourage station
members or the public to contact their Members of Congress. 
4. Station support groups and other community groups or leaders who support
your station and your public service are, like all Americans, free to
express their views on this matter to their elected representatives or to
the public, such as through op-eds or letters to the editor of a local
newspaper. So long as a station does not direct these groups or community
leaders to do so, these activities should not violate the Byrd Amendment or
affect your tax exempt status.
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