There is a very real threat to Public Broadcasting. Some may not like the sources but the threat is real.

Everyone expected House Republicans to give up efforts to kill NPR and PBS after a massive public outcry stopped them last year. But they've just voted to eliminate funding for NPR and PBS—unbelievably, starting with programs like "Sesame Street."1
Public broadcasting would lose nearly a quarter of its federal funding this year. Even worse, all funding would be eliminated in two years—threatening one of the last remaining sources of watchdog journalism.2
Last year, over 1 million of us signed the petition, and Congress listened. We can do it again if you pass this message along to any friends, neighbors, or co-workers who count on NPR and PBS for news or children's programming.
This would be the most severe cut in the history of public broadcasting. The Boston Globe reports the cuts "could force the elimination of some popular PBS and NPR programs." NPR's president expects rural public radio stations may be forced to shut down.
The lawmakers who proposed the cuts aren't just trying to save money in the budget—they're trying to decimate any news outlets willing to ask tough questions of those in power. Americans trust public broadcasting more than any corporate news media.3 This is an ideological attack on our free press.
President Bush's budget proposed cuts to NPR and PBS4, but Congress is going even further: slashing 23% of this year's public broadcasting budget—$115 million—and denying NPR and PBS any funding in two years. The cuts immediately terminate support for commercial-free children's shows like "Sesame Street," "Clifford," and "Maya and Miguel."


You can learn more about the threat to public broadcasting from our
friends at Free Press at:

http://www.freepress.net/publicbroadcasting/

Sources:
1. "GOP takes aim at PBS funding," Boston Globe, June 8, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1864&id=79...uzDBLUNEJg&t=4

PBS' Ready to Learn program (funds "Sesame Street" and other children's shows)
http://www.pbs.org/readytolearn/

2. "CPB Responds to House Appropriations Subcommittee's Proposed Funding Levels for Public Broadcasting," Corporation for Public Broadcasting, June 7, 2006
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=551

3. "2005 'Open to the Public' Objectivity and Balance Report," Corporation for Public Broadcasting, January 31, 2006
http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/goals/objectivity/

4. "Bush Budget Pumps Propaganda, Slashes PBS," MediaCitizen, February 7, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1865&id=79...uzDBLUNEJg&t=5
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The House and Senate are deciding if public broadcasting will survive, and they need to hear from viewers and concerned citizens like us. Please sign the petition telling Congress to save NPR and PBS again this year:

http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadc...uzDBLUNEJg&t=2

This is an attempt to do away with the last media source that is honest. Our other media companies are controlled by the government and print or broadcast what ever is passed down to them. Please help save the only honest media group out there!!!