Don’t let public media go to static!

The future of public broadcasting in the U.S. is seriously in doubt. The Republicans are trying to cut out all funds for public radio and TV, which would be devastating not only to NPR and PBS, but to WCQS, public radio for our area, and UNC-TV, public TV for our entire state.

Some argue that if the $430 million in taxpayer funds going to public radio and TV were to disappear, supporters of public broadcasting would make up the difference with voluntary contributions. They ignore the fact that for the past 40 years only one out of 10 NPR listeners and one out of 10 PBS viewers has contributed to their local stations, despite the incessant on-air requests and tedious membership drives. Why would this change if federal funds ceased?

Free enterprise zealots might argue that if public broadcasting advocates aren't willing to pay for the services, they don't deserve to exist. But private enterprise in the U.S., with all the radio and TV stations that it owns, and all the money at their disposal, has not given us anything remotely approaching the consistent quality and in-depth reporting of NPR News, nor the educational programs for children and adults of PBS. All this despite the fact that public TV and radio have never been adequately or securely funded.

It would be fine with me if Congress cut all funds to public broadcasting, as long as they voted to provide the system with adequate funding from another source. For example: the FCC could charge annual license fees for all commercial uses of the public airwaves that would be used to automatically fund some or all of the noncommercial applications.

— Fred Flaxman
Weaverville

SHARE

Thanks for reading through to the end…

We share your inclination to get the whole story. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. We want everyone to have access to our stories. That’s a big part of why we've never charged for the paper or put up a paywall.

We’re pretty sure that you know journalism faces big challenges these days. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. Xpress needs help, too. We hope you’ll consider signing up to be a member of Xpress. For as little as $5 a month — the cost of a craft beer or kombucha — you can help keep local journalism strong. It only takes a moment.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.