NPR and PBS enrich lives, need federal support

In our rural state, Public Broadcasting is extremely popular – and important. Many of us make long drives and do our work to National Public Radio programming: music, talk shows, history and science shows, a variety of podcasts, local programming, local weather, balanced and informative news – whether state, local or national. Many adults and children enjoy the excellent children’s programming.

NPR and PBS connect us to the world. Our lives are richer and more interesting because of these organizations. A bonus is that they create local jobs.

Many of us donate to fundraising drives, but we just don’t have enough money to support the entire venture. We must have public funding.

There are, of course, no for-profit radio stations that provide anything approaching such rich and varied programming, because it is simply not profitable.

Now an Executive Order has threatened to take away federal funding. We need to understand that the parent corporation, Community Public Broadcasting, was created by Congress, which forbade any department, agency, officer or employee of the United States to exercise any direction, supervision or control over CPB or its member stations.

Previously, this administration considered asking Congress to approve taking back the money that had been already been appropriated for the CPB, but it became clear that this would fail because many Republicans were responsive to their constituents’ liking and needing this programming. It is because of this that this that an Executive Order is being tried.

If we allow action based on an inappropriate Executive Order, we will lose Public Broadcasting – and we will miss it!

Please let your representatives in Congress know that you want to continue Community Public Broadcasting without government intervention, as was intended by Congress.

– Gail Trenfield, St. Ignatius