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PBS Statement in Response to Administration’s Proposed Public Broadcasting Cuts in FY 2009 Budget
ARLINGTON, VA, February 5, 2008 -- On February 4, President Bush submitted his FY 2009 budget proposal to Congress, recommending such drastic cuts to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that they would damage the entire system. These include a $200 million cut from the $400 million already appropriated by Congress for CPB for FY 2009, a $220 million cut from the $420 million already appropriated by Congress for FY 2010 and no CPB advance appropriation for FY 2011. Eliminated was additional funding in FY 2009 to assist public television and radio stations to comply with the federally mandated digital conversion.
Even when taking into account the challenging fiscal environment, the cuts proposed in the President’s budget for public broadcasting are not only extreme, but disproportionate to all but a handful of other programs.
The cuts are being proposed despite the value and trust that Americans hold for PBS and public television. PBS and public television are currently tied with the U.S. military as the best value for federal tax dollars in the eyes of the American people. Simultaneously, this is the fourth consecutive year that PBS and public television are recognized as the most trusted public institution in the nation.
The severity of these proposed cuts unfairly targets an organization that plays such an important role in the education of our children and is so highly valued by Americans. In fact, PBS ranked as the number one source of classroom television and video for the fourth year in a row in 2006, according to a Grunwald Associates survey.
If enacted, these cuts would represent a 56 percent reduction in funding from CPB’s FY 2008 levels and would be felt in all CPB programs, beginning with the station Community Service Grants. These cuts are so severe and inequitable compared to most other programs in the federal budget that public broadcasting was even named to a so-called FY 2009 administration “budget hit list” compiled by a non-partisan publication, CQToday, which covers Capitol Hill.
As the congressional budget process begins in earnest on Capitol Hill, be assured that we are working with CPB, PBS member stations and our other sister organizations to make our case about the importance of public broadcasting to the American people.
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