Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
September 10, 2012
CPB Board Supports Federal Funding
Unanimously
WHEREAS
Public broadcasting provides unique, high quality programming over-the-air and without cost to 98% of all Americans and public broadcasting also provides on-line content and local community services and opportunities across the country;
WHEREAS
Thomas Jefferson stated, "An enlightened citizenry is indispensable for the proper functioning of a republic," public broadcasting fosters a well-informed citizenry by providing trusted national and local news and public affairs programming, as well as historical, arts and cultural content that is greatly valued by the American people, making public broadcasting essential to the national conversation;
WHEREAS
Public broadcasters' work in early education is consistently regarded as "most trusted" by parents, caregivers and educators and nothing comparable is available from for-profit commercial broadcasters;
WHEREAS
Public broadcasting offers lifelong learning and civic engagement to every American, through high-quality programs such as Nature, Nova, American Experience, American Masters, This American Life, Radiolab, StoryCorps and the films of Ken Burns, being just a few examples of content that serves and is accessible by all Americans for free;
WHEREAS
Public broadcasting stations are locally licensed and operated with programming schedules and choices determined locally, and they are managed locally by professionals who are accountable to community leaders and listeners and are reflective of the values of the communities they serve;
WHEREAS
There is broad support for public broadcasting across the country with 170 million Americans, of all backgrounds, being regular viewers, listeners and learners;
WHEREAS
The public broadcasting system understands the fiscal challenges facing the nation and would point out that it has sustained a $68.5 million reduction in federal funding during the past three years - the equivalent a 13% funding cut;
WHEREAS
Stations continue to deal with shrinking nonfederal resources as the result of the economic recession, including an overall annual reduction of $255 million, or an 11.6 percent drop, between Fiscal Years 2008 and 2010;
WHEREAS
Public radio and television has become the best example of a public-private partnership generating at least a six-fold return on the investment of federal resources;
WHEREAS
"…there is simply no substitute for the federal investment to accomplish the public service mission that Congress has assigned to public broadcasters…." as made clear in CPB's recently published report to Congress, "Alternative Sources of Funding for Public Broadcasting Stations";
WHEREAS
Ending federal funding for public broadcasting will not resolve or even impact the nation's deficits or the national debt, but will destroy a service that 170 million Americans rely on, as most stations and national producers would have to significantly reduce the high value content, educational and other services they currently offer. Numerous public television and radio stations would be put at high risk of closing completely -- many in rural communities with few other media choices and smaller stations, which would end the free universal service the nation currently enjoys; public broadcasting, once lost, will never be reestablished; and
WHEREAS
CPB plays an essential role in fostering the advancement of public broadcasting, serving as a steward of the nation's investment in public broadcasting and an engine for innovation, collaboration and efficiency, supporting vital content, projects and services in the areas of education, diversity and journalism.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
We, the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, strongly affirm the important and irreplaceable role that federal funding plays in allowing public radio and television stations to help their communities thrive through the provision of a wide variety of high quality content and essential community services.