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“Where they have burned books, they will end in burning human beings.”


Friday, June 10, 2005

Bye Bye Big Bird?

According to the WaPo:

A House subcommittee voted yesterday to sharply reduce the federal government's financial support for public broadcasting, including eliminating taxpayer funds that help underwrite such popular children's educational programs as "Sesame Street," "Reading Rainbow," "Arthur" and "Postcards From Buster."

In addition, the subcommittee acted to eliminate within two years all federal money for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting -- which passes federal funds to public broadcasters -- starting with a 25 percent reduction in CPB's budget for next year, from $400 million to $300 million.

[snip]

PBS, in particular, drew harsh criticism in December from the Bush administration for a "Postcards From Buster" episode in which Buster, an animated rabbit, "visited" two families in Vermont headed by lesbians. And programming on both PBS and NPR has come under fire in recent months from Tomlinson, the Republican chairman of the CPB, who has pushed for greater "balance" on the public airwaves.

Yeah, remember Postcards from Buster? Really upset the Family Research Council. But then, what do you expect from a bunch of KKK bastards?

Wingnuts are mad that shows like NOW are allowed to flourish, despite that shows like Wall Street Week or Washington Week in Review--both of which are conservative--are also given airtime. But then, it's not really balance that they want, only total control. And too many liberals are dumb enough to think that these wingnuts are sincere about balance.

Here's the thing: PBS is like cable for poor people (like myself). Quality programming, educational programming. Without it, we're stuck with watching shows like King of Queens or something even more horrific. But even comparing it to cable is laughable--you still don't find real, quality educational programming on cable the way you find it on PBS. The History Channel? What, another damn Hitler documentary? Another damn military show? Or what about The Learning Channel? More home remodling. Discover Channel? Robot shows.

A slight exaggeration. Still, while there are some decent programs on cable, none of them are commercial-free. Ever watch Nickalodeon? Sometimes it feels like there are more commercial minutes than program minutes. If you don't think this is bad, you probably aren't a parent.

PBS is ultimately tax-supported education. So are public schools, another target of the Right as a liberal oasis (and having gone to public school, I gotta laugh at that--I swear, my Catholic high school was more liberal). Educating the masses was never a beloved concept of the Right Wing.

Honestly, you don't find programs like Nova or Frontline on cable. That's why PBS exists. It's part of that old notion of promoting the General Welfare of the populace. Of public service, or the common good. These ideas have been under attack by the Right for a hundred years, since the days of the robber barons, and PBS is just the latest target.

And, I fear, it may be their most successful.

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posted by Tlachtga, 12:20 PM

I'm Not Dead Yet!

Bring Out Yer Dead!

I've just been on vacation. Went to Europe with my folks, and saw too many damn castles, churches, and cemetaries. And Mozart. Salzberg is nothing but Mozart: Mozart chocolate, Mozart mints, Mozart liquor, Mozart condoms. Oy.

So anyway, I've bothered to update The Celtic News Update, so go there for more stories about dead people and old stuff dug up in someone's back yard.

Christ, it's really freakin' hot in Philly.

Anyway, I'll have more updates later today as I get back into the routine.

And how've you been?

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posted by Tlachtga, 12:00 PM