This weekend, the CEO of the Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) publicly panicked over possible budget cuts to the organization.
At a TV critics' meeting in California, Paula Kerger said that if Congress heeds President Trump's recommendations for slicing federal funding for public broadcasting, PBS could be in trouble.
"PBS will not go away, but a number of our stations will. There is not Plan B for that," said Kerger.
Kerger said that PBS will need to monitor Congress closely, explaining, "We need to be vigilant as Congress debates our funding, that we don't assume people remember the impacts we have on communities."
Of the $445 million in taxpayer money Congress sets aside for public media, PBS receives $300 million. National Public Radio (NPR) receives a heap of what is left over. In 2010, then CEO of NPR was ousted after admitting, "I think it is complicated when an independent news organization takes money from federal, state, and local government. I think that's challenging for an independent news organization which covers those entities."
Like NPR, PBS rakes in a lot of cash via a public membership program.
Would a cut to federal funds really matter if the station is already funded by "Viewers Like You?"
Read:
http://www.mrctv.org/blog/ceo-pbs-panics-over-possible-federal-cuts-she-shouldnt
