It's up to us to tell our audiences
With a quiet vote this year, Congress could irreparably damage public media
In coming weeks, public media in this country could quietly cease to exist as we know it. It's up to us to make sure our audiences are aware of this threat, and that they have the opportunity to do something about it.
In 1967, I began my career as the first hire at what would become Minnesota Public Radio/American Public Media. The Public Broadcasting Act was signed into law that same year. Flash forward to 2011 as I prepare to step down as c.e.o. of MPR/APM, and I see CPB facing the biggest threat so far to its continued funding.
True, CPB has weathered defunding efforts before and come through intact — though the federal appropriations lately haven't kept pace with inflation. But the challenge posed by the seating of the 112th Congress is much more dangerous than anything we have seen before.
First, the financial strength of public television in the wake of the financial collapse of 2008–2009 is at an all-time low. Many stations were having a hard time staying viable even before the new Congress took office. Second, the Juan Williams affair at NPR has given opponents of public funding for public broadcasting a rallying point for advancing their cause. As we have seen, some in Congress are not afraid to exploit that single event to its fullest. Finally, an unprecedented federal deficit is forcing legislators to put all spending-reduction options on the table for discussion. Indeed, the chairs of the Obama administration's own bipartisan deficit-reduction commission cite CPB's appropriation as a possible target for elimination.
With circumstances aligned as they are, opponents of public broadcasting could force the defunding of CPB by an omnibus deficit-reduction bill that would give plenty of cover to politicians who might otherwise be inclined to take up our cause. Simple as that, public media in this country would be irreparably damaged just when it's needed the most.
Despite my occasional speeches about public media performing below its potential level, I am very proud of what our field has become in America. I and others have been following a strategy of trying to increase public media's importance in the eyes of key Congressional leaders in the hope that they would see the merit in strengthening the system in times like these. Instead we may see the opposite. I would be very disappointed to see public media come tumbling down just as a weakened press and polarized electronic media are challenging our democratic process — especially if it happens without a fight.
While our national-level organizations are discussing the importance of CPB funding with lawmakers in Washington, we must call upon those who use public media — some 170 million Americans every month — to speak up and tell their legislators that public media is a vital public service in this country, and that CPB must be allowed to continue functioning as Congress intended when it was established.
American Public Media and the Association of Public Television Stations are jointly managing a locally led effort to do just that — 170 Million Americans for Public Broadcasting, on the Web at 170MillionAmericans.org.
The campaign aims to make public media's positive impact better known and the threat of federal defunding better understood. We intend to harness the power of public-media users and supporters in making their views known. Visitors to the website are asked to register to stay informed on developments in Congress. When the time is right, supporters will be called upon and targeted appropriately for maximum impact.
The 170 Million Americans effort will not succeed unless each and every public television and radio station in the country enthusiastically promotes it to those they serve via on-air spots, website tiles, member communications and more. If we wish to survive and continue serving the public interest, we need to keep our audiences informed and give them the tools to easily express their opinions. Our audiences built us and made us what we are today — and they have a right to respond to threats against us.
If you have not already pulled out all the stops to inform your audience of the threat to public media, and enabled them to take a stand, I urge you to do so today. Sign up here to register your station for the 170 Million Americans campaign, and make use of the communications templates, on-air TV and radio spots, sample web banners and other materials you'll gain access to.
Tell your supporters what they face, and give them the opportunity to weigh in with those making the decisions. Engage your major donors in reaching out to your congressional delegation. "Someone" in D.C. is not going to fix this issue this time around. It's up to us. And that means it's up to you!
Bill Kling is c.e.o. of Minnesota Public Radio and American Public Media, St. Paul. Photo courtesy of MPR.
Copyright 2011 American University