Or, as I often say, if the truth hurts, yer living wrong.
Such is the case with PBS and NPR and public broadcasting all the way around. Congress is set to cut the "public broadcaster" free. A bill that passed the Senate and likely will pass the house is eliminating funding for these agencies.
Liberals are screaming.
Good.
Unless you think I'm being partisan here, lemme say I rejoice when conservatives start screaming. Why is for another blog some other day. We're here right now to celebrate our tax dollars no longer going to support this outlet for left idiotology.
As a formerly devoted fan of NPR, I listened oviaGeorgia Public Radio. I loved the Saturday morning shows especially. I often just sat in my truck weekday mornings because I had to hear the whole news report. NPR calls 'em "driveway stories."
Now, not interested. I cannot stand the hard left agenda being pushed there. I also cannot stand a hard right agenda being pushed.
Don't take my word for it.
THEY WORK FOR NPR
So how about taking the word of some people who work for NPR?
"I didn’t use to count myself among them. But over the past year, under the leadership of a divisive new CEO, instead of taking criticisms of its coverage to heart, NPR instead doubled down on agenda-driven journalism. So, as someone who had spent most of his career at the network, I didn’t support defunding. I instead suggested that NPR could build back credibility by voluntarily giving up federal support. Obviously that didn’t happen."
https://instapundit.com/732620/
I used to listen to Uri. I found his stories to be great journalism. I'd listen again, if I could find a nonpartisan place to hear him or at least a place that gave equal coverage to both sides.
So you do not want to believe Uri. Cool.
"You know the stereotype of the NPR listener: an EV-driving, Wordle-playing, tote bag–carrying coastal elite. It doesn’t precisely describe me, but it’s not far off. I’m Sarah Lawrence–educated, was raised by a lesbian peace activist mother, I drive a Subaru, and Spotify says my listening habits are most similar to people in Berkeley.
"I fit the NPR mold. I’ll cop to that.
"It’s true NPR has always had a liberal bent, but during most of my tenure here, an open-minded, curious culture prevailed. We were nerdy, but not knee-jerk, activist, or scolding.
"In recent years, however, that has changed. Today, those who listen to NPR or read its coverage online find something different: the distilled worldview of a very small segment of the U.S. population. "
https://www.thefp.com/p/npr-editor-how-npr-lost-americas-trust
Listened to Sarah Lawrence too. Was not as impressed with her as I was Uri.
THE SEPARATION BEGINS
My departure from public broadcasting was not overnight. The separation began slowly. It sped up.
Turner County had an important story, one with national and perhaps global significance, an ethanol plant. The plant went belly up. Beside the point.
I called Atlanta to Georgia Public Radio to brief them. I even did a short segment for that day's news cast. It aired.
I offered to do more, free! No charge. Call in once a week with major news from Southwest Georgia.
The news director at GPR said "It's not important enough." That is the policy to this day. If it does not happen in Atlanta, Savannah, Columbus and sometimes Macon, it just ain't news to GPR.
The first crack formed.
Over in Irwin County, a major news story came out thanks to the Ocilla Star and editor Luke Roberts. A federal investigation looked into the illegal immigrant detainees at the privately run prison. The feds were looking at what they said was an unusually high number of hysterectomies in the women there, among other things.
That should be national news. GPR? Nope.
For that matter, it was not worth of the attention of our Congresscritter Austin Scott. Another blog for another day.
If this was native-born Americans, the place would have been shut down.
And the crack widened.
NO TIME
Increasingly, I noticed GPR had no time for the rest of Georgia. If it happened below the Fall Line, it was not news.
I get that. GPR's money mostly comes from the big cities mentioned above. That's where the biggest audience is.
Except according to the very business model of public broadcasting, that is just flat wrong. Public broadcasting is meant to bring information to everyone, equally. Money was not the issue, the semi-annual fundraising campaigns aside. They gotta get money from someone to keep the lights on.
And the crack widened.
THE MAUL HITS HOME
A maul is tool used to split logs. It is really heavy and it is more of a wedge than an axe. I've used them.
NPR slammed that maul home a while back reporting on another "mass shooting." Rather than give straight information, the reporting crew interviewed people who whined about how bad guns are.
That was it. On that day, I turned off NPR and walked away. Ain't been back and don't plan to go back.
CONSTITUTION
It comes down to a matter of rights and Constitution. That grand old document says nothing about taxpayer funding any media outlets. Well, I can't find it anyway. If you can, please point it out.
So, eliminate it.
If you demand taxpayer funding for such media, cool. Work to Amend the Constitution. I'll fight you over that. If it passes, I will fight to repeal it.
FREEDOM
This is freedom for public broadcasting across the nation. If this passes, public broadcasting outlets are no longer tied to the capricious whims of an elected body that does not truly represent constituents. Ahem. Is anyone at PBS reading this?
PBS is now free to find its own way and its own source of revenue.
Taxpayer funding, as those at PBS constantly point out, is a very small percentage of their income.1% to 10%. The rest comes from donations and, yes, advertising. PBS will tell you it is not advertising, but recognizing the support these companies provide. PBS does not accept advertising, they say.
Looks like a duck, talks like and duck and walks like a duck, pretty sure it ain't a rhino.
Cut those "support" announcements and see how long those companies would continue to give money.
YOU GIVE
Like PBS, NPR, GPB or whatever it is in your state? Give 'em money direct from your wallet.
YAY! Good'un onya mate. You go! Go shawty, go shawty!
Just do not steal from me to fund them. Let me decide where my money goes.
If PBS believes its liberal base is enough to support its mission, then let 'em prove it. Let them live it exactly the same way private media companies around the nation do every single day.
In case you don't wonder, cantservatives are more giving than liarberals. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34429211/
