Well, the KLEPTOCRATS JUST KILLED PUBLIC BROADCASTING

[indusurb]

7. PBS and NPR will survive, at least for now

I read earlier this year, sorry, I've forgotten where, a statement that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has saved enough over the years to fully fund its programs for at least two years. After all, this has been coming down the road since Reagan with threats of defunding, and actual funding cuts being regularly trundled out every time there is a Republican president. CPB has prepared well.

I imagine what is going to happen initially is there will be a serious uptick in major donations following this complete defunding. Then this fall, when most stations hold their biannual pledge drives, stations will also exceed their goals, fueled by the kind people who don't want to see public broadcasting go away.

My guess is that CPB will shift their funding formula around to help out smaller, rural stations survive, while leaning on the larger metro stations to make up the difference so that nobody goes under.

This strategy can keep everything going for a good while, at least until 2028 when there will, hopefully, be a Democrat elected to the White has, along with enough juice in Congress to pass a bill restoring full funding. If not, then things will get dicier as time goes on. The large metro stations will survive, but we could see smaller rural stations start to drop off one by one.

What all this means is that we all have an opportunity to join the fight. When pledge season rolls around, donate as much as you can. Consider it now as a streaming subscription, and paying $10 a month is a good deal. If you can afford more, then do so. If all of us who profess to love public broadcasting pull together we can keep it going, and give a big FU to those currently in power.