PBS Funding Cuts: Children Need Quality Programming, Adults Need Unbiased Local News
PBS Funding Cuts: Children Need Quality Programming, Adults Need Unbiased Local News
This most recent assault on the value of PBS/NPR is not the first time that there have been threats to the federal funding for PBS and CPB. We were having the same conversation back in 2006, at the budget hearing in the Senate chambers. One of the senators is impressed by the favorability rating for public broadcasting of over 80% by the American people in a survey at the time, which also included 52% believing that NPR and 77% that PBS provide unbiased news coverage.
The reason why this is important is because the foundation of a democracy or democratic republic, such as ours, is an informed electorate. Without reliable, unbiased, local news stations, this becomes difficult if not impossible. Since most of the formerly independent stations around the country have been bought up by giant corporations, there is much less unbiased news. That’s why the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was formed by the government: to provide news to their constituents no matter where they live, whether it’s in Kansas or California. Taking funding away from PBS and NPR will directly result in a less informed populace, one who is more likely to vote based on biased information.
But that’s not the only issue raised. Children’s Programming is even more important than local news. Kids have so many options of what to watch today, but how much of it is educational? Most of it is not helpful and may even be harmful, creating a more ignorant generation of kids than ever before. The shows on PBS are of a higher quality, and imbue a love of learning in the next generation of adults.
While the programs have changed and evolved to meet the needs of changing generations, the original kids shows are still available. You can view most of them through PBS online, and they all provide high quality educational programming for children.
The next generations will benefit from, and in all likelihood really need this type of television to thrive and become the best they can be. Taking away education robs America of its future possibilities because today’s kids are tomorrow’s adults.
Learn more about the value of PBS for kids and adults alike from the speakers in this video. To see Mr. Rogers take on the same issues, see our previous article.
Banner Image: Combined intro screen. Image Credit – C-Span
PBS Is Critical For Informed Voters, Educated Children
PBS and NPR, both funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, provide an essential service to the American people, both kids and adults alike. Learn more about its importance from the featured speakers.
Read the accompanying article at https://statenislander.org/2025/07/05/pbs-funding-cuts-children-need-quality-programming-adults-need-unbiased-local-news/
See more Staten Island stories at https://statenislander.org
corporation for public broadcasting, cpb, educating kids, education, importance of pbs, libraries, Mister Rogers, mister rogers neighborhood, mister rogers songwriter, pbs, pbs is important, public broadcasting, public broadcasting station, the importance of public broadcasting, well-rounded education
There are no comments yet
Why not be the first