No More Cookie Monster?

I just received word from a friend of mine who works at PBS in Indiana. Apparently, current funding is under attack and the cuts would mean no more educational programming - namely Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow and other children's commercial-free shows.

Public Broadcasting Targeted By House Panel Seeks to End CPB's Funding Within 2 Years
By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer

A House subcommittee voted yesterday to sharply reduce the federal government's financial support for public broadcasting, including eliminating taxpayer funds that help underwrite such popular children's educational programs as "Sesame Street," "Reading Rainbow," "Arthur" and "Postcards From Buster."

In addition, the subcommittee acted to eliminate within two years all federal money for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting -- which passes federal funds to public broadcasters -- starting with a 25 percent reduction in CPB's budget for next year, from $400 million to $300 million...

John Lawson, the president of the Association of Public Television Stations, a Washington-based group that lobbies for public broadcasters, called the subcommittee's action "at least malicious wounding, if not outright attempted murder, of public broadcasting in America." He added, "This action could deprive tens of millions of American children of commercial-free educational programming."

I'm not a huge advocate of television, but I sure as hell believe in the benefits of public television and community radio as an alternate voice to commercially sponsored programming. I know for some kids, this is one of the few places they'll get any educational material at all.

Please sign the petition and voice your concern.

Thank you!