The federal budget proposal the White House sent to Congress Monday would cut funding to The Corporation for Public Broadcasting over the next two years, and people are reacting like the sky is falling.
The CPB is responsible for funding several radio and television outlets, most notably NPR and PBS, and the new spending bill would cut spending to the organization over the next two years.
President and CEO of CPB Patricia Harrison is justifiably upset at the situation. In a statement, she said ”since there is no viable substitute for federal funding that would ensure this valued service continues, the elimination of federal funding to CPB would at first devastate, and then ultimately destroy public media’s ability to provide early childhood content, life-saving emergency alerts, and public affairs programs.”
She was not alone in this sentiment, as many have expressed their feelings on twitter:
“We will continue to raise awareness in Congress and the Administration about the valued content and services local public television and radio stations provide to their communities and the vital role federal funding plays in supporting them” Harrison continued.