Another editorial on federal funding of public broadcasting

[listener-in]

If we're going to continue subsidizing radio, then why not subsidize the modern day radio equivalent of those Dust Bowl farmers?

If you mean high-speed broadband across America, I'm all for it.  If anything could sow the seeds to revive American communities and the small businesses that support them, that's it.  And I don't mean subsidizing the big telecoms to cherry pick where they want to go, either.

Actually I was suggesting that small non-comm radio stations get the money. They need it more than NPR or APM.

Despite my usual leanings towards NPR, I'm inclined to agree with you on that - provided of course that they aren't part of the religious-radio money-changing fraternity masquerading as small non-comm.

[bturner]

Very good point about the dust bowl public stations.

There are many independent non-comms that are not 'ministries' who struggle and barely make it.  The same goes for the non-comm LPFMS.  I know of stations off the air for months trying to garner enough cash to pay for equipment repairs and even more trying to replace an expensive piece of equipment. 

I think the money should be tied to a specific purpose to prevent those dollars from hitting the general fund.  Maybe it might be through a process used by other government entities.  For example, to get a highway repaired, so much comes from the Feds and a portion has to come from the state.  So, to radio, it might be the Feds will generate X% if the local station can raise X% of the cost.

[TheBigA]

I think the money should be tied to a specific purpose to prevent those dollars from hitting the general fund. 

It is.

[bturner]

I figured it was.  It would seem pretty irresponsible to do otherwise.  Thanks for the input.

[JimmyJames]

Isn't that what CPB and PTFP grants are conditioned on? Matching funds from the local station?