Virgina pubcasters latest to face state funding phase-out

"Gov. Bob McDonnell is gunning for Big Bird," says the Richmond (Va.) Times-Dispatch. The GOP governor wants to phase out funding to the Community Idea Stations pubcasters in Richmond and Charlottesville over the next four years, beginning with $592,835 between 2010 and '12. One bright spot: "I'll probably oppose that," said Democratic Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles J. Colgan. "It's quite a bit of money for those stations. That's a pretty good hit." The Legislature takes up work on the budget this week.