APTS taking on two bills that would cut out pubcasting support

The Association of Public Television Stations is lobbying against two congressional proposals to eliminate millions in pubcasting funding. Republican Colorado Rep. Doug Lamborn this week introduced a bill to eliminate all federal funding to CPB after FY 2012. That now has 12 cosponsors, all Republican. In a Dear Colleague letter Lamborn sent to House members Wednesday (June 16), he said that government funding of public broadcasting is "completely unnecessary in a world of 500-channel cable TV and cell phone Internet access." He also referred to pubcasting as a "nonessential service." Also, late last week, Democratic Ohio Rep. Charles Wilson introduced a bill to eliminate PTFP. APTS said that move "highlights the very real pressure on PTFP" over the past few years. "We cannot take funding for PTFP, or for any of our programs for granted." Funding for PTFP, or the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program, has dwindled from $43.2 million in 2003 to $18.8 million in 2008.

More pubaffairs, fewer pledge drives for KCTS, CEO Bresnahan says

In the first of a two-part series today (June 17) on KCTS's CEO Moss Bresnahan, the Crosscut news website delves into the Seattle station's improving financial outlook and plans for the future. By year's end, Bresnahan said, KCTS will focus more efforts on civics and public affairs. It will partner with local NPR affiliate KPLU-FM and Investigate West, a nonprofit journalism group, on several projects. And it's making the weekly public affairs program KCTS Connects year-round, instead of taking a summer hiatus. Other projects include arts, history and science initiatives. The station is concentrating more on major giving and reducing pledge drives -- from 120 last year to just over 100 this year. Part two of the story concludes tomorrow with a look at the station's major giving techniques.