Mar 18, 2011
Pubcasters should tout value of their "vital role" in news coverage, authors say
Len Downie Jr. and Robert Kaiser "are concerned that, in the heat of the debate, members of Congress may not realize the changing role that public radio stations, working with NPR, play in informing citizens in their communities," the two write in today's (March 18) Washington Post. Downie, a former Post editor, and Kaiser, an associate editor at the paper, are also co-authors of The News About The News: American Journalism in Peril. The two detail the growing importance of the pubcasting system in reporting local news, citing CPB's local journalism centers (Current, April 5, 2010). "The public broadcasting community has appeared flustered by the ferocity of its critics’ attacks," they write, "some of which are ideologically motivated. But most members of Congress are sent to Washington by communities with NPR member stations, which could do a better job of selling their increasingly vital role in news reporting."
The authors fail to understand that the news coverage that NPR provides is the problem. House republicans don't want the light of journalism shining on their actions, or at least don't want news coverage that they cannot influence by proxy. So they will try to undermine the services provided by NPR, and CPB as a funder.
ReplyDeleteThis has been going on for many years, and the opposition to public funding of public broadcasting will always be with us, much as the sentiments of Grover Norquist and his adherents, who fully intend to try and drown and then flush the Federal Government and anything good it might be doing the the drain of right-wing selfishness.
No more Mr. Niceguy... NPR needs to hire Alec Baldwin as the new pres:
ReplyDelete1) No elected congresscritter will turn down a meeting with him
2) He will be able to raise mad money from Hollywood
3) They will be afraid to mess with your funding. Can you imagine pissing off Alec Baldwin?
It's time to fight fire with fire...