GOP senators introduce another bill to kill federal funding to public broadcasting

Sens. Jim DeMint, R-S.C. and Tom Coburn, R-Okla., introduced a bill Friday that would end federal funding for public broadcasting, reports the National Journal. "Americans struggling to make ends meet shouldn't be forced to fund public broadcasting when there are already thousands of choices for educational and entertainment programming on the television, radio and web," DeMint said.

Annual Celebration of Teaching & Learning nears

Here's a look at WNET/Thirteen's upcoming 2011 Celebration of Teaching & Learning from the Brooklyn Eagle. More than 10,000 educators from all 50 states are expected at the sixth annual event March 18 and 19 at the Hilton New York in Manhattan. Speakers include NBC News anchor Brian Williams, author and neurologist Oliver Sacks, and ABC News co-anchor Cynthia McFadden. Participants have access to six plenary sessions, some 40 featured speakers, more than 100 hands-on “In the Classroom” workshops, and two exhibitor halls.

Judith LeRoy finds art in sports

You may know Judith LeRoy as co-founder (with husband David) of TRAC Media, the audience analysis service for public broadcasters. But you may not know that when she's not crunching numbers she's painting sports scenes. She's presented several exhibitions of her work, including in January at the Art Garage in Green Bay, Wisc. Here's a video of how that show came together, with LeRoy discussing details of her work — such as her careful depictions of different types of football cleats.

NewsHour, KPBS-TV honored for political coverage

The PBS NewsHour and KPBS-TV in San Diego won 2011 Walter Cronkite Awards for Television Political Journalism from the University of Southern California's Annenberg School for Communications. The NewsHour was honored among national network programs for its “thorough and balanced” coverage of key races in Nevada, Wisconsin and Florida. Judges praised correspondents Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff for “focusing on the issues, talking with real voters and letting the candidates explain themselves.”
KPBS topped the category for public stations with its profile of the County Board of Supervisors, lauded by judges as “an excellent explanation of how government works and doesn’t work.” The awards are presented on a biennial basis as proof that "thoughtful, informative political coverage that can also make for gripping television."