The risks to the future of public broadcasting, should Congress approve the Administration's 2008 budget proposal, are overwhelming. Millions of Americans have come to love and depend on public broadcasting's unique and quality programming, yet if these cuts are implemented, it could change the face of public broadcasting forever.

THE ELIMINATION OF ESSENTIAL LOCAL PROGRAMMING

WMMT in Whitesburg, Kentucky created a 12-part series on the prevention and management of diabetes that is now being produced on CD. Folk Alley out of Kent, Ohio broadcasts nation-wide, featuring a blend of singer/songwriter, Celtic, acoustic, Americana, traditional and world sounds. And WHYY, serving the Philadelphia and Wilmington areas, will soon provide Spanish-translated GED math materials to the Philadelphia metro region, with plans to make their content available nation-wide. These are just a few examples of the unique local programming available thanks to federal funding.

Since its inception in 1967, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) has been a major source of funding for all public broadcasting stations - both radio and television - across the country. It is through the funding allocated by Congress that the CPB provides Community Service Grants (CSG) to stations, some of which depend on these monies for the majority of their program funding.

The bottom line is this: without these essential grants, local stations would be unable to purchase and develop the programming their listeners count on.

THE ZEROING OUT OF FUNDAMENTAL CPB PROGRAMS

Five critical programs have been zeroed out under the Administration's 2008 budget proposal. If the proposal passes, there would be no money allocated for the following:

Ready to Learn (RTL): The central mission of the RTL program is to reach out to low-income children age 2-8 to help prepare them to enter school ready to learn and succeed. This is achieved through television programs geared to help them learn such cognitive skills as reading. The programs are all scientifically researched in cooperation with the Department of Education. Already established programs include Between the Lions and Sesame Street, and there are plans to create three new programs, including The New Electric Company.

Ready to Teach (RTT): The RTT program funds the development of digital educational services geared toward the enhancement of teacher performance so our teachers can in turn raise student achievement. One such program is TeacherLine, an online professional development program that improves teachers' skills, especially in the core areas of reading and math.

Digital Transition: The FCC has required, by law, that all public television stations convert their signals to digital broadcasting. The transition requires new and expensive equipment, which many stations cannot afford on their own - especially small rural and minority stations. The digital transition grants assist stations in the purchase of this necessary equipment, helping keep stations on the air across the nation.

Radio Interconnection: The radio interconnection system is the major distribution network for public radio stations - in other words, it distributes the programming we all love from its producers (NPR, PRI, Minnesota Public Radio) to your local public radio stations, programs such as All Things Considered and A Prairie Home Companion. The Public Broadcasting Act requires the CPB to fund this system, and the system is scheduled for replacement due to the impending expiration of satellite leases and aging equipment.

Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP): The PTFP program had been the chief source of support for the maintenance, repair and replacement of equipment for both public radio and television since 1962. This is a necessary program, as many stations cannot afford this enormous expense on their own and rely upon these federal matching grants for assistance.

THE CLOSURE OF RURAL AND MINORITY STATIONS

WSLU, North Country Public Radio out of Canton, NY is the only source of local news for the Adirondack region, and that includes print media. WVMR, Allegheny Mountain Radio out of Dunmore, West Virginia is the only radio or television source for the 511 residents of their isolated town. KBRW out of Barrow, Alaska is the only broadcasting source for local information serving the 4,000 residents of this community - some listeners live up to 9 miles from their closest neighbor. And KNNB out of White River, Arizona provides the only local broadcast service to the Apache reservation, providing local issues oriented programming on education, health and the Apache culture as well as NPR programs.

For all of the above stations, and the approximately 185 others that qualify as rural or minority, these funding cuts could very well result in their closure. Typically operating in more economically challenged areas of the country, financial support from their listeners and other local sources is not enough to sustain the station. These small stations rely on Community Service Grants (CSG) provided by CPB for the majority of their program funding.

At the very least, the effect of funding cuts would most certainly force these stations to cut local news and other community programming, staff positions and the acquisition of national programming. At most, it will mean closure of what could term the "lifelines" of their communities.

THE COMPLETE ABANDONMENT OF THE 30-YEAR FIREWALL BETWEEN
GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC BROADCASTING

Since 1976, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has received two-year advance appropriations. The primary reason for this is the maintenance of a firewall between public broadcasting's programming and the undue influence of Government.

In order to maintain its high standards of journalistic integrity and ethics, public broadcasting's news and information programming must remain free of political pressure and undue influence from the federal Government. This critical firewall has been in place for more than 30 years and must remain intact to preserve the quality journalism Americans have come to expect from public broadcasting.

In addition to the protective aspect, advance appropriations also allow CPB and grant recipients to include projected federal funding into their budgets, allowing them to plan ahead in terms of program acquisition as well as operational concerns.

And finally, it allows for the production of major programming, such as the popular signature series The Civil War and Eyes on the Prize - programs that typically take years to produce.