Public Television America

’s Endangered Asset Essay, Research Paper

merica,” saw funding for public broadcasting as an easy target for spending cuts. He stated that one reason to cut funding of public broadcasting is because its programming is elitist. He argued that programming like ballet and opera found on pubic television serves only the upper class. one of his fellow Republicans have joined him in this attack on the Public Broadcasting Service. They argue that public television, which supposedly served only this small group of people, should not have to edpend on the federal government for funding. The Public Broadcasting Service sould become more independent be capitalizing on the popularity of some of its programs such as “Barney” and Ken Burns’s “Civil War.” PBS could also also sell argrment aginst government funding for public broadcasting is that the government simply canot afford it. With the rising cost of Medicare and other social services, public broadcasting is viewed by many politicians as an unnecessary expense.

Although these arguments aginst government funding for public broadcasting are convincing, the benefits of supporting public broadcasting far outweigh its costs. One major benefit of public broadcasting is the fact that all people who own a television can enjoy its free service. Contrary to Newt Gingrich,s

belief, public broadcasting is not elitist. Public television takes ballet and opera to rural areas which would otherwise never be exposed to such things. Thanks to the Public Broadcasting Service, everyon can become interested in the arts, regardless of income or social status. Public television offers programs geared toward every interest from wood-working to Wall Street. It services gegments of the population that commercial television has traditionally ignored, including women and various ethnic and religious groups. This programming gills the void made be commercial broadcasting.

Only a very small fraction of the budget in seeded to keep the Public Broadcasting Service in operation. This small price provides the entire nation with an immeasuravle service of education and entertainment. Public television strives to educate and encourage all people for a better tomorrow. This goal can only be reached with the help of government funding. Granted, action must be taken to reduce the enormous federal deficit this country now faces: however, the problem could be solved more easily by cutting equally from all parts of the budget instead of isolating public broadcasting. Politicians should look elsewhere for ways to reim spending, because the Public Broadcasting Service is an asset that the nation cannot afford to lose.