[ACLU-NM] Save Big Bird from the chopping block
Kimberly Lavender
klavender at ACLU-NM.org
Mon Jun 13 16:44:28 MDT 2005
free press
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19477005&url_num=1&u
rl=http://www.freepress.net/>
ACTION ALERT
The partisan attack on public broadcasting continues. First, they
targeted PBS and NPR news programs for signs of "liberal bias." Now
they're sharpening their knives for Big Bird.
A congressional subcommittee has voted to slash more than $200 million
in funding for public broadcasting, including $23.4 million earmarked
for "Ready to Learn" children's educational programming -- the money
that keeps shows like "Sesame Street," "Arthur," and "Clifford the Big
Red Dog" on the air.
Thousands of phone calls are needed today to save public broadcasting.
Call your member of Congress now.
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19477005&url_num=2&u
rl=http://www.freepress.net/action/callcongress.php?a=savepbs>
The subcommittee slashed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's
budget by $100 million and voted to "zero out" all federal money for CPB
within two years. Small television and radio stations that serve rural
communities and minority audiences will be devastated by these cuts.
The CPB is already embroiled in controversy over Chairman Kenneth
Tomlinson's attempts to withhold funding from PBS programs that don't
follow his conservative political line. Apparently dissatisfied with
this effort to make public broadcasting more "fair and balanced," the
Republican majority is now trying to bankrupt the entire system.
We must stop these cuts from passing in the House of Representatives.
Here's what you can do:
1. Call your U.S.representative
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19477005&url_num=3&u
rl=http://www.freepress.net/action/callcongress.php?a=savepbs> and ask
him or her to restore full funding for public broadcasting. Tell your
representative: "Like millions and millions of other Americans, I rely
on public broadcasting's superb children's programming and trustworthy
news and information. Please protect public broadcasting and restore
full federal funding for PBS, NPR and the Corporation for Public
Broadcasting."
2. Send a letter
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19477005&url_num=4&u
rl=http://www.freepress.net/action/callcongress.php?a=savepbs> to Reps.
Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) and Ralph Regula (R-Ohio), the chairman and vice
chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, letting them know that
the American public opposes these cuts and doesn't want partisan
interference in public broadcasting.
Congress needs to hear from the tens of millions of Americans who tune
in every day -- whether it's for Big Bird or Bill Moyers, "Reading
Rainbow" or "Morning Edition." Despite overwhelming popular support for
public broadcasting, the Republican leadership and partisan board
members at the CPB are attempting to gag and starve public media in
America.
Don't let them. Call your representatives right away
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19477005&url_num=5&u
rl=http://www.freepress.net/action/callcongress.php?a=savepbs> -- and
forward this message to everyone you know.
Onward,
Timothy Karr
Campaign Director
www.freepress.net
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19477005&url_num=6&u
rl=http://www.freepress.net>
P.S. To learn more about Free Press' campaign to put the public back in
public broadcasting, visit our new Web site at
www.freepress.net/publicbroadcasting
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19477005&url_num=7&u
rl=http://www.freepress.net/publicbroadcasting> .
P.P.S. More than 85,000 concerned citizens have signed our petitions
calling for CPB Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson to resign. Free Press will
deliver the petitions on June 20, when the CPB's board of directors
meets in Washington. Sign the petition now
<http://www.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?key=19477005&url_num=8&u
rl=http://www.freepress.net/action/pbs> .
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