My dad just forwarded the following message to me:
Hi,
Everyone expected House Republicans to give up efforts to kill NPR and PBS after a massive public outcry stopped them last year. But they’ve just voted to eliminate funding for NPR and PBS—unbelievably, starting with programs like “Sesame Street.”
Public broadcasting would lose nearly a quarter of its federal funding this year. Even worse, all funding would be eliminated in two years–threatening one of the last remaining sources of watchdog journalism.
Sign the petition telling Congress to save NPR and PBS again this year:
http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting/
Last year, millions of us took action to save NPR and PBS, and Congress listened. We can do it again if enough of us sign the petition in time.
This would be the most severe cut in the history of public broadcasting. The Boston Globe reports the cuts “could force the elimination of some popular PBS and NPR programs.” NPR’s president expects rural public radio stations may be forced to shut down.
The House and Senate are deciding if public broadcasting will survive, and they need to hear from viewers like you. Sign the petition at:
http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting/
Thanks!
P.S. Read the Boston Globe story on the threat to NPR and PBS at:
I’m never sure how much effect formletter campaigns will have, but I don’t know where I’d get my news without Public Radio (which, despite it’s recent conservative turn, is better than anything else I can get easily). So I joined the bandwagon and signed.
The boilerplate reads:
Dear senators and representative,
(Your personal note)
Congress must save NPR, PBS, and local public stations. We trust them for in-depth news and educational children’s programming. It’s money well spent.
I always struggle with “personal notes” in such impersonal contexts (like the office get well card for the person you didn’t know worked in the office), but this is what I came up with:
Please understand: I vote for the candidate that votes for community, and public broadcasting is an essential part of my community.
Eh, I’m not going to forward the email plea to anybody, but if public broadcasting is at all important to you, please pay attention to this story and consider taking some action.