I just wanted to share some very cool news with you.
Over the last couple of days, over 300,000 people (including 80,000 who are totally new to MoveOn) have signed on to our petition to save NPR and PBS. That brings the total number of signers to over 1,400,000—making this not only our largest petition ever, but one of the largest petitions anyone's done.
But the next vote in Congress will be as soon as tomorrow. To stop Congress' budget cuts, we need to go even bigger: we're aiming for 1.5 million of us to sign on by tomorrow. Can you join us by adding your name to the petition to protect NPR and PBS? It just takes a minute, but it'll make a real impact.
Just click here:
http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadcastingHere's what the petition says: "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've attached our original email—with all the details on the issue, below. After you've signed, can you pass this on to friends and family who might be interested in signing as well?
It's great to see so much energy around this important issue. As MoveOn member Kris from Michigan says, "NPR and PBS...promote good journalism, education and culture like no other source on radio and TV. They are important to the growth of our society."
Thanks,
–Noah
Dear MoveOn member,
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."1
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.2
Sign the petition telling Congress to save NPR and PBS again this year:
http://civic.moveon.org/publicbroadcasting Last year, over 1 million of us signed the petition, and Congress listened. We can do it again if you pass this message along to any friends, neighbors, or co-workers who count on NPR and PBS for news or children's programming.
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 lawmakers who proposed the cuts aren't just trying to save money in the budget—they're trying to decimate any news outlets willing to ask tough questions of those in power. Americans trust public broadcasting more than any corporate news media.3 This is an ideological attack on our free press.
President Bush's budget proposed cuts to NPR and PBS4, but Congress is going even further: slashing 23% of this year's public broadcasting budget—$115 million—and denying NPR and PBS any funding in two years. The cuts immediately terminate support for commercial-free children's shows like "Sesame Street," "Clifford," and "Maya and Miguel."
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/publicbroadcastingThank you for all you do.
–Noah, Eli, Adam G., Tom, Marika and the MoveOn.org Civic Action Team
Thursday, June 8th, 2006
P.S. You can learn more about the threat to public broadcasting from our
friends at Free Press at:
http://www.freepress.net/publicbroadcasting/ Sources:
1. "GOP takes aim at PBS funding," Boston Globe, June 8, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1864&id=8004-6790652-BOgZ2qVzehx5zumuqTyRrg&t=5PBS' Ready to Learn program (funds "Sesame Street" and other children's shows)
http://www.pbs.org/readytolearn/ 2. "CPB Responds to House Appropriations Subcommittee's Proposed Funding Levels for Public Broadcasting," Corporation for Public Broadcasting, June 7, 2006
http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=551 3. "2005 'Open to the Public' Objectivity and Balance Report," Corporation for Public Broadcasting, January 31, 2006
http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/goals/objectivity/ 4. "Bush Budget Pumps Propaganda, Slashes PBS," MediaCitizen, February 7, 2006
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=1865&id=8004-6790652-BOgZ2qVzehx5zumuqTyRrg&t=6
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