Dayhoff Westminster Soundtrack: Washington Times editorial Welfare for public radio

Monday, February 21, 2011

Washington Times editorial Welfare for public radio

EDITORIAL: Welfare for public radio

It’s time to pull the plug on NPR subsidy

The Washington Times 4:48 p.m., Wednesday, February 16, 2011 http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/16/welfare-public-radio/

National Public Radio’s President and CEO Vivian Schiller simply gushed over President Obama’s proposed budget that preserved the funding for public broadcasting that House Republicans would just as soon cut. In expressing her gratitude to the White House, Ms. Schiller helped Republicans make their case.

Last week, House Republicans formally proposed zeroing out the $531 million federal subsidy for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), much of which is used to fund NPR stations and programming. Mr. Obama countered in his budget proposal with proposed increases in CPB funding out to 2014. NPR rushed out a statement praising the “vote of confidence” from the Obama administration, claiming that “public broadcasting is providing an essential service by informing and educating 170 million Americans every month,” a mission they claim “is more relevant than ever.”

Ms. Schiller’s love letter to the very partisan, extremely leftist Obama administration only served to reinforce the argument against such funding. NPR has faced growing criticism for a shocking level of bias in its news operations. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2011/feb/16/welfare-public-radio/

20110216 Washington Times editorial Welfare for public radio

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