The federal investment in public broadcasting is strongly supported by Americans across the political spectrum:
• A national survey by the bipartisan polling firms of Hart Research and American Viewpoint in 2011 indicates more than two-thirds of American voters (69%) oppose proposals to eliminate government funding of public broadcasting, with Americans across the political spectrum against such a cut – including 83% of Democrats,
69% of Independents, and 56% of Republicans.
• A 2012 Harris Interactive poll shows that Americans consider PBS to be the second most valuable use of public funds, behind only national defense as the most trusted institution for the 9 th year in a row.
• In a typical week, NPR and its member stations reach nearly 1 out of every 7 US adults, 74 percent of whom participate in a federal, state and local election. The audience for public radio programming and newscasts is greater than the combined circulation of the top 64 national newspapers.
• Public broadcasting serves over 98 percent of Americans – more than 170 million people each month – including those in the most rural areas.
The public’s interest is served by strong local control:
• Public stations are locally licensed and operated with programming schedules and choices determined locally.
• Member stations are managed locally by professionals who are governed by local leaders and accountable to the communities they serve.
• Stations provide underserved rural, minority, elderly, and very young audiences in their local communities with programming and services our colleagues in commercial broadcasting have no economic incentive to provide. In many areas, public broadcasters provide the only source of local broadcasting in their communities.
• The national/local partnership of public broadcasting allows local stations to pool resources and present a distinctive service that combines the broad impact of national programming with locally produced content and community outreach.
• Any proposal that seeks to restrict America’s investment in public broadcasting to specific genres of content does not serve the public interest and is detrimental to the public broadcasting system, undermining the intricate, responsive foundation of a system that has been one of America’s most successful, cost-effective public-private partnerships.
Federal funds are an investment producing demonstrable, enduring returns:
• Public television and radio stations leverage every $1.00 of federal funding invested to raise an additional
$6.00 on their own – a highly effective public-private partnership.
• Each day, the American public receives an enduring and daily return on investment that is heard, seen, read and experienced in public broadcasting broadcasts, apps, podcasts, and online – all for the cost of about $1.35 per person per year.
• The federal investment in public broadcasting is roughly one-hundredth of one percent of the federal budget.
Elimination of funding would have almost no impact on the nation’s debt, but the loss to the American public would be devastating.

• PBS KIDS is the #1 educational media brand. It is the No. 1 source of TV and online content used by preschool teachers. Research has demonstrated that children who view PBS KIDS content experience significantly enhanced literacy skills. For example, children who watched PBS SUPER WHY! scored 46% higher on standardized tests than those who did not watch the show.
• PBS’s online Learning Media gives teachers thousands of free, standards-based, curriculum-aligned, interactive digital learning objects that are helping to revolutionize the K-12 learning experience throughout the country.
•
Leveraged federal funding provides significant benefits at the local level including:
• well-informed citizenry with access to high-quality national and local news, public affairs, historical and cultural programming not available anywhere else in the media universe;
• lifelong learning opportunities ranging from virtual high schools to GED high-school diploma equivalency programs to job training programs; and
• deployment of broadcast spectrum in public safety, emergency alert, and homeland security partnerships nationwide.
$57.5 million in funding cuts have already been sustained:
During these challenging economic times, we understand that every program and function receiving federal funding will be scrutinized. In the past two years, the federal investment in public broadcasting has been reduced by $57.5 million – the equivalent a 13% cut in current funding levels, including:
• Elimination of CPB’s digital innovation and transition fund - $36 million
• Elimination of public broadcasting’s equipment replacement fund - $20 million
• Reduction in public television’s rural digital program - $1.5 million
Federal funding is irreplaceable:
• On June 20, at the request of Congress, CPB submitted a report on alternative sources of funding for public broadcasting stations in lieu of federal funding. CPB engaged Booz & Company to conduct research for the report as a way to ensure objectivity.
• After extensive analysis, the report concludes that none of the alternative sources of revenue offers a realistic opportunity to generate revenue that could replace federal funding through CPB. It also confirms that there is no combination of alternative sources of funding that together could replace the federal appropriation.
• Other studies, including one authored by the Government Accountability Office in 2007, offered similar findings.
CPB plays an essential role in fostering the advancement of public broadcasting:
• As the steward of the nation’s investment in public broadcasting, CPB is an engine for innovation, collaboration and efficiency. Mission-driven projects include the American Graduate initiative, Diversity &
Innovation Fund, and Local Journalism Centers.
In addition to efficiently providing key services critical to all station operations, CPB efforts to grow station and system effectiveness have resulted in improved operational efficiency, increased economies of scale and long-term sustainability.
# # #