People are often surprised to learn that a typical Public Television stations derives approximately only 20 percent of its operating revenues from the federal government. Nevertheless, that percentage represents crucial seed money that is then leveraged to attract the balance of funding—ranging from individuals, foundations, corporate underwriters and even state or local governments.

Federal Funding Comes from Several "Pots"

Appropriations for programs that support public broadcasting are spread among three separate appropriations bills. The Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies subcommittee funds the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) annual appropriation, as well as digital transition funding through CPB, interconnection, and the education programs Ready To Learn and Ready To Teach. [CPB’s annual “regular” appropriation is advance-funded by two years, meaning that the pending request is for FY 2008; the FY 2006 funding was already approved as part of the FY 2004 budget.]

The Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP), a competitive, matching-grant program that funds the repair and replacement of public broadcasting equipment, is funded through the Commerce, Justice, State and the Judiciary Subcommittee in the Senate and the Science, State, Justice and Commerce Subcommittee* in the House. Finally, in recent years funding to assist rural stations in making the transition to digital has been appropriated through the Agriculture, Rural Development and Related Agencies Subcommittees.

*The House of Representatives reorganized the House Appropriations Committee in the beginning of the 109th Congress, winnowing the previous 13 subcommittees down to 10. This caused some realignments in subcommittee jurisdictions and, in some cases, renaming of subcommittees. The Senate, meanwhile, retained the traditional structure.