APTS Statement on Federal Funding for Public Broadcasting
WASHINGTON — July 17, 2012 — The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) is deeply disappointed to see that the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor-Health & Human Services-Education has proposed deep rescissions in federal funding for public broadcasting in the next two years and complete defunding in fiscal 2015. Following is the statement of APTS president and CEO Patrick Butler:
“This proposal flies in the face of the will of the American people, who routinely rank public broadcasting as one of the best investments the federal government makes and who overwhelmingly support our work and our public service mission, across the ideological spectrum.
“Our total federal funding has been cut by 13 percent over the past two fiscal years, and while this loss of funding has hurt our system significantly, we have never argued that we should be immune to the sacrifice that all Americans are being asked to make to help bring the federal deficit and national debt under control.
“But the House Labor-H proposal to eliminate our funding entirely would mean the end of public broadcasting in America, as the Government Accountability Office found in 2007 and as a study requested by the Labor-H Subcommittee last year has just concluded.
“We are grateful that the Senate Appropriations Committee has already recommended level funding of $445 million for public broadcasting and that the President has made the same recommendation in his current budget proposal.
“We look forward to working with our friends in the House, the Senate and the White House to keep this funding secure.”
About APTS
The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization established in 1979. The mission of APTS is to conduct – in concert with member stations – advocacy, planning, research and communications activities in order to achieve strong and financially sound noncommercial television and advanced digital services for the American people. APTS provides consistent leadership and information that helps our members better accomplish their own missions and goals. Through its affiliate APTS Action, APTS promotes the legislative and regulatory interests of noncommercial television stations at the national level through direct advocacy, and grasstops and grassroots campaigns designed to garner congressional support. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
###
