Written by: Tom Rieland
Date: March 18, 2011
Business First in Columbus published an editorial about the federal funding for public broadcasting issue today that was reasonable, positive and factual! So many of the recent editorials have been the opposite. Under the headline “Public Broadcasting Deserves a Better Debate,” the editorial board of Business First described the current debate as “slash and trash tactics” by some in Congress that “prove this is strictly an ideological assault…with no willingness to meet on middle ground.” It also pointed out that bipartisan pollsters found recently that 7 of 10 Americans disagree with proposals to chop public broadcasting funds. The poll found people value public broadcasting quality, contributions to public discourse and commercial independence. Their trust in public broadcasting was immense. My only issue with the editorial is how it describes “tea baggers” and other tea party activists, which only serves to fan the flame of ideology. I would hope someday we get beyond the partisanship as it relates to any discussion about governmental funding for public media.