George takes a swipe at Big Bird

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

More specifically the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was a horrible idea that grew out of a specific moment in time (when there were only three networks on which to broadcast content and barriers to distribution were monumental) that doesn't exist any more and it should be done away with.

This, I'm not so sure about - certainly things are different that the days of 3 Networks. But the times when I cruise the gazzillion channels, I really don't find much that speaks to me in the same way as the publicly funded stuff. Maybe that's becasue that niche is already filled by them?

For the record, my support is mostly in terms of radio. I rarely watch TV (no judgement intended there, just a statement of my personal viewing facts) PBS or otherwise.

[Alex]

Originally Posted by €uroMeinke

This, I'm not so sure about - certainly things are different that the days of 3 Networks. But the times when I cruise the gazzillion channels, I really don't find much that speaks to me in the same way as the publicly funded stuff. Maybe that's becasue that niche is already filled by them.

And this is where I get left behind. The feeling that if you have a preference in content, that the government should subsidize its existence if nobody else will.

I'd prefer that there be a commercial-free revival of Firefly but have no expectation that the government step in and give me one. Either I find enough like-minded people or it doesn't happen.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

And this is where I get left behind. The feeling that if you have a preference in content, that the government should subsidize its existence if nobody else will.

To be sure, I don't expect the government to fund my interests (but I have expressed my bias above) but I want to at least ensure that I have access to my interests.

If cable is expected to replace CPB braodcasts - then give me a voucher I can use toward my cable billl to cover my access to the bandwidth I just lost to another identical network.