As you've probably heard, public radio is currently facing threats of drastic cuts to or elimination of federal funding.
At its core, the conversation about federal funding for public broadcasting is about values. It’s about making sure our elected officials reflect our values in how they legislate.
Federal funding for public broadcasting results in access to news and information for everyone, in big cities and in rural areas -- areas without broadband or other ways to stay connected, areas that receive at best a handful of radio stations, and at worst, just one. It’s about valuing classical, jazz, and world music, as well as other forms of expression which are important to our heritage, but perhaps not as attractive to commercial broadcasters. It’s about our nation’s value of and need for fair, even-handed, and rational discussion of current events, the kind of conversation you only hear on public radio.
Simply put, public broadcasting is a cultural institution -- not dissimilar to our nation’s museums, colleges, and public libraries. Its strength lies in its ubiquity, its accessibility, and its durability. And its mission is carried out to those 170 million Americans thanks in large part to support from listeners, viewers, and supporting partners. But another critical piece also comes from federal funding.
The cut or elimination of those funds will affect this institution of public broadcasting. Some stations will cut programming. Some will go away. Some will be OK, but will exist in a drastically changed industry. If you value what this institution stands for, we encourage you to act.
You can also connect with 170MillionAmericans on Facebook or Twitter.
Thank you!
88.5 WFDD · Your NPR News & Triad Arts Station from
Wake Forest University · wfdd@wfu.edu 1834 Wake Forest Road #8850 · Winston-Salem, NC 27109 · 336-758-8850
88.5 WFDD, the NPR® news and Triad Arts station broadcasting from Wake Forest University, is the only public radio station of its kind located in the Piedmont Triad. It broadcasts news, information, and public affairs programming covering the arts, people, and institutions in the area from both its Winston-Salem and Greensboro studios.
The state's charter NPR® member, 88.5 WFDD is the longest continuously broadcasting public radio station in North Carolina. It is a member of the North Carolina Public Radio Association.
