Public Radio Federal Aid

In a test of wills between supporters of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Republican Congress seeking to slash its federal funding, audiences focused their rage this week on Orange County Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, flooding his office with about 1,200 calls and faxes.

As Congress moves toward floor debate on an appropriation of $240 million for public broadcasting for fiscal 1998, PBS president and CEO Ervin S. Duggan sounded conciliatory and warily optimistic Wednesday. "We are feeling good about the ultimate survival of public television, and we feel the democratic process is working," he told about 70 reporters, critics and public TV officials on the closing day of the semiannual network press tour in Pasadena.

As criticism of public television and radio from the conservative right becomes increasingly vocal in this election year, officials in public broadcasting say they are bracing for attacks on the order of those that have been volleyed at the National Endowment for the Arts for the past several years. "I'm prepared for it," said John Lawson, director of national affairs for America's Public Television Stations, public broadcasting's lobbying arm.

The Corp. for Public Broadcasting, under orders by Congress to come up with a plan to become independent of federal funding for public TV and radio, submitted its report for cost savings and alternative revenue options on Tuesday but flatly concluded that these "could not compensate for a complete loss of the federal appropriation." "Continued public support is essential," said the corporation's 12-page report, titled "Common Sense for the Future."

Not much has happened in Washington in the two months since a group of conservative Republican senators--claiming that public television and radio were too liberal--used a procedural ploy to hold up a bill authorizing funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. But locally, a torrent of concern over the action--known in Senate jargon as a "hold"--has been unleashed by Santa Monica public-radio station KCRW-FM (89.9), which has been using the situation as a fund-raising tool.

The funding fate of public broadcasting moves into high gear today as the Republican-controlled House of Representatives begins debate on crucial questions of how much to cut from the individual budgets of federal departments and agencies in a $17.2-billion recision bill. At issue are funds allocated by previous Democratic Congresses, primarily a bevy of domestic programs from low-income housing to summer youth jobs. The Corp.

The federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting raised strong objections on constitutional grounds Tuesday to Congress' requirement that an inspector general be appointed to oversee how the corporation spends its money.

As Congress moves toward floor debate on an appropriation of $240 million for public broadcasting for fiscal 1998, PBS president and CEO Ervin S. Duggan sounded conciliatory and warily optimistic Wednesday. "We are feeling good about the ultimate survival of public television, and we feel the democratic process is working," he told about 70 reporters, critics and public TV officials on the closing day of the semiannual network press tour in Pasadena.

At .0003% of the federal budget, public broadcasting doesn't even rate a mention in the fat document's index. But to Newt Gingrich, the $285-million appropriation is a vivid example of how an out-of-touch liberal Establishment has captured control of the nation's purse strings. So, at a recent news conference, the House Speaker stepped up to the plate, just as he's done routinely since launching his campaign to halt taxpayer subsidies for what he calls "this little sandbox for the rich."

The Corp. for Public Broadcasting, under orders by Congress to come up with a plan to become independent of federal funding for public TV and radio, submitted its report for cost savings and alternative revenue options on Tuesday but flatly concluded that these "could not compensate for a complete loss of the federal appropriation." "Continued public support is essential," said the corporation's 12-page report, titled "Common Sense for the Future."

In a test of wills between supporters of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Republican Congress seeking to slash its federal funding, audiences focused their rage this week on Orange County Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, flooding his office with about 1,200 calls and faxes.

The funding fate of public broadcasting moves into high gear today as the Republican-controlled House of Representatives begins debate on crucial questions of how much to cut from the individual budgets of federal departments and agencies in a $17.2-billion recision bill. At issue are funds allocated by previous Democratic Congresses, primarily a bevy of domestic programs from low-income housing to summer youth jobs. The Corp.

At .0003% of the federal budget, public broadcasting doesn't even rate a mention in the fat document's index. But to Newt Gingrich, the $285-million appropriation is a vivid example of how an out-of-touch liberal Establishment has captured control of the nation's purse strings. So, at a recent news conference, the House Speaker stepped up to the plate, just as he's done routinely since launching his campaign to halt taxpayer subsidies for what he calls "this little sandbox for the rich."

As criticism of public television and radio from the conservative right becomes increasingly vocal in this election year, officials in public broadcasting say they are bracing for attacks on the order of those that have been volleyed at the National Endowment for the Arts for the past several years. "I'm prepared for it," said John Lawson, director of national affairs for America's Public Television Stations, public broadcasting's lobbying arm.

Not much has happened in Washington in the two months since a group of conservative Republican senators--claiming that public television and radio were too liberal--used a procedural ploy to hold up a bill authorizing funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. But locally, a torrent of concern over the action--known in Senate jargon as a "hold"--has been unleashed by Santa Monica public-radio station KCRW-FM (89.9), which has been using the situation as a fund-raising tool.

The federally funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting raised strong objections on constitutional grounds Tuesday to Congress' requirement that an inspector general be appointed to oversee how the corporation spends its money.