House Appropriators Tout CPB Mission Amid Administration Threat

CPB leadership received a largely warm welcome Tuesday in testifying before House appropriators. The Trump administration earlier proposed to slash funding for CPB for FY 2018. Earlier this month, House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., told us he backed CPB and thought it had “decisive” support in the House (see 1703160060).

“It’s literally been 10 years since we last had you here,” Cole told CPB executives Tuesday. “It’s a delight to have you here.”

CPB “requests level funding of $445 million" FY 2020, "$55 million in FY 2018 for the replacement of the public broadcasting interconnection system, and $30 million for Ready To Learn at the Department of Education,” CPB CEO Pat Harrison told lawmakers in written testimony.

“As the Trump administration proposes to eliminate federal support for public television and public radio, we need to consider the profound impact this organization has had in our communities,” said subcommittee ranking member Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., said. “The dollars don’t stay in Washington, D.C.” They help communities, she said. “Studies have shown that alternative sources of funding are unrealistic.” A federal funding cutoff risks a collapse “of the system itself,” she warned, calling the prospect a “travesty.” She noted CPB has requested years of flat funding.

“In Washington, it seems bad ideas never die,” Appropriations Committee ranking member Nita Lowey, D-N.Y., said of the Trump administration targeting CPB: The cutoff “would devastate local broadcast stations that are supported by more than 90 percent of CPB funding.” She fears many stations wouldn't survive, citing the subcommittee’s past resistance of such a “misguided pursuit” as defunding CPB as a key factor in the debate now: “Eight of 10 Americans trust PBS.” She accused the administration of trying to shut down public media as a way of shutting down transparency, citing President Donald Trump’s label of “fake news” for many media outlets.

Some Concern

“I can’t explain to the people in my district why CPB invested $302,000 in Kumu Hina,” said Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md. “Given what Kumu Hina’s about, my district doesn’t care whether CPB produces that and in fact, they would resent if I was publicly funding that. Similarly with Baby Mama High.” That figure is on the CPB website, which describes Kumu Hina as a documentary that “presents an intimate portrait of a Native Hawaiian mahu, or transgender woman, a proud and confident teacher named Hina, who uses traditional culture to create a place in the middle where every student is accepted.” Baby Mama High is a documentary focused on a Latina high school student with two children.

“Maybe we don’t get it right 100 percent of the time,” Harrison replied. But she bets CPB does so on about 90 percent of occasions, she said. Harrison cited value it offers to those who can't afford cable and other services.

In later questioning, Harris cited government-funded programming in other countries like Russia and said CPB's agenda isn't education. “This public broadcasting station chose a politically charged term,” he said of the phrase “marriage equality.” He said it’s biased: “If you come for government funding, you must remove as many vestiges of political agenda as you can.” He acknowledged that in most cases, CPB gets it right. “I take your point,” Harrison told Harris, citing the goal for balance and objectivity. She said she would like to sit with Harris and discuss those points.

"I think you make your case very well," Cole said at the end of the hearing. Harrison is in a "high profile and very demanding position," he said. "As my good friend from Maryland says, these are public dollars." But the budget is "comparatively modest" and the money well used, he said.

'Indispensable' Investment

“The federal investment in public media is indispensable to sustaining the essential public service mission of America’s public media stations defined by community-based accountability and universal service,” Harrison testified. She noted the importance of public media’s value as a provider of news “in this disruptive and fragmented media environment” and invoked those concerns in answering questions: “We’re living in this environment of fake news.” The lack of public funding would be a threat: “A commercialized Ready to Learn would not work,” Harrison told lawmakers. She noted public media helping in emergencies and referred to a “domino effect” of bad consequences for communities.

Several lawmakers expressed appreciation for CPB. “Honestly, the more rural and the poorer your community is, the more important a role this mechanism plays,” Cole said. “Usually the best broadcasting at what’s happening at your state capital, it’s almost always at your public television station.” CPB has “tremendous value,” said Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard, D-Calif. “We so appreciate what you all do,” said Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis. Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., asked how CPB has adapted and is forming partnerships, such as with HBO on Sesame Street. “We haven’t embraced the status quo in any way,” Harrison replied, saying CPB has strived to remain relevant. Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., noted PBS’ commitment to diversity and its meaning to her: “Fundamental to our democracy is free media, and this is another move by the Trump administration to shut down the free media.”

Friday is the signing deadline for a letter that Reps. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., and Dave Reichert, R-Wash., are circulating backing funding for CPB (see 1703130059). Neither is a subcommittee member.

Harrison said “the vast majority” of public TV stations didn’t participate in the FCC broadcast TV incentive auction. “For those stations that participated, this one time only influx of monies may allow the recipients to strengthen their financial foundation, enhance their local educational mission, and increase their service to their communities,” she testified. “For all other stations and public media writ large, the continued federal investment is essential to sustaining this valued service.” Public TV and some public radio stations will face repacking costs and “it is not certain that the $1.75 billion that Congress has set aside to cover the costs of the repack will be sufficient,” she said. “The spectrum auction process does not provide any financial assistance to public television stations for translators needed to change channels in the repack. This places an undue financial burden on those stations since they will assume the extra expense as they seek to ensure universal access.”