Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations • Hacker News Board

Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#211

Post by CGMthrowaway » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:24 PM UTC

UncleOxidant wrote: post #141

another_twist wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thats expected. In functioning democracies state media is run for the purpose not profit. It doesnt have the corrupting influence of political money. PBS in the US could be so much better. Just look at what BBC is able to do in the UK.

> PBS in the US could be so much better. PBS Newshour is pretty much the best/balanced news programming on US TV at this point. They take deeper dives into issues than most of the other shows out there. And then there's Frontline which is excellent and goes even deeper with a documentary format. The rest of PBS - there are a few good parts like Nova, but a lot of what plays on PBS stations these days is UK crime dram…

>PBS Newshour

Haven't watched this since I was a kid. Just scrubbed through the latest episode. I was surprised, it's not bad. Left-leaning to my eye, but FAR less so than any other left-leaning mainstream TV media I can think of. And as you point out, more substantial and meaningful coverage than you typically get anywhere else. I would be happy to encourage anyone to watch more PBS Newshour based on that

Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#212

Post by SV_BubbleTime » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:24 PM UTC

sleet_spotter wrote: post #206

delichon wrote: post #132

I hear many things on broadcast media that are contrary to my values, and tend to prune those sources from my media diet. When I am obliged by law to support those sources anyway, I get resentful. So I have been wishing for this since Ronald Reagan proposed it. To me the bright line of "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech" is crossed at least in spirit when the state seizes a dollar from a…

While I sympathize with the feeling, it’s a stretch to say “obligated by law”. You pay taxes, which your legally-elected representatives decide how to spend. We elect them to speak and choose on our behalf. It isn’t a “loophole” when this runs afoul of an individual’s values. It is simply that we have a representative government that makes decisions by majority votes. I don’t agree with most defense spending, but I a…

>While I sympathize with the feeling, it’s a stretch to say “obligated by law”. You pay taxes,

The number of steps that “Pay Taxes” is removed from “Literally At Fucking Gunpoint” is not as many steps as you might think.

Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#213

Post by glial » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:24 PM UTC

vel0city wrote: post #169

tptacek wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm sure they will, but public funding for my local NPR and PBS stations amounts to something like 5% of their budget; they aren't going anywhere. NPR and PBS as institutions are more threatened by the Internet than they are by this funding cut. I don't support the cut, but I get the vibe that many people commenting on this thread don't know what CPB is.

> public funding for my local NPR and PBS stations Ah, so it's not going anywhere because it's not directly affecting your station. Got it. For many other people it is going away . This will affect your station though. Lots of stations spent a good bit of their budgets on content from PBS and NPR. While direct federal sources aren't a massive chunk of their income, revenues from member stations is . This will impact…

Is there any way to find out which stations will be affected, and by how much (e.g. proportion of budget)?

Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#214

Post by jordanpg » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:24 PM UTC

legitster wrote: post #38

Contrary to the conservative spin over the years, I have found public broadcasting to be one of the least biased sources of headline news and information available. (For their national broadcasts at least - local ... can be hit or miss). In particular, their kids programming is the absolute best. Nothing flashy or exciting, but it's laser focused on education and has zero agenda. And the PBS kids apps are one of the…

Every parent reading this knows full well how much time their kid has spent watching PBS Kids and playing the many pretty-decent games on the PBS Kids app.

All free.

Donate. Recurring is better.

Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#215

Post by bitlax » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:24 PM UTC

jagged-chisel wrote: post #181

legitster wrote: post #38

Contrary to the conservative spin over the years, I have found public broadcasting to be one of the least biased sources of headline news and information available. (For their national broadcasts at least - local ... can be hit or miss). In particular, their kids programming is the absolute best. Nothing flashy or exciting, but it's laser focused on education and has zero agenda. And the PBS kids apps are one of the…

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Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#216

Post by gizzlon » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:24 PM UTC

munchler wrote: post #20

I listen to NPR every day and, honestly, I think this might be for the best. It's going to hurt for a while, but in the end, I think public broadcasting will be stronger when it stands on its own without interference from politicians.

> when it stands on its own without interference from politicians

Why on earth do you think it will be free of interference? Obviously they will find other ways to pressure and censor them. As they have done in many cases already.

Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#217

Post by jaredklewis » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:25 PM UTC

another_twist wrote: post #52

legitster wrote: post #38

Contrary to the conservative spin over the years, I have found public broadcasting to be one of the least biased sources of headline news and information available. (For their national broadcasts at least - local ... can be hit or miss). In particular, their kids programming is the absolute best. Nothing flashy or exciting, but it's laser focused on education and has zero agenda. And the PBS kids apps are one of the…

Thats expected. In functioning democracies state media is run for the purpose not profit. It doesnt have the corrupting influence of political money. PBS in the US could be so much better. Just look at what BBC is able to do in the UK.

> PBS in the US could be so much better.

Do you have a specific grievance? How could it be better?

Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#218

Post by 1234letshaveatw » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:25 PM UTC

dpkirchner wrote: post #131

smithkl42 wrote: post #76

> Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country,” Harrison said. If that was true, losing the CPB would be a travesty. But as a loyal NPR listener for decades, I've found their stuff lately to be unlistenable. It's Fox, but for the Left, and with a bit more of an…

I don't agree -- NPR is about as center-right as it's possible to be. Just look at the efforts they've made to normalize Trump, it's way over the top.

So true, it is so telling that everyone complaining about it is a conservative...

Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#219

Post by photonthug » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:25 PM UTC

nabwodahs wrote: post #124

smithkl42 wrote: post #76

> Public media has been one of the most trusted institutions in American life, providing educational opportunity, emergency alerts, civil discourse, and cultural connection to every corner of the country,” Harrison said. If that was true, losing the CPB would be a travesty. But as a loyal NPR listener for decades, I've found their stuff lately to be unlistenable. It's Fox, but for the Left, and with a bit more of an…

Can you cite specific examples of this "bias?"

As linked elsewhere in this thread, see Uri Berliner on the subject https://www.thefp.com/p/npr-editor-how-npr-lost-americas-tru...

Re: Corporation for Public Broadcasting ceasing operations

#220

Post by bevr1337 » Fri, Aug 01, 2025, 6:26 PM UTC

bitlax wrote: post #157

legitster wrote: post #38

Contrary to the conservative spin over the years, I have found public broadcasting to be one of the least biased sources of headline news and information available. (For their national broadcasts at least - local ... can be hit or miss). In particular, their kids programming is the absolute best. Nothing flashy or exciting, but it's laser focused on education and has zero agenda. And the PBS kids apps are one of the…

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PBS and NPR don't have regional programming. They're national. Local, member stations provide regional content. You'd be comparing WETA to OETA.

I'm looking at your WETA TV guide and it is completely standard material. We've got kids cartoons, Bob Ross, some selections from BBC and Bloomberg, and Ask This Old House (one of my favorites). OETA has almost identical programming.

Where's the programming where they bully people about race and sex? Are you talking about that couple that give the good financial advice? Or maybe those cooks on America's Test Kitchen? I never did trust that Wishbone dog...