I like PBS. I like the shows they show. I like the shows they make. I hope WGBH never stops making shows. I like that they make restricted British stuff available for streaming in America. But if PBS is only getting about 20% of its budget from the federal government, I don’t see why they can’t make that up through the corporate funding and viewers like you that they apparently use for the other 80% of their budget. Do four pledge drives a year instead of three. Problem solved.
Consequently, I don’t really have a problem with Chris Christie selling off New Jersey’s public broadcasting stations. Even more so since it sounds like he’s just leasing them to other public broadcasting stations. And those states back East are so small it’s kind of immaterial, really. You could take four or five of those “states” and combine them into something resembling an actual state. Christie is saving the state, well, I don’t know all the details so $2-$4 million. Call Bill Gates up and see if he can donate some pocket change.
Since I was on the site, I’d just like to point out that once again, the Idaho government is giving the northern half of the state the shaft. On the other hand I applaud their thriftiness in getting Washington state to provide us with our public television.
Not So Fast 