Governor Cuts All Funding to Public Broadcasting

STATEMENT BY FPBS IN RESPONSE TO GOVERNOR’S VETO
OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING APPROPRIATION

Supporters of local public broadcasting stations across the state are deeply dismayed by the Governor’s veto of the appropriation for Florida public television and radio.

The State of Florida’s investment in public media is a hugely successful private-public partnership spanning more than 35 years.

State funding for public broadcasting is popular, effective, efficient – and at 25 cents annually per Floridian, it’s a bargain. The Legislature supports it. Floridians treasure it. Sadly, the Governor has unilaterally chosen to end the State’s investment in this public-private partnership that improves education and the quality of life for all Floridians. 

• Florida’s public television stations serve as the pre-school classroom for children with over 60 hours a week of standards-based educational programs. 

• Research studies consistently demonstrate that PBS children’s programs are effective educational tools, and a report for the Legislature recommended that:
• “Public broadcasting appropriations should continue to be funded through the education budget” and
• “The Department of Education should explicitly incorporate educational television in the delivery of the Universal Prekindergarten program, as well as related teacher training activities designed to enhance and support such television programming, based on the Public Broadcasting Service model.”*
  
  * Council for Education Policy, Research and Improvement, 2005

• Florida’s public television stations serve as the statewide delivery system for the Florida Channel – providing coverage of Florida’s legislative, judicial and executive branches of government.

• Florida’s public radio stations are a critical link in the state’s Emergency Management Network – providing key safety and hurricane evacuation information.

• Public radio and television are acclaimed and beloved for high-quality, non-commercial educational and informative programming.

Elimination of state funding will inevitably lead to the loss of programs, services, and jobs in communities across Florida.