If
Twitter is any gauge, noncommercial broadcasting has more to fear
than fear itself when it comes to possible Republican threats to its
funding and its future.
The latest
tweet from GOP Whip and, as of yesterday, House Majority Leader-elect
Eric Cantor (R-Va.) was quickly re-tweeted numerous times: "This week's #YouCut winner: eliminating
taxpayer-funded support for NPR, potentially saving taxpayers tens of
millions of $s."
The CPB
Board at a meeting in New Orleans this week expressed its deep concern
over the possible fallout from the firing of Juan Williams, while the
co-chairs of a presidential commission on fiscal
responsibility advised that funding for noncommercial radio and TV
should be cut as one of the tough decisions necessary to fight the
deficit.
You Cut is Republicans' effort in which online voters pick the program spending they want to cut. It
has been an effort of the minority, but with the Republicans regaining the House, it could take on new weight and implication.
NPR was the
latest "winner," and Fox News was reporting that House Republicans would
make a primarily symbolic effort Thursday (it is a lame duck session
still controlled by Democrats) to slash NPR
funding.
NPR fired Williams after comments he made about Muslims on Bill O'Reilly's Fox News program.
Republicans
have periodically tried to cut or pare back funding for noncommercial
broadcasting, arguing that it is government funding of a liberal leaning
service.
