System/Policy

Republicans’ proposed budget would zero out CPB funding

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Though its chances of advancing in Congress are considered slim, the proposed budget put forth this week by House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan would zero out funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Ryan said in the budget document released Tuesday that federal subsidies for CPB and the National Endowment for the Humanities could “no longer be justified.”

“The activities and content funded by these agencies go beyond the core mission of the federal government,” the document reads. “These agencies can raise funds from private-sector patrons, which will also free them from any risk of political interference.”

The proposed budget does not stipulate whether the zeroed-out funding would apply to the already appropriated two-year funding cycle, or whether it would be implemented after the forward-funded cycle. Patrick Butler, president of the Association of Public Television Stations, said the proposal was expected. Ryan’s staffers told Butler a few weeks ago that the proposed budget would include zeroed-out funding.

Quick Takes

Congress passes omnibus spending bill, secures $445M for CPB

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A government-wide spending bill containing more than $1 trillion in appropriations, including $445 million for CPB through fiscal year 2016, passed the Senate Thursday by a wide margin on its way to President Obama’s desk. The Senate voted 72-26 for the measure after it cleared the House the previous day. Republicans cast all of the dissenting votes. In addition to CPB funding, the bill allocates $2 million for rural noncom stations that qualify for CPB’s Community Service Grants. Federal aid for CPB has remained relatively stable over the past three years, though appropriations took a hit with the automatic spending cuts that took effect in March 2013.

Public Media Policybase

CPB appropriations by year

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This is CPB’s account of its history of annual appropriations since its founding in more than 40 years ago. Figures shown represent millions of dollars (for example, $5.0 = $5 million). More recent figures may be posted by CPB. Fiscal Year
Admin. Request
House Allocation
Senate Allocation
Appropriation

1969
$9.0
(b)
$6.0
$5.0

1970
$15.0
(b)
$15.0
$15.0

1971
$22.0
(b)
$27.0
$23.0

1972
$35.0
$35.0
$35.0
$35.0

1973
$45.0
$45.0
$45.0
$35.0

1974
$45.0
(b)
$55.0
$50.0

1975
$60.0
$60.0
$65.0
$62.0

1976
$70.0
$78.5
$78.5
$78.5

TQ (a)
$17.0
$17.5
$17.5
$17.5

1977
$70.0
$96.7
$103.0
$103.0

1978
$80.0
$107.1
$121.1
$119.2

1979
$90.0
$120.2
$140.0
$120.2

1980
$120.0
$145.0
$172.0
$152.0

1981
$162.0
$162.0
$162.0
$162.0

1982
$172.0
$172.0
$172.0
$172.0

1983
$172.0
$172.0
$172.0
$137.0

1984
$110.0
$110.0
$130.0
$137.5

1985
$85.0
$130.0
$130.0
$150.5

1986
$75.0
$130.0
$130.0
$159.5

1987
$186.0
(b)
$238.0
$200.0

1988
$214.0
(b)
$214.0
$214.0

1989
$214.0
$214.0
$238.0
$228.0

1990
$214.0
$238.0
$248.0
$229.4

1991
$214.0
(b)
$245.0
$245.0

1992
$242.1
$242.1
$260.0
$251.1

1993
$259.6
$259.6
$275.0
$259.6

1994
$260.0
$253.3
$284.0
$275.0

1995
$275.0
$271.6
$310.0
$285.6

1996
$292.6
$292.6
$320.0
$275.0

1997
$292.6
(b)
$330.0
$260.0

1998
$296.4
$240.0
$260.0
$250.0

1999
$275.0
$250.0
$250.0
$250.0

2000
$325.0
$300.0
$300.0
$300.0

2001
$340.0
$340.0
$340.0
$340.0

2002
$350.0
$340.0
$350.0
$350.0

2003
$365.0
$365.0
$365.0
$362.8

2004
(c)
$365.0
$395.0
$377.8

2005
(c)
$380.0
$395.0
$386.8

2006
(c) (d)
$335.0
$400.0
$396.0

2007
(c) (d)
$400.0
$400.0
$400.0

2008
(c) (d)
$400.0
$400.0
$393.0

2009
(c) (d)
none
$400.0
$400.0

2010
(c) (d)
$420.0
$420.0
$420.0

2011
(c)
$430.0
$430.0
$429.1

2012
$440.0
$440.0
$450.0
$444.1

2013
$460.0
$460.0
$460.0
$445.0

2014
$451.0
none
$445.0
$445.0

Notes
(a) Transition Quarter funding, during which federal budget year changed from July to September.

System/Policy

APTS congressional champion delivers ‘tough love’ to pubTV leaders

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A radio broadcaster-turned lawmaker who chairs a key House subcommittee with oversight of CPB delivered a pointed critique to public TV station execs about their prospects for preserving federal aid in the 113th Congress. During a Feb. 26 breakfast hosted by the Association of Public Television Stations at the Library of Congress, Oregon Rep. Greg Walden (R) warned a roomful of station executives that they face an uphill battle in rebuilding bipartisan support for the field. Republican views of public broadcasting are colored by negative baggage carried over from the 2010-11 political scandals over NPR, and the notion that increased competition from cable and digital channels has made public TV less relevant to television viewers, Walden said. The event, part of APTS’s annual Public Media Summit, celebrated Walden as a “Champion of Public Broadcasting,” and the lawmaker used the occasion to deliver what APTS President Patrick Butler later called “tough love.”

Walden referred to recommendations of a 2007 Government Accountability Office report on public TV’s financing to make his point.

System/Policy

CPB report to Capitol Hill countering “continued and pervasive” opposition to federal funding

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CPB’s financial analysis on alternative funding sources for public broadcasting, prepared by consultants at Booz & Co.  and delivered to Congress in June, has had little impact on lawmakers’ views about continuation of CPB’s annual federal appropriation to date, CPB staff reported during a Sept. 10 board meeting  in Washington, D.C.

In the report, analysts for Booz examined a range of options for replacing CPB’s federal aid — from selling commercial advertising to tapping spectrum auction proceeds or selling pay-channel subscriptions, among others. They concluded that withdrawal of federal aid would have a “cascading debilitating effect,” starting first with stations serving rural areas and ultimately leading to collapse of the public broadcasting system. The dire predictions haven’t made much difference in swaying lawmakers on Capitol Hill, CPB’s government affairs staff reported to the board.  “I think it’s fair to say that in the past two-and-a-half months there’s been a little change in the conversation regarding funding for public broadcasting, and the idea of commercials,” said Michael Levy, CPB executive vice president.  CPB staff have been meeting with key Republicans and Democrats on the House and Senate appropriations committees to discuss why a purely commercial model for public broadcasting is not a viable option. The Booz analysis predicted that public TV could earn more revenue from commercial advertising sales than it now does from underwriting, but the switch to ads would prompt a large portion of those who provide private support to the field —  individual donors, foundations and underwriters  — to withdraw their support, resulting in a net revenue loss.

Congress

Thicket of uncertainty for federal aid

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Public broadcasters face multiple and serious uncertainties on Capitol Hill over the next few months. A spending bill approved by the House subcommittee with oversight of CPB’s appropriation proposes to phase out CPB funding over the next three years; it includes language restricting public radio stations from spending their CPB aid to support NPR in any way. Another election-season threat comes from GOP presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, who has repeatedly cited CPB as one of five agencies he’d extinguish. Sequestration, a byproduct of Congress’s inability to reach consensus on debt-reduction measures last summer, could also hit pubcasting, slicing 8 percent or more from the $445 million in federal funding that pubcasters anticipate for 2013. If sequestration occurs, the government could opt to hold back part of CPB’s 2013 appropriation — a move that would trigger a reduction in stations’ Community Service Grants.