Peter Torkildsen: “I think public broadcasting does have a role in our country. Commercial broadcasting is fine for what it does, but it…”

“I think public broadcasting does have a role in our country. Commercial broadcasting is fine for what it does, but it does not have the educational component that public broadcasting has. So I would ask members of my party to please vote against this amendment. I think we need public broadcasting to continue that education for preschoolers, but also for adults, programs that we would not see otherwise. Further cuts in public broadcasting will not only devastate public television and radio systems, but it will also severely hamper the discussion already taking place about the future of public broadcasting. Faced with the current $141 million reduction, about 30 stations would merge or go dark by 1998 and another 30 stations would have to shut down local operations by 2000. This debate is about the value we place on public education. Public broadcasting is education for preschoolers; it's hands-on classroom materials for teachers; it's a way to earn a GED or college credits from home. The guiding principle of commercial broadcasting is clearly profit. For public television, the guiding principle is education.”