Pubic broadcasting funding down, more severe cuts coming

Public television funding is down $200 million and radio is down $38 million, the Corporation for Public broadcasting board heard. Mark Erstling, senior vice president for system development, and Bruce Theriault, senior veep, radio, presented the figures providing comparisons between actual FY08 totals and FY09 estimates.

Board member Bruce Ramer expressed concern about community service grants being tied to the amount of state funding a station receives. "Maybe state funds should not be included in the formula in the same way that federal funds aren't," Ramer suggested.