Rep Blumenauer defends public broadcasting

Cutting funding for public broadcasting would kill jobs in small communities across the country, according to Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) founder and co-chairman of the Congressional Public Broadcasting Caucus.

"Not only do our local public broadcasting stations provide us with valuable information, but they also directly support 21,000 jobs in hundreds of communities across America," Rep Blumenauer said. "These jobs would be at risk if small stations that rely on federal funding were forced to close their doors." His statement came one day after a video of NPR fundraiser Ron Schiller mocking Tea Party activists prompted Republicans to again push for the elimination of federal subsidies for public broadcasting.