In a uncommon second of unity between chaos and compassion, Berzerker Blothar of GWAR has stepped out of the band’s common intergalactic carnage to problem an impassioned plea: Save public media. With the Rescissions Act heading to a important Senate vote, a proposed $1.1 billion lower in already-approved funding for public media might intestine providers nationwide — and Blothar will not be having it.
“People, that is the Berzerker Blothar of GWAR and I am right here to speak to you about public media,” mentioned the person himself. “Public media is at risk.
“You already know a few years in the past my private buddy, the nice Fred Rogers, he testified in Congress concerning the worth of public media, about how vital it was in youngsters’s lives. He famously secured funding for Nationwide Public Radio as a result of he was in a position to display that it makes a distinction and that is vital. Mr. Rogers introduced love and lightweight into the world, right into a darkish and hateful world.
“Effectively now that’s on the chopping block proper now, issues like that. The Senate will vote on a Home-passed Rescissions Act this week that may get rid of 1.1 billion {dollars} in already accredited funding for public media. This is able to strip important providers. It might power rural stations to go off the air solely. They will not be capable to pay licensing charges the identical means they did for music. This might very nicely silence the music.
“I will let you know what else. It is going to remove artwork and tradition or no less than entry to that from the lives of people that want it and profit from it.
“Stand up, individuals! Within the identify of Fred Rogers! Within the identify of Massive Hen! Within the drunken Girl Elaine Fairchild! Adjustments to this invoice are nonetheless potential. Now could be the time to induce your senators to take away the proposal that targets public media within the package deal of this Massive Lovely Invoice.
“I urge you to go to protectmypublicmedia.org and get some info on how one can urge Congress to avoid wasting public media. Name your senators. Make a distinction. Do it now as a result of there’s not quite a lot of time. Thanks!”
Blothar is not alone in sounding the alarm. Shield My Public Media, a nationwide motion community, is mobilizing People to cease the Rescissions Act from slashing funds to public broadcasting. These aren’t hypothetical threats — public media is already stretched skinny. Slicing help now might lead to rural stations going off the air completely, stripping communities of lifesaving emergency communications, instructional programming, native journalism, and cultural content material.
Public media reaches 99% of People by greater than 1,500 domestically managed TV and radio stations. It serves as the one media supply in lots of rural, Native American, and island communities. Greater than 44 million individuals depend on public radio weekly, whereas public TV reaches 160+ million yearly.
Critically, federal funding solely makes up .01% of the federal funds — about $1.60 per individual per yr. But, it helps generate six occasions that quantity in native fundraising. In accordance with the GAO, there isn’t any viable personal substitute if this funding is misplaced. A earlier report confirmed that eliminating federal help would threat a collapse of the general public media system—a system that educates, informs, and connects thousands and thousands.
For artists like Berzerker Blothar, and anybody who values entry to various voices, reliable information, and tradition with out a paywall, the time to behave is now. Name your senators. Go to ProtectMyPublicMedia.org. Demand that public media funding be faraway from the Rescissions Act.
Within the phrases of Blothar himself: “Stand up, individuals! Within the identify of Fred Rogers! Within the identify of Massive Hen!”
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