I don’t care if you think the quality of public broadcasting is good or bad – that’s not what this argument is about. I’ve enjoyed many programs funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and I’m sure most of you have too. There’s nothing wrong with making the most out of something your taxes pay for.

I personally know that a lot of content funded by the CPB has value in it. Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was one of my favorite shows as a child, and this clip makes me wish he was still around, just not making the same argument.

Now to my argument, which is a response to this post by talented Montgomery photographer Luke Lucas.

The reality is that the type of programming created by public broadcasting would not cease to exist without federal funding. Yes, some would probably disappear, but I believe that the people creating the shows which have some demand would find a way to survive. The incredible rise in technology has made most of the costs associated with creating and distributing a show virtually nothing.

No longer does a show need a distribution channel like CNN, Fox, or MSNBC to reach viewers. The internet has made it possible for anyone to distribute content they produce. In 2010 about 77% of the US population, nearly 240 million Americans, were using the internet (source). I know that not all of those people are going to watch or listen to a show sitting in front of their computer, but other advancements in technology are bringing us internet content everywhere. 100s of millions of Americans now have iPods, cell phones, Rokus, Apple TVs, and other devices that help them enjoy content where they want it. NPR has seen this opportunity and is already taking advantage of it by offering internet streaming via the web or applications on mobile devices.

Now there are going to be other costs that don’t fall as dramatically – but still are falling. The bad news is that a certain amount of time and effort required putting together each episode before recording and the creators will probably need some money to survive if they make it a full-time job. The good news is that the internet makes a lot of research easier and creates a way to offset the cost of spending time working on a production. Most of the shows I enjoy online are either prepared by the guests who have compiled links or done a little research themselves, or make use of their fan base for gathering the resources needed. Some of the shows are supported by a little advertising (like the TWiT Network) or entirely by donation (like the No Agenda Show). So whether or not you think advertising is good or bad, there’s a way to do it and still make money.

I’m not going to use this to argue if Public Broadcasting should have ever been created to begin with, but I do want to point out that circumstances of the time were much different than they are now. Today’s world doesn’t need the help of the federal government to fund the type of content public broadcasting provides.

Believe in your favorite content creators and support their efforts, but don’t let your appreciation of the end justify the mean. Today’s world has made it feasible for anyone to create a show, and while a lot of trash can come out of this, the cream will still rise to the top as people share and talk about their favorite finds.

P.S. Comments are disabled because this is my personal site and don’t really want to deal with that whole possible mess. If you’d like to post a response elsewhere, I’d be glad to link to it.