Comments on: Don’t Fund It

By: Patterico's Pontifications

Patterico's Pontifications — Tue, 01 Jun 2004 19:07:35 +0000

The Ever-So Anti-Commercial PBS

This post is inspired by a Radley Balko post, which says PBS has launched an anti-corporate web site called “Don’t Buy It.” The site says it is a media literacy Web site for young people that encourages users to think…

By: Andrew Ian Dodge

Andrew Ian Dodge — Mon, 31 May 2004 18:05:22 +0000

PBS can do whatever it wants to do…if it gets no money from the federal goverment and goes private.

By: Frank N

Frank N — Mon, 31 May 2004 08:41:57 +0000

I find it unfathomable that PBS and NPR exist at their current state.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 31 May 2004 07:51:45 +0000

All this reminds me of an NPR spot by one of the Republican leaders (I think it was Lott) a couple of years ago. To paraphrase, “I don’t think the federal government should be paying for this. That’s why I encourage you to join me in supporting NPR.” :D

By: Patterico

Patterico — Mon, 31 May 2004 03:00:49 +0000

My daughter watches almost no commercial television, but does watch PBS (I think I just contradicted myself). The other day she said she wanted to go to Chuck E. Cheese’s. Since we haven’t been there, I asked her where she had heard about it. She said: “Chuck E. Cheese, proud sponsor of Sesame Street.”

By: Brett

Brett — Sun, 30 May 2004 23:50:18 +0000

Two things:

1) Sorry about blowing your name, Radley!

2) So tax dollars should only support programs that encourage uncritical approaches to consumerism? If it’s a general attack on PBS, that’s fine. But in public school (also tax funded), I had a teacher who encouraged us to learn some of the tricks of the advertising trade by watching commercials with a critical eye. Seems like a pretty life- and autonomy-affirming skill to me.

By: Kip

Kip — Sun, 30 May 2004 23:48:05 +0000

Main point:

There has probably never been a better “slippery slope” argument for limited government than PBS. Whenever things get really really bad (like “Bill Moyers’ NOW” bad), what is the invariable response? “Oh, it’s just a few pennies per taxpayer.” Next thing you know, we have “Click It or Ticket”…

I wish some — any! — member of Congress had the you-know-whats to introduce legislation requiring PBS (and dare we not forget NPR!) to change its pathetic new-speak slogan “A private corporation funded by the American people” to “A bureaucracy funded by the American taxpayer.”

Side Point: Oh what a warm fuzzy feeling we get distracting ourselves from the fact that public schools can’t teach kids to read or add or the the differnence between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution…but don’t worry: PBS is making sure they learn “critical analysis”!

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sun, 30 May 2004 22:06:48 +0000

Considering some of the hour-long corporate commercials they broadcast, I find the site a bit ironic.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Sun, 30 May 2004 21:15:38 +0000

I glanced at the site, and although I didn’t hit every link, it seems a bit sketchy. The idea seems great, it’s wonderful to teach critical thinking, but all of their examples and specific campaigns were very left-slanted. “Speaking out against commercialism in schools”, “challenging media images of girls”, and an entire “Tell the Government” section, encouraging running to the men with the guns first and foremost, without a mention of when that might not be the appropriate thing to do.

By: Jason

Jason — Sun, 30 May 2004 18:16:18 +0000

so being an informed consumer is anti-capitalist? anti-Republican?

educating kids about some of the ways they’re manipulated by media and advertising is anti-capitalist?

i don’t get it. whatever you think of PBS’s political slant, (which is your bias against an entire broadcast network, not even FOX News is ALL right-wing) the web site seems perfectly legitimate to me.

By: Meek

Meek — Sun, 30 May 2004 16:56:06 +0000

Brett,
I think you kinda missed the point. PBS is blantantly left leanding (to be kind), anti-capitalism and certainly anti Republican. Yet, it’s taxpayer supported…..get it?

meek

By: Brett

Brett — Sun, 30 May 2004 16:25:58 +0000

Did you actually look at the site, Randy? With all due respect, it seems to me that libertarians in particular should be happy about practices that allow people to be critical consumers of advertising. After all, it allows them more field of play for informed choice.