AUGUSTA, Maine — Officials with the Maine Public Broadcasting Network say they plan to fight a proposal by Gov. Paul LePage to eliminate all state funding.
The Republican governor said during a visit to South Paris last week that state finding for MPBN is “corporate welfare.”
MPBN gets about $1.9 million of its $11.2 million operating budget from the state.
President and CEO Mark Vogelzang told Maine Today Media that cutting that much money would seriously diminish the network’s mission of serving the entire state. MPBN has five TV stations and seven radio stations.
Some listeners and viewers say MPBN serves a crucial function. Darcy Halvorsen of South Portland says the network provides important news and information to the people of Maine, especially those who do not have cable.
MPBN dares to feature educators, scientists and historians who, for instance, affirm that global warming is not a hoax, that evolution is indeed correct, that gay people are not going to hell, and so on–all of which is athwart the Republican agenda of ignorance.
And with advertising, er corporate sponsorship, they still can. In fact it will be easier because they will not be compelled to give equal time to opposing points of view if they don’t want to.
Oh..like Faux news does???
This is typical Republican ‘spin” – cutting 1.9MM from the budget and then trying to convince everyone that it’s actually a GOOD thing!
Tax payers money should not be going to MPBN. If you support giving tax payers money for MPBN than you need to support the other 200 request the State receives for the same.
Please provide a list of these 200 requests for the same.
Please tell us how you can have a democracy without reliable sources of information.
Please tell us where else on radio or tv we can access this information.
Government data always lag behind by some six months or so and this has always been the case. Real time data for our government is not possible. This administration stated it was going to be the most transparent and it turns out to be less transparent. Your questions should be sent to OBAMA, ask him since he ran on the idea his administration would be the most transparent and that has not happened, nor will it. Don ‘t you want to know where your money is???
Its is my opinion that if you listen to Fox, CBS, or CNN for news only then you are getting a fairly good reporting as long as the subject has no political connections. I find that the same holds true when reading the BDN. Of course the political articles or news put forth by these media outlets do take partisan slants. For even more news I check out BBC and Deutsche Wella Radio.
I think its fair to say that although MPBN and its Big Brother NPR are perhaps not the left wing media machines that they are played out to be, they do present at times left leaning programs. If you think that is allright, then so be it. I tend to think that if an organization is accepting tax dollars to operate that it should be banned from any type of partisan activity relating to political news.
What do I mean? Here is an example-
If NPR reports- Barack Obama wants to borrow 5 trillion dollars then that should be the headline or announcement. There should be no political discussion on NPR about why it is good or bad from either side of the political spectrum. Just facts, why does he want to borrow it, and such.
Actually I vote democratic and have no affection for the GOP. However I am mostly what used to be called middle of the road and believe in fiscal responsibility. Now my version of being fiscally responsible isn’t the same as yours HeaganMtn, not even close. My impression is that you think there is no end to the tax burden people can tolerate. Regardless, though I do not support public funding of MPBN, or foreign aid either for that matter, I do support universal healthcare in America.
In truth I think we may be closer than you think. I, like you, usually vote Democratic and also have no affection for most Republicans. (most, not all). I consider myself to socially be a liberal but fiscally I’m quite conservative.
While that’s a hard line to follow my policitcal/fiscal beliefs go along with how I run my personal life. When I see something I want I decide whether I want it badly enough to buy it. In this case I want MPBN to be on the air badly enough to be willing to “buy” it with my taxes. At the same time there are dozens of other things I don’t want badly enough to have my taxes go up because of it. If others don’t that’s fine with me. Just respect my opinion and my right to it and I’ll respect theirs.
However, this discussion of MPBN and public funding is off-topic from my post, which was to point out that so much of what’s said is spun out so obtusely that I often times have trouble distinguishing whether it was satirically or seriously.
Why of course, it’s a GOOD thing, Heagan. All part of the “dumbing down” that Republicans want. The dumber and more ill-educated they can make people, the easier it becomes for them to fatten their wallets…as they laugh all the way to the bank.
Sounds like what the DemocRATs want…dependent and dumb citizenry that will pull the voting levers for more free stuff.
Does CBS, NBC, ABC, MSNBC, CNN?
My issue with Faux News is that while they claim to be a “News” station they even went so far as to use the fact that they’re NOT a news station to successfully defend themselves in a lawsuit. In their defense they claimed that Fox is a “news and entertainment” station, and the lawsuit pertained to the “entertainment” portion of the network. Yet they continue to refer to themselves as “FOX News” – and people believe it’s all news.
As to the networks you mentioned, the line between news and entertainment is much clearer for them. When you’re watching The Nightly News you know you’re getting news, and while that ‘news’ may have a bias at least they’re not trying to pass off the entertainment portion of their broadcasting as News.
Did you miss the part where Reagan repealed the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 and VOILA, Faux Fraudcasting. It had been the law for forty years for fairness but we wouldn’t want no stinkin fairness. All media is corporate owned and pointless. Try CSPAN or BBC or MPBN if you want truth. He is so incompetent and obvsious there are no words. Maybe, pathetic?
BBC as I am sure you know, is operated in England and thus probably doesnt really fit into the conversation here. Overall I do find it a bit more in depth and interesting to listen. I also like Deutsche Vella on TV and Radio.
I think that if you listen to CNN or Fox purely for non-political news then they are both relatively fine. Once you start listening to the political progamming then it becomes very obvious how partisan both of them are.
Fox has won lawsuits to misinform the public, I watch occassionaly for amusement, CNN is faux lite. Fox can’t even broadcast in Canada because of the veracity of their news and you probably know the mess in England. I also read the Guardian and multiple papers to get a better idea. Our media is owned.
Yes, I agree. I do think however that MPBN and its cousins(other public radio stations) and parent(NPR) at time express slanted political beliefs that tend to favor Democrats. Im not saying they do it a lot but they do it. And in my opinion as they recieve tax payer funds( and all tax payers do not hold the same political beliefs) they should be prohibited from doing so.
I’m an Independent and I don’t see it but people associated with one party over the other are sensitive to everytthing whether it is real or not. I wish they would start caring about country over party.
Who do you think owns the Guardian? The paper of the left in the UK?
i read múltiple sources Not clsed minded.
What are you in favor of cutting to balance the budget? So far, everything that LePage has asked for, you are against.
The bill is revenue neutral, it only cuts the funding for MPBN. Pretty obvious and you didn’t read it. :)
Tax cuts for the rich?
How about we cut both him and his two relatives? That should eliminate some deadwood.
Cut Lepage!
We don’t need no Stinkin Tax Cuts!
Thats a Sales gimmick to get votes.
Buying their way in with promised Tax Cuts It’s the only way Republicans can get in office!
I paid My way and taxes for the 40 Years of Dem Control,
Pay yours!
They might even tell you what is in the Dolby Landfill,
and where it is Apt to end up!
They say what they say at TAXpayers expense. If you want to support MPBN you are free to do so with YOUR money please stop taking mine to fund it. How would you like it if you where taxed and the money went to FOX news? Media should be INDEPENDENT.
We live in a community so we all contribute to the public good. Using your selfish attitude, I don’t want to pay for schooling because I have no kids in school. I don’t want to pay for our sewer system since I have my own septic system out in the country. I don’t want to pay for many things that I don’t use but I do happily for the good of all, a concept your side refuses to consider.
LOL.
I saw several commercials on MPBN this morning, plus they get public money. Please…they have the best of both worlds…
Please explain to me WHY MPBN should get state funding?
Nice, keep cutting governor. Screw what the libs say, cut, cut, cut, balance the budget.
Whose read the conservatives whining about how long it takes to get their
conceal weapons permits ?
Connect the dots.
They are basically whiners, you know them in kindergarten. Afraid someone will take something, no sharing mostly waaahhhh waaahhhing from them, some things never change. They are afraid of everything and cannot use their mind to resolve issues, guns, guts & gynecology.
Sure, let’s just axe crappy programs with no redeeming value like NOVA, Sesame Street, and the PBS NewsHour! Good riddance!
Who the frig needs nollidge, anyways? That’s fur liburalz.
Ay-yuck, yer right (pun intended). Let’s jest see how stupid we can make everyone…let’s envision a future with a LePage on every corner and at least one in the Beverly Hillbillies Blaine House.
Sorry but Gov Stimpy will be retiring to FL.
There is a state/federal mandate requirement that non-profit broadcast corporations such as MPBN not advertise. But we all know what advertising sounds and looks like so lets be honest here, they do advertise. The only difference is in name. MPBN calls their advertising “corporate sponsorship” or “underwriting” thinking that a different name for this will divert attention. It doesn’t! Semantics aside, MPBN really no longer serves a public function. Yes they do provide the emergency alert service however one simple law could require ALL broadcast operations to provide this service in time of need. MPBN claims that without government support it’s listening audience would be deprived of their particular style of broadcasting. Hogwash! MPBN enjoys great and loyal customer support as well as a full advertising schedule so the money will keep rolling in. If anything, their unique broadcast style should guarantee an ever increasing market share of the listening audience. MPBN is already well down the path of utilizing private/commercial broadcast operating policies and the time has come to embrace this mode of operating and complete the change-over to a commercial system. That or, heaven forbid, stop the dang advertising and truly be public. You cannot have both. So, for the first and only time, I have to agree with Lepage on this one. It is time to stop funding MPBN.
I just love it when MPBN runs those program length infomercials.
NPR, PBS and MPBN do indeed serve a public function in that they can cover subject matter that is of public interest in far greater depth than commercial radio and TV. Reduced funding would definitely affect their style of broadcasting. Presumably the “commercial broadcast operating policies” would no doubt include the constant interruptions for advertisements that make so many programs hardly worth watching these days. Keeping our public broadcast media from have to adopt commercial standards in terms of advertising frequency and content quality is worth every last penny of my tax contribution and those of many others I know.
A lack of public funding is no reason for them to change their format. In fact it would be a mistake to do so as it would alienate their listening (and supporting) audience.
Penguin is going to lose this one – the poor people in the remote parts of the state (many of whom were duped into believing that the Tea Bags cared about them) aren’t to let this go through. Not happening.
Besides, this isn’t about cutting the budget anyway. It’s Penguin kissing up to his party bosses on the National Stage.
I remember during the election seeing LePage signs in some of the poorest areas of downeast and thinking be careful what you wish for, how could they not see this coming? There are plenty going without this winter while his family gets govt jobs and if he thinks he can fit in on the national stage, he is delusional.
What are you two talking about? Recall that a couple of years ago MPBN/MPR tried to shut down its broadcasting in the downeast area where some are, or would be actually dependent on emergency broadcast radio. It was a poor attempt to leverage yet more government dollars on the backs of the “poor.” It was only because such a stink was raised and the suggestion that they cease broadcasting where the “rich” folk have options (i.e. southern Maine) that they relented. So much for all the concern about the poor and true dependence on their services.
I remember that. I always thought that was a bit odd. First one has to assume that there are people who are too poor to have television. Im guessing the amount of people who just dont want it are much higher. Then if those people are relying on radio for news then it should be taken into consideration that Emergency Broadcasts are played on all Radio Stations per Federal Law. So in my mind, the we need MPBN for emergency broadcasting capability has very little merit to it.
Thats because they realized what hand outs were doing to the poor.. keeping them from excelling.. took away people drive to do better.. Liberals had it planned along to distroy the working class and make them poor..
HA! A conspiracy nut! Where would you like them to work down there? They hide almost every penny from fishing and then live off the rest of us in the winter (EBT & LIHEAP). They’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember. If you think you can scare people with your fright wing BS, you are wrong. The working class has been ‘distroy’ by the greedy, while we pay their taxes. I for one am tired of supporting them and while I can tell you are not rich you sure are gullible.
The Penguin to MPBN:
“They wouldn’t put me on a pedestal, so I’m layin’ ’em on a slab! ” -The Penguin (From Batman).
Unless you have cable or a huge antenna on your house who is able to even watch TV anymore
We have been cutting Maine Care and other programs. MPBN currently gets about $1.9 million of its $11.2 million operating budget from the state. MPBN says they will fight Gov. Paul LePage to eliminate all state funding. You have got to be kidding me. MPBN can just go to …. and we need to take care of Mainers first. MPBN can go ask the Unions for more contributions and MPBN as well as other should not be looking for moneys from our taxs payers. Those watching MPBN programming should contribute more funding, if they can’t then that is a problem for MPBN. Tax payers monies should not be going to MPBN period………
He will be cutting more to your MaineCare be sure of it, he isn’t done with you yet. When he said he balanced the budget in the town he was mayor of without raising taxes, didn’t it occur to you then he HAD to cut? Of course, he took from the most vulnerable with the least power. Now if he can get rid of public radio….he is such a joke….if only he was in another state.
It isn’t easy undoing all that the Baldacci Admin has done, after all, it was he who started Maine Care and he was told then that shifting cost wasn’t going to work and it hasn’t. It is not my Maine Care since I don’t participate but our tax dollars are used. If I were Le Page I would eliminate all funding for MPBN as well as any programs tax payers pay for. It is not good policy to use tax payers dollars for corporation and or other. The Democrats (now know as the Socialist Party) certainly would like to use tax payers dollars for whatever they want to do. This is why we Republicans will win the White House and then spend the next 8 years undoing what this nut in the White House has done to our great Country.
Le Page was voted into office to cut the budget, spending, taxes and to reduce government. We have a lot of people in Maine who think the Government should provide for their needs. I lived in Europe for 3 years and I saw firsthand why I refuse to live like that. Staying home and collecting money from the government while other works. Now that is a joke and we are happy he is in our State.
Baldacci did not start MaineCare. MaineCare is Medicaid and it was around when I started working for the state in 1977. Of course, LePage conveniently igmores the factthat the economy and the cost of health insurance are major players in the increase in those eligible. Making cuts would not be so idiotic if he wasn’t cutting income. Tax breaks for the rich and now he wants to eliminate the state income tax. He lives in lala land most of the time.
Tax Breaks for the Rich??? The lower Bracket gets a postive return and never pay taxes..Lets be fair and tax everyone at the same level. 5% across the board… It would increase the general fund by a billion dollars at least per year…
It’s frightening to think that you and seven others think Gov. Baldacci created MaineCare. Wow.
He didn’t create Maine Care he just tried to convience business in the State they should participate in purchasing employee insurance through the State thus shifting the cost of maine care to business. Most already knew what he was doing and saw the increase in the cost therefore, decided to not particiapte.
It’s bush’s fault, waaaahhhh finger pointing is so pathetic but very popular for the Greedy One Percent.
Do not even mention LePew’s name in Waterville…unless you like seeing people vomit in public.
“Don’t Miss “VomitVille” Coming up at 8 on MPBN. VomitVille and other quality programs are brought to you with the coerced support of Maine taxpayers, and mandated grants by Union Carbide, and Monsanto- parent company of Phizer”
MPBN needs to succeed or fail on its own merits. If the people of Maine value the service, they will pay for it. No more corporate subsidies.
FYI. Last available data is for FY 2010.
James Dowe President, CEO annual salary $156,325
Anybody think Vogelzang is getting less now that he has that position? Just another rich hack job.
The Repubs. through out the country seem to be leading the fight to cut public radio/TV funding. Ever think why? Maybe it’s because they don’t want a voice that says something different than rush?
$350,000 given to Cianbro, corp., 17 million given to Brookfield Management of Toronto Canada, Tax cuts for phony tree farms, nepotism and free vacation junkets all over the world.
I don’t think a Goblin like Paul Lepage cares about “corporate ” welfare, unless he isn’t getting a cut of the action.
MPBN, very simple solution. Tell the gov where he can stick his state-wide emergency broadcast network you have to cut due to the state cuts.
Although I realize he has a very ample posterior, I’m afraid it cannot accomodate any more items, suggestions, or ideas. In fact, he’s had to stuff so many things up there, it is becoming hard for him to huff and puff and blow the House down. He does find it easier, now, though to throw his weight around.
Actually, considering how far down his throat he keeps shoving his foot, I’m surprised it’s not poking out the other end. :)
State funding for MPBN is corporate welfare. But giving tax breaks to Walmart is not corporate welfare. Why am I still confused?
The only way that MPBN will stay well funded and active is if he can make his
aunt, uncle, step brother, sister in law, mom, dad, brother’s dog , or fourth cousin removed an
administrator.
Nepotism isn’t all that bad…..
Mr. Lepage if you are reading this,
if members of your PR/Communications department happen to come across
realize you have the power to do some good in this beautiful State….. if you truly care.
Boy,that’s giving credit where it’s not due. Read? Far too stooooopppiiidddd for that.
I’m sure he could get someone to scour the media outlets , to gauge public opinion. If he can’t read then i’m sure he could pay someone $41,000 a year to do it.
There are three full time CBS affiliates in Maine. Yes, I suppose we need FIVE PBS stations, right?
Three independently operated and autonomous stations – you are correct. Do you understand that the 5 PBS stations are all airing the same thing, but need 5 transmitter sites to provide coverage statewide? Try getting Portland channel 13 in Fort Kent over the air…
I understand that perfectly. You have clearly illustrated my point. There will be hundreds of thousands of dollars in annual savings in capital, maintenance and operating costs from these redundancies.
If there are 3 CBS we do not need 5 PBS
Television signals typically travel much further than FM radio signals, plus CBS is available as part of any standard satellite or cable TV package. If anything, there are probably more places that can access CBS stations in Maine than can access MPBN.
Nope – MPBN is available on every standard cable and satellite package as well – throughout the state. We do not need 5 PBS stations when there are 3 CBS stations in Maine.
Actually the five stations serve differnt regions of the state.That’s the way it should be.Would you want MPBN to just broadcast in Portland?
its not enough the handicap are gettin thrown into the street to help pay to hire lepage’s relatives…educational channels need to go too
The simple fact is that with the increased number of cable and satellite channels available, as well as innumerable online and even mobile phone resources, MPBN does not serve the same function as it did back in the 1960s and early 1970s. There may well be folks with only broadcast access, but I suspect they are few in number. How would they be worse off if MPBN had to get all its funding from sources other than taxpayers? I have not favored tax payer subsidies for years for MPBN.
I stopped donating when they started advertising and that was a good many years ago now.
$1.9M is a small price to pay for MPBN broadcasting, in my opinion.
great, I assume you’ll be mailing a check for the full amount?
or did you mean to say “$1.9M of other people’s money, taken by force”?
You have your opinion, and I have mine. It is a little over a dollar per year per Maine resident for excellent programming.
OPINIONS!!! I say BIASED programing.
You have little or no faith in us human beings. I have never been a person who can be programmed.
yet you have,
taken by force?
Give me a break!
Go to China!
Work in Slave camps for $2.00 a day
Yes, taxes are taken by force. Which part of that are you having trouble understanding?
I’m not even going to ask where you came up with all the crap about Chinese slave camps…
Taxes are the obligation of the citizenry and a necessarily evil. They pay for roads, plowing, education, and law enforcement, just to name a few. No one has to “force” a true American to pay their taxes. Although it does seem to become an uphill battle when extreme wealth is involved. Offshore bank accounts are a favorite weapon of those who do not want to be “forced” to pay their fair share in taxes.
Fair Share!!! What does that Mean Fair Share??? How much money does the lower income bracket pay??? Do they pay their Fair Share… OHHHHH!!! Is it their Obligation as a citisen to pay taxes??? So another statement of yours reads, No one has to force a true American to pay their taxes.. Does the lower bracket pay any income tax at all???
Lets be fair with a flat tax across the board here in Maine, Everybody pays 5% no exemptions.
How about a two pronged approach. Close down all the offshore tax havens for the rich and then lower the threshold to start paying taxes. Say, down to half the federal poverty level, or about the average salary of a WalMart worker. It is going to mean that they will need even more public assistance to make ends meet on minimum wage, but hey, it will give the Tea Party a warm fuzzy.
I got offered a off shore job and was told outright how to hide the money.
Tax people from the first dollar they make on up, ie, flat tax. I bet the peoples attitudes would change about the Government…
Listen there are some people who have never pay a dime in taxes their whole working life. Yet for years I paid more in taxes then most people made.. there is something wrong with asking me to pay taxes and giving a net return to others. Why can’t we all be good Americans and everyone pay an equal percentage… I would still pay more.. why do the poor get away with not paying then get thousands in refund with exemptions… How is that fair??
The poor don’t pay taxes and neither do the rich. Welcome to America. I have worked my whole life and always made a very good living. Even after paying my fair share in taxes. I have never minded pitching in. If others do mind, it is of no concern to me. My conscience is clean and I sleep just fine at night. That is worth more than the money to me anyway.
yes, taken by force. You cannot stop your employer from TAKING money away from you and sending it to uncle sam.
also,
the very definition of “slave” is working without being paid, never mind $2 a day which is actually a good wage over there.
no way in heck im paying that kind of money for a service i cant receive!
if $1.9M is a “small price” to you, you must be a 1%’er who thinks PBS is a communist scheme. (im a 99%er who KNOWS its a commie scheme)
im sure the gov.pays for the weekly radio address spot or i should say tax dollars.pay MPBN and help them out but maybe they never donated to the campaign war chest.a lot of people in the other maine, the northern part,kinda like MPBN and think our taxes should go to this rather then hiring more relatives.
I am sure many “poor” people do listen to and watch MPBN. But, it seems to me that their major audience are those in the upper half of the educational and financial demographic. I don’t think this is a “poor peoples” problem or issue.
When MPBN was first established and financed, we lived in a very different world with few of today’s technologies. Things change, we need to be able to adapt to those changes.
the Demographics are the rich, Simple enough let them donate. problem solved
Go governor LePage. Cut the funds and let MPBN get its monies by earning it like most “non-profits.” They may even change the left slanted point of view they extol in order to get funds from the public.
Buying Toxic Dumps is Corprorate Welfare,
MPBN is a Public Service!
okkkkkkkkkk … so where do we go next to make further cuts and balance the budget? The NIMBY attitude is alive and well. Look what we pay for now that used to be “free.” User-based support is a way of life. MPBN needs to become that reality.
One of the local services I do personally appreciate is their coverage of the high school basketball tournaments. In these days of $4.00/gal gas and beyond, they provide a real service to local communities having a choice to watch games without having to drive 4 hours round-trip to see a game. Now that’s service oriented! They did run a promotion this year targeted at basketball tourney watchers … and I do intend to support for that very reason. Just because I don’t support tax dollar support doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the service … just means I have to belly-up and write a check. Think I’ll go do it now …
People of the Left and Right.
I wish I could articulate my stance on this issue but all I can offer is a broad observation of the times we
live in now, as said by George Carlin.”When you’re born you get a ticket to the freak show. When you’re born in America, you get a front row seat.”I would like to expand this quote by saying ….and when your Born in Maine you get Back Stage Passes.Let’s not fight but enjoy the Freak Show that our Ringleader Lepage has given us. :)
People, the government cannot pay for every thing for everybody just because it feels good. If the people want it, let them fund it.
If there are 3 CBS stations we do not need 5 PBS stations. Having 5 PBS stations cannot be defended, while being intellectually honest.
Does your local PBS TV station broadcast local public service announcements?
This is simply about this man and his out-of-control narcissism. I’ll let his original quote on this subject speak for itself.
(March 16, Kennebec Journal, Susan M. Cover)
“Why should I pay welfare to a company?” he said. “It’s that simple. I need that money to pay welfare. I need the (money) to make sure some elderly don’t freeze. Quite frankly, ma’am, I think that’s more important.”
Five sentences, five uses of I.
I know somehow I probably contribute to the operational costs of Fox News or MSNBC. But I dont believe my tax dollars are funding either of them in anyway.
MPBN does present many good programs and I enjoy them. However some of the arguements against MPBN I do understand. NPR and its state affiliates do operate with tax dollars and do at times present partisan political programs. Be it right or left I believe that is wrong. Like I wrote before I dont think our tax dollars should be used to fund these programs. I also think that as far as Classical Music on MPBN radio goes it should be taken into consideration that the same music is offered by commercial radio stations such as WBACH.
Cultural programs and things that help children and adults learn I am willing to support. I think that such things as broadcasting High School Basketball games is allright too. I do think though that it should be taken into consideration that our State has to trim costs and I dont think MPBN should consider themselves any more special than anyone or anything else.
there are about 5 MAINE SHOWS on MPBN
MPBN is always showing specials on MAINE HISTORY
MPBN often show Over Maine aerial shows on MAINE
You could run them shows on 2/5/7 for 50 fold cheaper with out having a full time staff and studio.
I love MPBN radio. I support it through monthly donations. I am willing to double my donation if state funding is cut. All it would take is for less than 16,000 Mainers to donate $10 per month and the station would make up the money cut by the state. Public radio should be financed by those who listen-not by the state budget.
The Big Bully again, hardly governmental, exactly the opposite.
Cut the Penguin and his relatives.
MPBN deals in the facts and examines both sides of an issue. Two things that our governor struggles with immensely.
MPBN/PBS deals in facts and both sides of an issue… hahaha!!! Thank you for the belly laugh this afternoon, hahaha!!!!
Sorry if my comment offended you, it was, after all, meant for adult consumption.
Any nation worth its salt has a national broadcast system of one kind or another. The US is unique in that individual states can tie into our nation’s public radio and TV network to provide locally relevant information and programs. As such it is truly a public system. What sets NPR and PBS apart from their private commercial cousins is that the public funding allows it to air programs that are attractive to smaller audiences than could be supported through for-profit media in the private sector. These include literary, theatrical, arts programming and documentaries. As such they reflect aspects of American culture not always easily found elsewhere in electronic media. Many of these programs are also broadcast around the world and show sides of American life and culture that would otherwise be far less visible. The detractors of our public media typically object to the use of taxpayer funding and describe the programming as politically biased or elitist. Sadly our own Governor may be among them. They fail to recognize that our public media are a reflection of some of the best programming our nation has to offer and that it serves as a window to the world for millions of children, students, adults and senior citizens who do not have the opportunity to travel beyond their immediate surroundings.
NPR and PBS are American media first and foremost and they compare favorably with any similar broadcast services the world has to offer. They are worth fighting for.
I dont believe in publicly funding MPBN/PBS, but perhaps I could be ever so slightly more in favor of it if i could actually receive it at my house!
Im a Veazie Native, but living in Brewer I cannot get MPBN over the antenna. I can only receive channel 22, the low power FOX affiliate.
As long as MPBN gets almost $2M per year from the state, they will never be able to report state politics and issues in an unbiased fashion, but instead are an arm of the government.
Level the playing field between MPBN and the unsubsidized commercial stations they compete with. Stop the charade of “sponsorship” they currently have and be allowed full capability to advertise. If they are providing value in their service, they will not only survive, but will thrive. And with independence, they will become all the more valuable.
Are there any radio stations other than MPBN that broadcasts Lepage’s weekly address each and every Saturday morning? Or his State of the State address? (Since I don’t listen to actual commercial radio, I don’t know.)
Since MPBN broadcasts a wide range of programming and opinions, I’m sure they will continue to provide a forum for the drivel pouring from Lepage’s mouth, despite his continuous attempts to silence the station.
MPBN has a decidedly left wing agenda ,why should those who lean more to the right have to pay so those on the left can enjoy liberaly biased programming?
Yet the “left wing agenda” includes broadcasting Lepage’s addresses every week. Does any other station do that?
Is it your opinion that MPBN has no political agenda.
It seems Charity Navigator is a little behind on their data. I relied on them for an earlier post.
From MPBN’s latest filings:
2010 IRS Form 990 Year Ending 6-30-11, Page 7 Officer Salaries:
James Dowe, President and CEO $175,537 plus $11,484 benefits
Alexander Maxwell, SR VP and CTO $103,464 plus $7,356 benefits
John Isacke, VP Admin and CFO $85,556 plus $6,176 benefits
Form states they each average 40 hours per week.
Nice salaries, especially for Maine. Yet they still come hat in hand, demanding tax-dollars from every Maine citizen, most of whom make far less.
MPBN had income of $12,202,121. Only 55% was spent on programming. Another 18% was spent on support services, and 11% on administration. Seems sort of top-heavy, doesn’t it?
MPBN paid a North Carolina fundraising firm $164,502.
And paid a New Jerseyconsulting firm $59,209.
Nearly a quarter million. Couldn’t that money have been spent in-state?
All figures from MPBN’s website.
What gives them the right to go after the State of Maine for Money… Can I go after the State for money to promote my biases on TV..
Self appointed, self annointed bunch they are.
Time to fire them all get it out of the Universities hands and put it out to bid.
So who do cut to balance the budget. Funding for things like MPBN or some disabled persons Maine care , housing for the mentally ill or maybe a little help to an elderly person to stay warm. Shouldn’t be a hard decision. Come on people get your priorities straight.
I believe there is a market for the MPBN broadcast format that will continue to be viable with or without public funding.
This comes from a person so far the right you can not even see the left side. I did not vote for LePuke for the simple reason that from the first time he opened his trap I felt he was untrust worthy. Giving money to MPBN is not corporate welfare not like hiring your daugther so she also can live off the public’ s teet. If it wasn’t for that school teacher we have Cutler for a governor. 2/3 could not have been wrong and that pee’d off LePuke.