Saturday, February 12, 2011

Join The Campaign To Save Public Broadcasting - Don't let Mr. Rogers Kill Elmo!

 
Save Public Broadcasting 


Don't let the GOP flip Big Bird the bird!

Take Action Now. Ever wonder if you can help make a difference?  Yes you can! Please participate in the Save Public Media campaign.
The Republicans, led by Kentucky Congressman Hal Rogers (R) just released their budget proposal, and it zeroes out funding for both NPR and PBS—the worst proposal in more than a decade. We need to tell Republicans that cutting off funding was unacceptable last time they were in charge, and it's unacceptable now.
Don't let Mr. Rodgers kill Elmo.
We are reaching out because this is urgent. Over 1,500 IBEW, NABET-CWA, IATSE, DGA, and AFTRA jobs at PBS stations and NPR are at risk, if Congress passes these budget cuts next week. The IBEW is joining CWA, AFTRA, and IATSE in the three step e-mail, phone call, and letter faxing campaign outlined below.

This is an emergency and we need all hands on deck, please.

 Please - Do 3 Things to save the funding of Public Broadcasting

1) email Your Member of Congress:  Please Visit Our Salsa Campaign at http://bit.ly/fwTFgw  

2) Call your Member of Congress at 1-877-426-8013   Your Zip Code will get you to the right office. You can also text CPBFUND to 69866 and you'll get a call back to connect with your Congressman.

Say: "Hi, my name is your name and I’m from  your City, State, and Zip code . I support continued funding to Keep Public Broadcasting in the Federal Budget. Does the Congressman/Congresswoman have a position on proposed cuts to public broadcasting? Thank you."

3) Hand write a letter then fax it to 202-434-1426:


Dear Congress(wo)man Your Representative here ,

Please support continued funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Public Radio and Television support programming and jobs that are critical to communities in every single community in your State here.

Write two or three sentences on why public broadcasting is important to you. You can talk about your job, or the people who work at your station. You can talk about your favorite public programming. You can talk about how it’s important to your children, or important to your community.

Do not cut Public Broadcasting. It is important to me, my family, and my community.

Sincerely,

Your Name
Your Mailing Address
Your Email and Phone Number

Once Your Letter Is Written: Fax your letter to 202-434-1426.

You can also PDF your letter to tquaranta@cwa-union.org. Once you have faxed your letter, mail your letter to your member of Congress at their closest district office (this address can be found on your congressperson’s website, or at www.vote-smart.org).

And then please forward this email to all of your friends, family, co-workers, and allies.....I don't ask you all (well not some of you) that often, but this one is urgent and I need your help. Thanks.

Timing, we expect the vote in the House this coming week.  The Congress is scheduled for vacation from February 21st to 25th.  The Continuing Resolution expires on March 4th.  So votes first in the House and then in the Senate are very likely in the next 3 weeks. 
You may have seen emails from other organizations in this fight to save PBS and NPR:

MoveOn:  Sign the petition to save NPR and PBS  Amazing! Since Friday, more than 290,000 people have signed MoveOn's petition telling Republicans to keep their hands off of federal funding for PBS and NPR . MoveOn is aiming to deliver a half-million signatures to Congress next week, to make clear that public broadcasting serves a huge number of Americans and cutting its funding is simply unacceptable. Can you help us reach our 500,000 signature goal by sharing the petition with your friends, family, and co-workers this weekend? Tell others about the petition 
Credo: Tell Congress: Save NPR and PBS  If you are on Facebook, click here to post the petition to your Wall. If you have a Twitter account, click here to automatically tweet: Tell Congress: Don't pull the plug on NPR and PBS. Defend public media! http://bit.ly/eQ0u9zvia@CREDOMobile#p2

The Writers Guild of America East has their own "SAVE PBS AND NPR" initiative:

The new leadership in the House of Representatives plans to end federal funding for public broadcasting starting March 4. Their proposal to completely defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is being brought to the House Appropriations Committee right now and the majority party is ready to pass it and wipe out federal funding for shows like Sesame Street and Frontline--  unless we act first. Send a message to Congress that PBS and NPR are national treasures to be cherished and protected. They provide great educational bang for the government’s buck and they provide over 21,000 jobs (including jobs for writers).

We have waged this fight before and won but the odds have become steep in our current economic and political climate. In the past, we were able to save CPB only because the public outcry was immense. That’s why we need you to lead the chorus defending public broadcast.   Click here to save PBS. 

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With Congress saying they are looking to create jobs, why would they be looking to put more people out of work, while at the same time robbing the public of educational.news and cultural programming including:
 
American Experience, American Masters, Antiques Roadshow, A Place of Our Own,  Ask This Old House, Austin City Limits, Baking With Julia, Bill Moyers Journal,  Burt Wolf: Travels and Traditions, Charlie Rose, Ciao Italia, Design e2, Everyday Food, Frontline, GED Connection, Great Performances, History Detectives, Hometime, Independent Lens,  Julia and Jacques Cooking at Home, Live from Lincoln Center, Masterpiece, MotorWeek, Nature,  The New Yankee Workshop, Nightly Business Report, NOVA, NOVA scienceNOW, NOW, PBS News Hour,  P.O.V., Religion & Ethics Newsweekly, Rick Steves' Europe, Secrets of the Dead,  Soundstage, The Tavis Smiley Show, This Old House, The Victory Garden, Washington Week, Wide Angle, The Woodwright's Shop, Workplace Essential Skills, Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps, Animalia, Arthur, Barney and Friends, Bob the Builder, Blue's Clues, Caillou, The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Curious George, Cyberchase, Dinosaur Train, The Electric Company,  FETCH! with Ruff Ruffman, Little Bear,  Mama Mirabelle's Home Movies, Martha Speaks , Maya and Miguel, SciGirls, Sesame Street,  Sid the Science Kid, Super Why!,  Thomas and Friends, Tom and Jerry, WordGirl, and WordWorld.


Click the links above to do your part to Save Public Broadcasting.

Questions?


Call Vinny Butler (212) 354-6770 vb@ibew1212.org 
Carrie Biggs-Adams (202) 415-1147 cbiggs-adams@cwa-union.org
Toby Quaranta (703) 309-6556 tquaranta@cwa-union.org 

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