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FEDERALhearing transcript

Public Broadcasting Funding Request for 2015-2017

Original title: Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2015

January 1, 2015

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The Frame

What this does

This request determines the level of federal financial support for local public television stations, which rely on these funds for 15% to 50% of their operating budgets to provide educational, public safety, and civic programming.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

Local public television stations

These stations rely on federal appropriations for a significant portion of their annual operating budgets.

K-12 educators and students

These groups utilize PBS LearningMedia resources and virtual high school instruction provided by public television.

Public safety agencies

These agencies utilize public broadcasting infrastructure for emergency alerts and real-time communication.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2015.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The Association of Public Television Stations and PBS submitted testimony requesting continued federal funding for public media. They are seeking $445 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for fiscal year 2017 and $27.3 million for the Department of Education's 'Ready To Learn' program for fiscal year 2015.

Key Facts

  • Request for $445 million in 2-year advance funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for fiscal year 2017.
  • Request for $27.3 million for the 'Ready To Learn' program at the Department of Education for fiscal year 2015.
  • Over 70% of federal funding for CPB is distributed directly to local stations.
  • Federal funding accounts for approximately 15% of the average local public television station's budget.
  • For rural and smaller stations, federal funding can represent 30% to 50% of their total budget.
  • The annual cost of federal funding for CPB is approximately $1.35 per American.
  • PBS LearningMedia provides over 35,000 digital learning objects to 1.3 million registered teachers.
  • Public television stations serve as primary Emergency Alert Service (EAS) hubs for many states.
  • Public broadcasting infrastructure supports the national digital presidential alert and warning system.

Why It Matters

This request determines the level of federal financial support for local public television stations, which rely on these funds for 15% to 50% of their operating budgets to provide educational, public safety, and civic programming.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much of a local station's budget comes from federal funding?
On average, federal funding makes up about 15% of a station's budget, though it can be as high as 30-50% for smaller or rural stations.
What is the 'Ready To Learn' program?
It is a program under the Department of Education that receives federal funding to support educational content for children.
How does public television assist with public safety?
Stations provide infrastructure for emergency alerts, connect first responders, and serve as the backbone for the national presidential alert system.

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Lobbying Activity

ADOBE INC

$450,000

2026

COMPUTER INDUSTRYDEFENSEGOVERNMENT ISSUESCOPYRIGHT/PATENT/TRADEMARK

IT Modernization and Digital Service delivery issues; Digital Service Delivery IT Acquisition, and Content Authenticity and digital provenance issues; Content Authenticity Initiative (CAI); artificial intelligence; content provenance; privacy; technology in and competition issues; AI innovation and the economy; Content provenance and AI Labelling; IT modernization; Support for H.R. 9112 - CREATOR Act

AARP

$4,110,000

2026

HEALTH ISSUESMEDICARE/MEDICAIDLAW ENFORCEMENT/CRIME/CRIMINAL JUSTICEPHARMACY

P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology

WHEAT SHROYER GOVERNMENT RELATIONS LLC

on behalf of AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF NURSE ANESTHETISTS

VAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES

on behalf of NORTHWESTERN MEMORIAL HEALTHCARE

VAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES

on behalf of NEUROFIBROMATOSIS, INC. MIDWEST

VAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES

on behalf of NEUROFIBROMATOSIS NETWORK

VAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES

on behalf of AMERICAN COLLEGE OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL MEDICINE (ACOEM)

VAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES

on behalf of BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF EASTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

VAN SCOYOC ASSOCIATES

on behalf of THE ROTARY FOUNDATION OF ROTARY INTERNATIONAL

MCALLISTER & QUINN, LLC

on behalf of WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

financial connection90% confidence

Rural Dependency on Federal Funds

The testimony highlights a significant disparity where rural stations rely on federal funding for up to 50% of their budget, compared to 15% for the average station.

Connected Entities

organizationCorporation for Public BroadcastingThe federal entity receiving the requested $445 million appropriation.Map →
organizationAssociation of Public Television StationsOrganization submitting testimony for public broadcasting funding.Map →
organizationPublic Broadcasting ServiceOrganization submitting testimony for public broadcasting funding.Map →
organizationAmerican ViewpointConducted a poll cited in the testimony regarding public support for broadcastinMap →
organizationHart Research AssociatesConducted a poll cited in the testimony regarding public support for broadcastinMap →
organizationDepartment of EducationAgency overseeing the 'Ready To Learn' program.Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100
  • Significance60
    How much this matters to a regular citizen
  • Controversy20
    Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
  • Entertainment5
    Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
  • Buzz10
    Current news / social attention level

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