Dear BSPR members and listeners,
The 170 Million Americans campaign has a new name, but its mission is the same, to protect public media. The website, “Protect My Public Media”, has a whole set of tools for you to interact with your elected officials here in Idaho, and in Washington D.C., to tell them why public media means so much to you. You can also connect with your friends through Facebook and Twitter and let them know why it is so important to support Boise State Public Radio.
In this time of reduction in federal funding for public media, it is important for all of us who support the service to join together to have our voices heard. The federal government invests just $1.35 per U.S. citizen each year to keep news, entertainment, and cultural programming available on public radio and television across the country, including here in Idaho. I'd say that makes public broadcasting invaluable.
Public Media is especially important in rural parts of Idaho where commercial stations are abandoning small towns. Boise State Public Radio remains committed to providing an essential lifeline to rural Idaho by providing the latest news about state policy, the environment, and education -- all vital issues that affect Idahoans.
The backbone of funding for BSPR’s service to rural Idaho is provided by the federal government through our annual grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. BSPR’s annual grant from CPB has been cut by more than $20,000 just this year, and it's set to be cut much more in coming years. Still, the majority of our funding, 71 percent, comes from local donors and corporate sponsors. Due to the rural, sparsely populated areas that BSPR provides service to, those funds can’t be recouped through listener donations alone.
If you believe in a strong public media presence here in America, especially in rural parts of this country, I urge you to check out the Protect My Public Media website today and let your voice be heard in the halls of government here in Idaho and in Washington D.C.
Sincerely,
John Hess
