t funding is critical to sustaining the public broadcasting system.

* Eliminating federal funding for public broadcasting would end public broadcasting as we know it.

A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study and a Congressionally mandated CPB study both found that there is no substitute for federal funding to fulfill the educational mission that lies at the heart of public television.

* The vast majority of federal funding for public broadcasting goes directly to support the operations of local stations, many of which are the last locally-owned and locally-operated media outlets in their communities.

The federal investment is approximately 15 percent of local public television stations' budgets, but for many smaller and rural stations, federal funding can be 30-50 percent of their total budget.
A loss of federal funding would dramatically impact all stations, forcing them to curtail their programming and community outreach efforts. However, many stations, particularly small and rural stations, would most likely be forced off the air.

* The American public broadly supports federal funding for public broadcasting -- as was clearly evidenced in the groundswell of social media support that arose in the minutes and hours after Governor Romney proposed eliminating funding.

Polls show that 69 percent of American voters across the political spectrum oppose eliminating funding for public broadcasting, including nearly 50 percent of self-identified Tea-Party supporters, 56 percent of Republicans and nearly 70 percent of Independents.

Further polling shows that Americans consider PBS to be the second most appropriate expenditure of public funds, behind only national defense and the most trusted institution for the 9th year in a row.

* Public Broadcasting is in the business of public service -- providing content and services to local communities that are not available anywhere else. These include:

tested and proven, non-commercial, children's educational content that reaches 4 out of 5 kids ages 2-8;
standards-based, curriculum-aligned interactive digital learning materials that are revolutionizing the teaching and learning experience in classrooms nationwide;
local public affairs, and in-depth historical and cultural programming;
lifelong learning opportunities ranging from virtual high schools to GED high-school diploma equivalency programs to job training programs; and
deployment of broadcast spectrum in public safety and homeland security partnerships nationwide.

Public broadcasting treats viewers as citizens not consumers.

Public broadcasting services are not luxuries; they are essential services that 170 Million Americans rely on every month.

The American public stands with us in their support of continued federal funding for public broadcasting, and we hope that Congress will too.

Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions about public broadcasting, or if you are interested in arranging a tour of your local public television stations we would be more than happy to assist you in setting that up.

Thank you for your consideration.

The Association of Public Television Stations