National Survey Finds 69 Percent of Voters Oppose Congressional Elimination of Government Funding for Public Broadcasting

Americans across the Political Spectrum See PBS and Public Television Stations as Highly Trusted and an Excellent Taxpayer Value

A national survey undertaken by the bipartisan polling firms of Hart Research and American Viewpoint indicates overwhelming public opposition (69% to 27%) to proposals to eliminate government funding of public broadcasting, with voters across the political spectrum opposed to such a cut, including 83% of Democrats, 69% of Independents, and 56% of Republicans. More than two-thirds (68%) of voters say that Congressional budget cutters should "find other places in the budget to save money."

PBS commissioned this research to measure the organization’s performance and value as judged by its most important stakeholder — the American public. On behalf of PBS, the bipartisan polling team of Hart Research Associates (D) and American Viewpoint (R) conducted a nationwide telephone survey among a representative cross-section of 804 registered voters.

Interviewing was conducted February 11-13, 2011, and the survey has an overall margin of error of ±3.5%.

Highlights of the survey results include:

• Cutting the federal budget deficit is a strong priority of the American public, but so is public broadcasting — fully eight in ten voters say reducing the deficit should be an "absolute top priority" (42%) or a "high priority" (40%) for the country — but these voters also say that eliminating funding for public broadcasting is the wrong way to go about it.
• Even among the 42% of voters who say that reducing the deficit should be the nation’s top priority, 60% oppose eliminating funding for public broadcasting.
• Support for PBS (73% "excellent" or "good" value) ranks second only to "the country’s military defense" (81% "excellent" or "good" value), when voters were asked to rank "the value for your tax dollars" of specific government-funded programs.
• Nearly 8 in 10 voters (79%) believe that PBS should receive "the same amount of government funding" (49%), or "more government funding" (30%) than it currently receives. Ninety-two percent (92%) of Democrats favor the "same amount" or "more government funding" of PBS, as do 75% of Independents, and 67% of Republicans when told that "PBS/public television stations receive about 15% of their funding from the federal government," and that this "comes out to about one dollar per American each year."
• More than six voters in ten (61%) who believe deficit reduction is an important goal also support funding for public broadcasting. Sixty-one percent (61%) agreed with the statement, "Reducing the nation’s budget deficit is an important goal, but public broadcasting provides a valuable public service at a very low cost to taxpayers." Only 31% of voters agreed with the argument that "Public broadcasting may be important, but with the nation facing a huge budget deficit, we need to make difficult decisions and reduce government spending everywhere we can, including funding for PBS and NPR. There are many better ways to reduce government spending than by eliminating funding for this important priority."
• Six out of ten voters (61%) believe the consequences of defunding PBS would be a "massive loss" (24%) or "significant loss for the country," (37%) when told that eliminating public funding of the 15% of their budgets that PBS and PBS stations receive from the Federal government "could force PBS to eliminate some programming and jeopardize some PBS public television stations."
• Seventy-two percent of voters said they would be concerned "a great deal" (56%) or "a fair amount" (16%) if PBS had to "significantly cut back on the educational shows that help children prepare for success in school." Sixty-seven percent (67%) indicated "a great deal" (53%) of concern or "a fair amount" (14%) of concern if such cuts were to lead to the closing of "your local PBS station."
• Concern about the possible consequences of cuts on PBS’ ability to provide educational programming for children was seen across the political spectrum, with 88% of Democrats, 71% of Independents, and 56% of Republicans expressing such concern.
• PBS is America’s most trusted institution. In fact, American voters have twice the level of trust in PBS (44% "trust a great deal") over the nearest tested institution, Courts of Law (with 22% "trust a great deal").

"In an era in which reducing the budget deficit is a high priority, the public is not willing to ‘cut for cutting’s sake’," said Peter D. Hart of Hart Research. "Voters strongly oppose cuts for public broadcasting because they view it as an excellent taxpayer value and because they recognize what would be lost without PBS’ support for children’s educational advancement, as well as high quality science, history, and cultural programming. Support for PBS and public broadcasting is widespread and overwhelming, and cutting PBS’ relatively small amount of government funding is a losing political argument for proponents of such cuts."

"The funding of PBS is not an ideological battle," said Linda DiVall of American Viewpoint. "A majority of conservatives (53%) oppose eliminating government funding for public broadcasting.

This is due in part to the value voters derive from its programming, with a majority of Republicans saying they and their family ‘value a great deal’ the educational, non-violent and family-oriented programs that PBS offers. It’s notable just how strong the support for public broadcasting is among Independents whose support often decides elections."

PBS, with its nearly 360 member stations, offers all Americans — from every walk of life — the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches 117 million people through television and 20 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices.

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