Bill Overview
Title: No Propaganda Act
Description: This bill prohibits federal funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The bill also rescinds unobligated funding made available to the corporation in specified appropriations acts. (The corporation is a congressionally created nonprofit that supports local public television and radio broadcasting.)
Sponsors: Rep. Perry, Scott [R-PA-10]
Target Audience
Population: People who consume content supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Estimated Size: 175000000
- The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) supports hundreds of TV and radio stations across the United States, which serve millions of listeners and viewers.
- Public broadcasting is often utilized by individuals who seek educational content, cultural programming, and non-commercial news, particularly important in areas where private or commercial media is scarce.
- People who consume news, education, and cultural content from public broadcasters like PBS and NPR would be directly impacted, as funding cuts would potentially lead to reduced services or station closures.
- The impact would also extend to employees of these stations and the broader cultural sector who might face job insecurity or loss.
Reasoning
- The removal of federal funding from the CPB will impact the operational capabilities of public broadcasting stations, which are relied upon by a significant number of people for unbiased news and educational content.
- Those living in rural areas or regions with limited access to commercial broadcasts are likely to face the most disruption as local public stations might shut down.
- The cut in funding may lead to a reduction in staff and programming, affecting not only the consumers of this content but also employees and those contributing creatively to public broadcasting.
- However, not all individuals depend on public broadcasting for their media consumption; some might not notice any direct impact.
- Given the widespread reach of CPB-supported media, the potential reach of the policy's impact is sizable—estimated at 175 million people within the U.S. But, direct significant impact will likely be limited to segments of this population.
Simulated Interviews
Public school teacher (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I rely on PBS and NPR for news and educational content.
- Without the CPB's support, valuable resources like PBS LearningMedia might disappear.
- My students benefit immensely from the materials I get through PBS.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 8 |
Radio producer (Boise, ID)
Age: 45 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Our station might have to layoff staff or even close without CPB funding.
- Public radio is a vital source of community news.
- I’m worried about my job security and the community's access to information.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 3 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 3 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 2 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 2 | 9 |
Retired (Biloxi, MS)
Age: 61 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- NPR keeps me informed about world events and is one of my few trusted news sources.
- Without CPB funding, I might lose my favorite station.
- I don't have cable, so public radio is crucial for me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 3 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 9 |
Engineer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I occasionally watch PBS, but I have other ways to access information and entertainment.
- The policy won’t directly affect me much, but I understand its broader implications.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 8 |
Grad student (New York, NY)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 7.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Public media archives are invaluable for my research.
- I'm concerned about future access to these resources if funding is cut.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 9 |
Small business owner (Austin, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I enjoy NPR podcasts during commutes.
- I worry that local stations might not survive without CPB support.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 8 |
Freelance writer (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 34 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Public radio gives me unbiased news coverage.
- It's uncertain what will happen if stations face reduced funding.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 9 |
Financial analyst (Miami, FL)
Age: 56 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 20/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don’t really rely on public broadcasting, so the policy won’t affect me directly.
- I'm more concerned about its broader impacts on media diversity.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Nonprofit manager (Seattle, WA)
Age: 42 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- CPB support is crucial for broadcasting initiatives that help our community.
- Cuts might mean losing important community-driven content.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 4 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 9 |
Software developer (Denver, CO)
Age: 30 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I appreciate the role of public broadcasting but I mainly get my news online.
- I support CPB philosophically, but the policy won’t change my daily life.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $-500000000 (Low: $-450000000, High: $-550000000)
Year 2: $-500000000 (Low: $-450000000, High: $-550000000)
Year 3: $-500000000 (Low: $-450000000, High: $-550000000)
Year 5: $-500000000 (Low: $-450000000, High: $-550000000)
Year 10: $-500000000 (Low: $-450000000, High: $-550000000)
Year 100: $-500000000 (Low: $-450000000, High: $-550000000)
Key Considerations
- This policy primarily results in government savings by cutting federal funding for CPB.
- The broader impact includes potential service reductions and employment effects in the public broadcasting sector and related communities.