Image from Parents for Ethical Marketing
Did you feel like Robert McChesney was speaking directly to you on page 458 of The Political Economy of Media? McChesney states that a viable public funding for public broadcasting will, “require an aggressive grassroots campaign to generate a significant increase in organized popular support for public broadcasting.”
Well, I felt the call, and to show my solidarity, Googled the movement. Here’s what I found:
According to their website, 170 Million Americans for Public Broadcasting is a partnership of more than 250 public television and radio stations throughout the country, national organizations, producers and us – the millions of Americans served by public media.
On the website, you can sign up for action alerts, find sample letters to congress, like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Hey, it’s start anyway.
Questions:
1) Does public broadcasting stand a chance with grassroots support?
2) What other nationwide efforts are in motion for growing and envisioning a 21st century public media?
Strategically Communicating 
Do we have to hit “rock bottom” first?
I agree with you – it felt like McChesney was finally speaking to me regarding the need for public action to garner more support of the public broadcasting system. Throughout this book I have found myself comparing “The Political Economy of Media” to addiction. Oftentimes, before an addict realizes and can accept they have a problem that needs to be fixed, they must hit “rock bottom,” before they can begin to work on change. I see similarities in the state of the media and politics in the U.S. The problem is that the public isn’t informed or engaged enough. And, until things get really bad, it seems like we probably aren’t going to see a lot of action. Though the existence of the group Americans for Public Broadcasting is promising, I didn’t know about it before this book. This is coming across as quite pessimistic, but this book, the current environment in our country and the attempts at change we are seeing today, haven’t been giving me much hope.
1) If we can keep working for change, just one person at a time, how will we ever reach the desired state of media and politics McChesney refers to?
2) Or, do we have to hit “rock bottom?” If so, what is our bottom?
By: carriebuttke on November 21, 2011
at 6:30 pm