1. Show us the data proving this.

2. Show us the data proving this.

3. It may be questionable whether the federal gov't should have a role in education, but the fact is, they do at this time, and have for quite a while.

4. “The paramount mission….should” — is an opinion statement. Show the data proving that public media should have this role. Just the facts, please.

I waited before stating it in case others would have said it, but hasn't Johnny been neglecting not only books and newspapers but the “old media,” of which PBS is a part, even though it's government-run?

Johnny's on the Web, watching videos on YouTube, or doing other things rather than learning, that is.

1. Much of what NPR and PBS does detracts from good education and information.

2. “Shakespeare for the masses,” accompanying the introduction of television to the public, was naive.

3. It's questionable and a concern if the federal government should have any kind of educational role.

4. The paramount mission for “public media” should be almost identical to that of C-SPAN, namely, the broadcasting of federal government proceedings, hopefully with less exploitation in the form of managed press conferences, with an auxiliary function (of public media) as functioning as disaster, etc., channels.

It included what you might call “Patriot Act” treatment of personnel as well as show content.

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?s…

dear shannonlee: my two cents? I dont think that's over the top. You may have seen some of my columns here at TMV on the death of storytelling in media, the slaughter of storytellers as the first wave of conquest, etc. The difference between teaching reading content and reading process, is two different things. There ought to be programs on PBS for both.

I'm with Tyrone, LOVE of reading stories, LEARNING from stories, how to go in life, how perhaps NOT to go in life… this is essential to any group of people who want their young to be able to think broadly and deeply … and to remain inspired instead of hanging around like dead fish going, I dunno, I dunno.

To put it another way, I see phonics and spelling and diagramming sentences and all, as critical to the mind. I see storytelling as critical to the soul… so so many of us, so many, were guided not by human beings directly, but as inspired by the heroics in books.

I hope Reading Rainbow can be returned in full brightness. And another show on phonics be bright too.

I remember when Geo Bush put some of his guys in high position of NEA and also on the board of I think PBS… they wanted to tilt the boat to their thinking til the boat capsized. Personally, I like the linear — and — the bounty of imagination, both. Just my two cents worth, I see them as complementary, not as enemies as some from both ends seem to want to use to create endless oppositions and arguing and stomping down… meanwhile, the children are growing up without benefit of both… in a world that increasingly REQUIRES both.

I would say it certainly improves things, and is essential beyond having a successful democracy.

I read (good, old-fashioned) books all the time. (That's why I have owned trucks — to acquire and to move more of them, easily.) I read on-line as well, but on my travels were I've seen others, mainly the younger people, they're listening to music or watching videos for entertainment, not for reading and learning.

Side note:

“the funding crunch”

If we're really in bad economic times, aren't much of PBS and NPR luxuries that should be stopped?

Think about some of the major problems we have today with our political discourse…the number of ignorant Americans that simply don't read enough to have the knowledge to enter responsibly into a political debate. Our general lack of knowledge is why catch phrases, 30 second blurbs, and 5 paragraph internet articles drive people to insanity…”I'll bite your pinky off”.

Could it be that reading books is an essential part of any successful democracy? If we stop teaching our kids “why” to read…will they not read? Will future generations of Americans be even less informed?

Sad day for children's programming. My 6 year old does watch Noggin religiously and they concentrate alot on phonics and reading. But the why is immensely important as well.