Thursday, October 4, 2012

The Muppets Fight Back


Mitt Romney's comments about cutting funding to PBS during Wednesday's presidential debate inspired a new political demonstration: The Million Muppet March. I couldn't believe my ears. I love PBS and don't know one single person who does not.


Click here if you can't see this video published by The New York Times.

See Statement from PBS following the debate here.

24 comments:

tammy j said...

and i'm even a member. though i can't afford to give much. every little bit helps.
but if romney gets his way?
goodbye big bird and ernie...
but the saddest of all?
good bye downton abbey? !!!!
and upstairs downstairs
and masterpiece classics.
surely not.
say it isn't so.
but i guess it would be so.
it's about the only channel i watch. other than big bang and modern family and ncis. lol.

Content in a Cottage said...

Tam...I don't think PBS will ever go away. Private donations will save the day. I'm curious about how much government funding there is to this worthy cause?

Recycled Cottage & Garden said...

I liked PBS when I used to watch TV. However we need to start cutting back the budget on something and id PBS is viewer supported as they state continually then the viewers need to fund them entirely and not the government. There are many things that get government funding that could be cut back on. I wish the times were not what they are but we just can't hide our head in the sand and keep spending money we don't have.

Garden, Home and Party said...

There are so many areas of government that are mismanaged, I say let them clean up some of the other mismanage departments and leave PBS alone. My granddaughter love Sesame Street, as did my children growing up.
So sad.
Karen

Content in a Cottage said...

Angela and Karen...

Yes, the viewers will prevail and save PBS should the government agencies that lend their support pull out.

Anonymous said...

everyone says we must cut back but leave my favorite alone!!! Well we are drowning in debt and need to cut back in all areas. Other shows prevail why should we keep borrowing from China to finance any of this? If you want a show either have it pay per view or have it go on regular channels easy as that. Nancy Settel

Elizabeth@ Pine Cones and Acorns said...

Hello,

The sad fact is that all of your readers are correct, there are many problems with the American economy and PBS is the least of them.

That said, funding to PBS has been cut every year to PBS and not just by Republicans. In fact the last I read, only 10% of the funding they receive is from the government. The good news is that the viewers of PBS, you and I, have picked up the tab and will continue to do so.

Have a great weekend!

Donna said...

PBS will be fine, donate as many already do, government debt is something you Grandkids will not appreciate! Is Chinese taught on Sesame Street yet, hope never!

Beverly said...

Don't worry, Rosemary, given Romney's flip flop history, he'll probably reverse his remarks and say that he will give Big Bird a raise. :)

Anonymous said...

PBS should survive on it's own merit like other programs. Having daycare in my home, we've watched children's show which promote liberal ideas of global warming and diverse families. This kind of brainwashing goes on in the schools also. But it is stopped here. Schools and shows need to get back to the basics of education. Too many examples of the dumbing down of our youth in this world.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry to see you bring politics into your blog. It takes a lot away from my enjoyment of the wonderful things you share. "ladyhawthorne" and the anonymous response on Oct. 4 are on target. Our country is going in the wrong direction and SOMETHING has to change!

Content in a Cottage said...

Thanks everyone for your insightful remarks. I am sure PBS will be fine. Thankfully, they are not that dependent on federal funding. 'Viewers like you' (and me) will just have to dig a little deeper to fund it 100%.

JudyMac said...

No, I do not like to see politics pop up in the blogs either. In that regard, I will only say this: A lot of cuts will have to be made to get our debt under control; some we may not like, some we might not mind. But it has to be done lest our country have a very bleak future for ourselves and our children. When our debt goes down, then we can re-up for Big Bird--because he is important in the lives of our children.

Priscilla said...

I'm in the cut funding camp. If we, the US, is to climb out of the financial hole that we have slipped into these last 4years we have to start making some serious cuts. Not only small ones like PBS, but other recipients of government (our tax money) funding.

Content in a Cottage said...

JudyMac....I thought long and hard before posting anything political. Actually it was really more about manners. I thought it was disrespectful of Mitt Romney to attack Jim Lehrer, the host of the debate threatening his job. I was actually watching on PBS-Channel 13 to boot.
I thought Obama looked old and tired and I though Romney did the better job. Jim Lehrer is retired and came back just for this debate so he needn't worry about losing his job.

Anonymous said...

I am also disappointed to see politics here. However, I think the comments that Romney wants to "fire" Jim Lehrer and is threatening Big Bird are very misleading. There is a big difference between cutting subsidies for PBS and saying he is going to fire them. The Sesame Workshop is an enormous brand, making millions of dollars a year (in fact, it might even be bigger than millions). I also agree with the above posters, subsidies need to be reduced in order for our children and grandchildren to have the same growth and opportunity as our generations. Otherwise, the most realistic character on Sesame Street in the future is going to be Oscar the Grouch when we are mired in debt.

Content in a Cottage said...

Quote from an article in The Washington Post released by The Sesame Workshop:

"“Sesame Workshop receives very, very little funding from PBS,” she explained.

“We are able to raise our funding through philanthropic, through our licensed product, which goes back into the educational programming, through corporate underwriting and sponsorship," Westin added.

Sesame Workshop, meanwhile, issued a statement Thursday: “We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. We do not comment on campaigns, but we’re happy we can all agree that everyone likes Big Bird!”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/tv-column/post/sesame-workshop-responds-to-mitt-romnyeys-big-bird-comments/2012/10/04/1a40292c-0e68-11e2-bd1a-b868e65d57eb_blog.html

Patricia said...

I agree with Anonymous above that it's misleading to say that Romney wants to "fire" Jim Lehrer and Big Bird. And I, too, am disappointed to see politics here. I browse blogs to relax (and to get a short break from all the politics we are bombarded with on TV. etc.).
P.S. I watch PBS regularly (and don't get me started on how much I love Masterpiece Theatre) and contribute to it whenever I can!

JudyMac said...

Rosemary, I think you and I are pretty much on the same page, but even before the debate, I knew that Mitt Romney had proposed cutting funds to PBS, and I'm sure Jim Lehrer and many others did as well. But everyone was probably waiting to see if Romney would be bold enough to mention it again, and he did, but it wasn't in the manner of what I would call an "attack." :-)

Content in a Cottage said...

Patricia..

PBS is one of my favorite things to blog about so I felt I should come their defense.

I only blog about what interests ME so those that aren't interested in an occasional political post can just skip over them. I would love to keep my head in the sand too but I want to cast my vote with as much knowledge as possible.

Masterpiece is going to be great this Sunday night with the Season 2 premier of Upstairs Downstairs.

xo, Rosemary

Content in a Cottage said...

JudyMac...You are way ahead of me. I had no idea he had already published this notion in the Fortune Magazine article back in August.

We will have to see how it plays out, won't we?

xo, Rosemary

Susan said...

I think it is important to note that our government's investment in PBS is FAR from the most offending $$$ budget overrun. I forget the %, but it is VERY SMALL. I see PBS as one of the BEST investments our government has made.

ale balanzario said...

I also love PBS, I often watch it, hope it can be on for long time...

Anonymous said...

How did I land here? I don't know! I clicked on one of your past posts......(I am and ardent fan!!!)

Politcs are making me sick. I am responding to this just after the nightmare from hell week in Boston1

My 10 year old grandson was to leave for a class trip to Boston Saturday morning. It was postponed for two weeks!

Boston is such a major city in our history. My heart aches...for everyone there.....

These 5th graders from Santa Barbara, California will be arriving in two weeks....and I know they will see Boston as it is! "wounded" (how could they not be!?)

Courageous! And Confident.

My heart will always hurt for this week in Boston.

Penelope

ps My heart goes out to the doctors and nurses who have been completely traumatized treating wounds like they have never seen before.....and then,,,,,,,

having to treat the person who did it!

How difficult that must be!!

they are "angels" amongst us! Truly!!!