By Steve Levy
Both sides of the political aisle are flipping out over the debate as to whether the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) show a radical left-wing bias.
Democrats claim it’s all in the minds of paranoid conservatives. Republicans claim there is ample proof of a hatred toward the right evidenced by the actions, tweets and comments of NPR’s director.
But the point is that it’s really irrelevant as to whether they slant to the right or the left. While there is no question these two outlets have had a significant leftward bias over the years, taxpayer dollars should no longer be wasted on these media outlets that are now relics in broadcast history.
When we had only seven channels to choose from, it was justifiable to put money into cultural alternatives not otherwise available — money for Channel 13 that gave us opera, ballet and Sesame Street.
But that was the 1970s. Over the last few decades, consumers have had over 150 channels to choose from. Why would we feel the need to use tax dollars to fund an opera channel when streaming allows people to get this material very easily? We might’ve wanted Sesame Street to keep our kids learning and occupied because they weren’t interested in soap operas, news channels or ball games, but, today, they can find dozens of child-centric outlets.
So let’s stop quibbling over whether NPR or PBS is leftist propaganda. It wouldn’t matter if it was right-leaning propaganda. Stop using our tax dollars for media platforms that should survive on their own private merits and funding.
Steve Levy is Executive Director of the Center for Cost Effective Government, a fiscally conservative think tank. He served as Suffolk County Executive, as a NYS Assemblyman, and host of “The Steve Levy Radio Show.”