Reply to Mitt Romney plans to cancel Sesame Street

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Why does the federal government have to pay for tv programming? If people like it they can donate. Unreal. [/quote]

Is this a serious question?

Research the history of TV. It hasn't always been fiber optics and satellite and 57 channels with nothing on.

The air waves are a public good. Ensuring they were used that way (education, news) in the beginning was the perogative of government. I'd argue that government funding now more than ever is needed to counterbalance the utter crap that is broadcast. If I have to tolerate Jersey Shore on the public spectrum, by golly the government can underwrite Sesame Street.[/quote]

When I was young there were 3 channels-ABC, NBC, and CBS.  Plus an antenna on the roof or rabbit ears.  Sesame Street produces about 26 shows per year domestically and the production budget is 17 million.  Marketing returns are huge but that show isn't all the company does and PBS contibutes 4 million plus there are government grants.

So yes , the production company could continue making the show, and stuff would still be sold.  Obviously Sesame Street could have been functionning like football at a big school - funds help support the other programs.  But that clearly has not been happening.

http://www.slate.com/articles/business/explainer/2012/01/does_sesame_street_lose_money_.html[/quote]

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