Adult and youth orchestras greatly broaden their reach and provide access to viewers and listeners in partnership with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). While tours and residencies enable orchestras to bring the in-person experience of music to audiences, public broadcasting provides the largest stage, and in many rural areas, public broadcasting is the only provider of free, locally managed news, arts, and cultural programming. Urge Congress to fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting at no less than $465 million!
Talking Points
- Public broadcasting is accessible to all. Over the course of a year, 80% of all U.S. television households - and nearly 200 million people - watch the Public Broadcasting Service. 42 million people listen weekly to public radio. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) supports more than 1,500 locally owned public stations including 359 public television stations, 1162 public radio stations, thousands of online services, and in-person community events.
- Public broadcasting is local. Stations are locally licensed and governed, locally programmed, and locally staffed. In many rural areas, public broadcasting is the only source of free, locally managed news, arts, and cultural programming. Furthermore, public radio features genres and traditions that are less commonly found on commercial stations, including classical, folk, bluegrass, jazz, and blues.