WFMT Executive Vice President Steve Robinson has been doing pledge drives for more than 40 years. An article in the Chicago Sun Times quotes him as saying that this year, “it’s the worst I’ve ever seen it.” Look for the entire article here.
Marty Ronish
NEA Funding Reinstated in the Stimulus Bill
Virginians for the Arts reports today that the wording prohibiting funding for arts and community was deleted from the final stimulus bill, or if that’s too many negatives in one sentence, we got it back!
More Classical in CA, Republican Irony, and Sirius XM Filing Bankruptcy?
Where shall I start? There’s so much news!
Let’s start with the Republican hypocrisy irony, since the Stimulus Bill is on everyone’s mind. Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but the final bill apparently really does cut the hoped-for $50 million in NEA funding.
UPDATE 2-12-09: A press release just sent out by the RNCC claims:
Democrats said they would fight for fiscal responsibility in Washington, but went back on their promise by voting for $335 million in STD prevention, $75 million for smoking cessation and even $50 million for the National Endowment of the Arts.
Does this mean the NEA funding is back in? Stay tuned.
The author of that cut in the Senate was Tom Coburn (R – Oklahoma), whose daughter Sarah, ironically, is a top-notch opera singer. The LA Times just ran this story about her. He considers museums, theaters and arts centers “wasteful and non-stimulative projects.”
Meet PRX, the Content Bank for Everyone
A guest post today from David Srebnik:
There’s PRI, APR, MPR, NPR, CPB, NEA, but have you heard about PRX? The Public Radio Exchange is a relatively new radio program bank where program producers and stations (large and small) meet to upload, download and review programming. You don’t have to work at a radio station to listen – PRX programming is available to all listeners at www.prx.org.