NATIONAL PUBLIC RIDICULOUSNESS – AT 7:40 P.M. ET:  Vivian Schiller, CEO of National Public Radio, has resigned.  The resignation, which many sources say was encouraged by NPR's board, comes a day after a secretly made tape was released on which a high NPR official, now himself resigned, made disparaging remarks about Republicans, Tea Party members, and, obliquely, Jews. 

And this comes only months after Juan Williams was fired from NPR on the basis of trumped-up charges of violating NPR's rules.  The real reason was that he appears on Fox.  And I suspect that there was annoyance that Williams, an African-American, doesn't parrot the liberal line. 

NPR and its partner in crime, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, are facing a public-relations crisis just as their funding is being considered in Congress.  Republicans are determined to defund these budget drainers.

When public television first got started, almost half a century ago, we only had three major television networks.  An argument could be made for an "educational" TV system that couldn't raise funds through advertising, and which broadcast "high-quality" programs.

Today, though, with cable and satellite systems in abundance, not to mention DVDs available in our mailboxes through Netflix, the argument for public subsidies of broadcast operations seems pretty weak.  Shows like "Sesame Street" can easily find corporate backing.  As for National Public Radio, I can't see why they should not have to compete in the marketplace of ideas, like everyone else.  They put on some pretty good programs, and, if enough listeners agree, funds can be found.

I say defund over a period of five years to give these institutions time to adjust.  Their leftist bias has alienated them from millions of Americans.  They have lost our confidence and respect.  And with all that's available to us, their programming is no longer that special.

March 9, 2011