It was announced today that the federal National Endowment for the Arts has made sweeping funding cuts to established PBS shows. More details are available here.
I can’t measure the the impact of this, or fully wrap my head around it. This will take time (and more information) to assess the impact, but I’m initially struck by two points in particular here. First, I’m sorry to see such a big cut to POV, the program that sponsored Traces of the Trade on PBS.
Second, Alyce Myatt, a friend of mine who is the endowment’s media arts director, said that while public television and radio remain “the leads, we also know we have a generation — not of kids but adults — who are consuming content online and on mobile.” This is definitely true for me and many people I know.
It is fascinating to read that the endowment made “78 grants, up from 64 in 2011, totaling $3.55 million, down from $4 million last year. Eligible applications more than doubled to 329, Ms. Myatt said.”
“There are limited resources, so the resources are parsed out as best as can be. This is not anything against any particular program, any particular network or anything.”
Technological advances continue to change the world in profound ways. The impacts will be felt by all of us, including to programs near and dear to our hearts.
I look forward to hearing, and learning, more.