"The Future of PBS and Rise of Digital Media"

     Today I spoke on the future of PBS regarding the 2018 federal budget blueprint. I found this topic to be interesting while researching the history and values of PBS. As a taxpayer and viewer of PBS I can relate to the conversation that many are having today. There is not a clear date on the approval of budget cuts for the Corporation of public broadcasting but it is igniting public stations to show their worth. In the digital market that Netflix and Hulu have come into there is plenty to learn from the older forms of media. The question of the week asks, how do older forms of media inform newer media markets? To answer this question, the development of PBS will need to show its steps towards remaining relevant and valuable to the nation's population.
     The newer media markets have founded their programs through a large audience of paid subscriptions and film studios. In contrast, the older media as public broadcasting, receive their funding from the federal government, corporations, foundations and most importantly, viewers. The 2018 budget proposal puts the future of PBS at risk of losing the federal funding and having to rely on more viewer sponsorship. The privatization of public stations will not stop their production but it will rather make it less accessible for non-cable or Netflix homes. The value that PBS has is found on the impact that its culture, news, and educational shows leaves on its nationwide viewers.
    In conclusion, we are interested in the newer media markets being able to continue their broadcasting and observing their impact in homes. Time will tell what will occur with the public broadcasting stations. It is important to keep in mind those children that rely on their shows to learn math skills that their parents cannot teach them and how they improve their vocabulary after every show. PBS shows how this form of old media can inform the digital age by demonstrating its importance and its valuable product that has been able to adapt to current consumer trends.

Sources:

FOX News Network, Trump budget would end federal funding for arts endowment, PBS. (2017,            March 16). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/16/trump-budget-would-end-federal-funding-for-arts-endowment-pbs.print.html

Husock, H. (2017, March 17). Public broadcasting . Retrieved from                                                           https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/03/17/public-  broadcast-has- outlived-its-mandate-time-to-justify-its-government-            subsidy/?utm_term=.746bc5176c1e

Ingram, M. (2017, January 19). Trump's Team Said to Be Planning to Privatize Public           Broadcasting. Retrieved March 18, 2017, from http://fortune.com/2017/01/19/trump-           public-broadcasting/

Marketing and Research Resources, Inc . (2017). PBS Trusted Valued Essential. Retrieved March 12,     2017, from http://bento.cdn.pbs.org/hostedbento-                 prod/filer_public/PBS_About/Files%20and%20Thumbnails/Release%20Files/PBS2017T  rustBroch_R10_singlepgs.pdf

NPR and APTS Action, Inc. (2017). ACT NOW: President's Budget Eliminates Public Media      Funding. Retrieved March 18, 2017, from http://protectmypublicmedia.org/

Office of Management and Budget. (2017, March 13). Retrieved March 18, 2017, from

https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb