A great investment: every $1 in federal support results in $6 of local support

The federal investment in public media is minimal when compared to many developed nations. The United States has chosen a uniquely American model for its public media -- combining a modest investment from the federal government with local private and public support to create a public broadcasting system that ensures all Americans have access to non-commercial high quality programming.  The federal government allocates about $1.35 per person each year to maintain the system, compared to more than 25 times that amount in Australia and nearly 60 times that amount in the United Kingdom.(1)

This small investment, approximately $450 million annually, is leveraged by local stations to produce exponential returns for taxpayers, including high-quality programming and services in communities across America; unmatched non-commercial children’s programming; formal and informal educational instruction for all ages; in-depth, nonpartisan news and public affairs programming.

Public broadcasting is committed to addressing the unmet needs of underserved audiences in communities across the nation.  Public broadcasting ensures universal access to non-commercial high-quality programming that educates, informs, enlightens, and enriches the public, with a particular focus on the needs of underserved audiences, including children and minorities.

Additional services provided by public broadcasters, including participation in the Emergency Alert System, the AMBER Alert System, radio reading services for the blind, and myriad other essential infrastructure services, benefit all Americans.

(1) Source:  http://www.freepress.net/files/New_Public_Media.doc.pdf