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Was Mitt Romney right about Sesame Street? Gov't vs Reading Rainbow Kickstarter
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:24 am
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:24 am
I made this argument on the Movie/TV Board a while back. It's still not fully realized. The purpose is to see if kickstarter is what American economics, society, and philanthropy is supposed to be.
Way back in the 2012 election Mitt Romney said he'd cut government funding to PBS, seemingly making Sesame Street and Big Bird go the way of the Dodo.
Thus, Mitt Romney's attack on Sesame Street was turned into a negative meme by citizens, news networks, and even the incumbent president. If you think about it, this really successful Reading Rainbow kickstarter campaign shows that funding will come for things that people consider important and the people show that by action and providing resources in their own right.
Reading Rainbow was a PBS show back in the 80s and 90s. Reading Rainbow just had a really stellar showing on kickstarter, which is a site where you pitch and idea to get funding. Isn't that what Public Broadcasting is supposed to be? Reading Rainbow used to get funds the same way as it is now getting funds on kickstarter. The only difference is, the populace gets to decide what to put their money towards.
Sesame Street would never die, just like Reading Rainbow has this support. We are funding public broadcasting in the way it is supposed to work, and we are funding public broadcasting without government funds.
That and Sesame Street is a money-making machine with all the merchandise involved.
I don't know. What do you think?
Way back in the 2012 election Mitt Romney said he'd cut government funding to PBS, seemingly making Sesame Street and Big Bird go the way of the Dodo.
Thus, Mitt Romney's attack on Sesame Street was turned into a negative meme by citizens, news networks, and even the incumbent president. If you think about it, this really successful Reading Rainbow kickstarter campaign shows that funding will come for things that people consider important and the people show that by action and providing resources in their own right.
Reading Rainbow was a PBS show back in the 80s and 90s. Reading Rainbow just had a really stellar showing on kickstarter, which is a site where you pitch and idea to get funding. Isn't that what Public Broadcasting is supposed to be? Reading Rainbow used to get funds the same way as it is now getting funds on kickstarter. The only difference is, the populace gets to decide what to put their money towards.
Sesame Street would never die, just like Reading Rainbow has this support. We are funding public broadcasting in the way it is supposed to work, and we are funding public broadcasting without government funds.
That and Sesame Street is a money-making machine with all the merchandise involved.
I don't know. What do you think?
12
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:28 am to Pectus
quote:
That and Sesame Street is a money-making machine with all the merchandise involved.
I always thought this was odd, that they couldn't self support through merchandising. Maybe the rights are tied up or something?
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:28 am to Pectus
PBS is on life support. it will be dead within 10 years.
i can see why its so popular, pbs kids has radically less advertising on it than other kids shows. Parents love that. But parents should pay for that shite, not me.
i can see why its so popular, pbs kids has radically less advertising on it than other kids shows. Parents love that. But parents should pay for that shite, not me.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:30 am to AUin02
quote:quote:
That and Sesame Street is a money-making machine with all the merchandise involved.
I always thought this was odd, that they couldn't self support through merchandising. Maybe the rights are tied up or something?
It's not just US Sesame Street that is supported by all that.
The DVDs my kids have talk about how proceeds from the sales, along with tickets from live shows, etc., go to running versions of Sesame Street in other countries such as Egypt as well.
In other words, those royalties are funding far more than just the cost of their US operations.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:31 am to Pectus
Romney was right. Not just about this but about pretty much everything he said.
Unfortunately,people are stupid and buy into emotional arguments.
Unfortunately,people are stupid and buy into emotional arguments.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:33 am to Pectus
quote:There is zero reason Sesame Street should get public funding - neither directly nor funneled through PBS affiliates.
That and Sesame Street is a money-making machine with all the merchandise involved.
This post was edited on 7/15/14 at 10:33 am
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:36 am to Pectus
Yes. Liberal progressives have been furthering their agenda for many years going back to the days of Walter Cronkite with selective news on CBS.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:36 am to Pectus
I feel that there is no reason for government money to be spent on television. Mitt Romney was ridiculed for wanting to kill big bird, but he was right. Why should the public pay for any broadcasting? If the product has value, money will come from somewhere. If it doesn't, the product isn't worth it.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 10:37 am to Pinecone Repair
quote:
Romney was right. Not just about this but about pretty much everything he said. Unfortunately,people are stupid and buy into emotional arguments.
Damn right.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 11:45 am to teke184
quote:
he DVDs my kids have talk about how proceeds from the sales, along with tickets from live shows, etc., go to running versions of Sesame Street in other countries such as Egypt as well.
So just like the rest of the federal gov, Sesame St is too worried about sending money to other countries instead of fixing the problems at home?
Posted on 7/15/14 at 11:50 am to Pectus
Romney was right about everything.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 11:52 am to Pectus
I think the argument would be that Reading Rainbow only received so much on Kickstarter because of the nostalgia that current young adults have for the show. Without PBS funding the show originally it would not be in position to capitalize on that nostalgia today.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 12:12 pm to teke184
quote:
In other words, those royalties are funding far more than just the cost of their US operations.
LINK
They are part of the 1%
quote:
At Sesame Workshop, according to 2011 tax forms:
Gary Knell, president and CEO of Sesame Workshop until October 2011, $988,456
H. Melvin Ming, current president and CEO, $584,572
Lewis Bernstein $406,387
Terry Fitzpatrick $439,741
Myung Kang-Huneke $389,005
Sherrie Westin $463,892
Susan Kolar $401,425
Miranda Barry $397,175
Maura Regan $379,733
Joseph Mazzarino $556,165
Caralynn Sandorf $354,476
Anita Stewart $455,369
And while the actor who plays Big Bird (Carroll Spinney) doesn’t have a salary that puts him in the 1 percent, he’s not far off: Spinney makes $314,072.
And who’s funding this? Well, in part, taxpayers: the federal government gave the CPB a grant of $444.1 million in 2012.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 12:18 pm to Taxing Authority
quote:
There is zero reason Sesame Street should get public funding - neither directly nor funneled through PBS affiliates.
We all benefit from an educated public.
Do you feel the same way about public schools? Public Universities?
Posted on 7/15/14 at 12:20 pm to a want
quote:Nope. Education is entirely personal.
We all benefit from an educated public.
But that isn't the logic at work. Sesame Street can EASILY survive without public funding.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 12:22 pm to a want
quote:
We all benefit from an educated public.
It's highly possible that funding for education could be better spent than on Sesame St?
Posted on 7/15/14 at 12:23 pm to a want
quote:
We all benefit from an educated public.
Private businesses are making much better kids shows.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 12:24 pm to Pinecone Repair
quote:
Romney was right. Not just about this but about pretty much everything he said. Unfortunately,people are stupid and buy into emotional arguments.
X2
Posted on 7/15/14 at 12:34 pm to Taxing Authority
quote:
Nope. Education is entirely personal.
What an embarrassing statement.
Posted on 7/15/14 at 12:40 pm to Pectus
Great point. I don't think it's any different than the disintermediation of the music/entertainment industry. Record company execs had a monopoly on deciding who we heard on the radio before the internet. In this case, it's the government's funding choices that are the intermediary being replaced.
IMO, crowd funding is fascinating for this and many other reasons, including drastically lowering barriers and risks of entrepreneurship.
IMO, crowd funding is fascinating for this and many other reasons, including drastically lowering barriers and risks of entrepreneurship.
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