Should your tax dollars stop funding PBS?

Chris Schmidt, a senior producer with the PBS program NOVA scienceNOW, responds to the GOP talking-point that the public broadcasting system should no longer receive federal funds. The network currently receives about 17% of its funding from the government.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney even name-checked Big Bird during a presidential debate, and proposed that the lovable yellow fellow be sacked.

Writes Schmidt, "Considering that only about $1.35 per year of our tax dollars goes to fund PBS which allows PBS to avoid pandering to commercial interests — against the $40, $80 or $120 dollars per month that most cable subscribers pay in order to be allowed to watch commercials — I'd say us taxpayers are getting a hell of a bargain."