Scientific American

  • Jordan Lund@lemmy.one
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    8
    arrow-down
    2
    ·
    1 year ago

    Ehhh… I’m not so sure. If it’s publicly funded, what incentive is there to investigate government corruption?

    Would Watergate still have happened if Nixon had the ability to cut the WaPo purse strings?

    • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      if that funding were guaranteed and beyond the influence of those government officials, then they wouldn’t have any fear of revenge-based budget cuts.

      this could be accomplished by putting control of the funding into the hands of multiple levels of committee oversight so that no one person or even a single committee could threaten it.

      • Turkey_Titty_city@kbin.social
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        this is why universities have endowments.

        of course, they don’t use them like they should, but that’s another issue entirely.

        • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          arrow-down
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          That’s the problem with charity— free reporting becomes a privilege bestowed to a select a few by private institutions and subject to their whims rather than a right guaranteed to everyone by the government. 

        • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          3
          ·
          1 year ago

          That’s why I suggested multiple levels of oversight. Also, they kept their funding.

          • Jordan Lund@lemmy.one
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            0
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            1 year ago

            They did, because Mr. Rogers defended it. If he hadn’t been there to step up it likely would have been cut.

            That’s the problem. You get one party in power who doesn’t like it for some reason, it’s gone.

            • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
              link
              fedilink
              English
              arrow-up
              3
              ·
              1 year ago

              What you’ve shown is the system -democracy - working as intended. I’m not sure how that’s a criticism.

              That’s the problem. You get one party in power who doesn’t like it for some reason, it’s gone.

              except your “evidence” proves the exact opposite.

              • Jordan Lund@lemmy.one
                link
                fedilink
                English
                arrow-up
                0
                arrow-down
                1
                ·
                1 year ago

                Kinda like how Reagan removed the fairness doctrine… Oh, sure, any ol’ President could have it restored… 8 years of Clinton, 8 years of Obama, 2+ years of Biden… Hey, it’s only been since 1987… 36 years… I’m sure it will be back any day now…

                  • Jordan Lund@lemmy.one
                    link
                    fedilink
                    English
                    arrow-up
                    1
                    arrow-down
                    1
                    ·
                    1 year ago

                    My argument is that anything the government grants you can also be taken away… and if the counter is “But it can be restored too…”

                    Yeah, still waiting on the Fairness Doctrine, which, yeah, also has a direct impact on journalism.

            • theodewere@kbin.social
              link
              fedilink
              arrow-up
              2
              ·
              edit-2
              1 year ago

              this is why we protect the speech and the journalism… it’s like the whole vaccine argument all over again…

      • SMITHandWESSON@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        1
        arrow-down
        1
        ·
        edit-2
        1 year ago

        Not in today’s political climate. Most political parties operate on “party before country.” Government controlled anything is pretty much off the table as it’ll just turn into another partisan issue, that’ll change with every new administration.

        It’s going to be a long time before people start to come to their senses, if ever. Personally, I don’t think we’re going to make it here in the US the country is as divided as it was during the Civil War.

        I’ve already bought a second home deep in the woods of NH for when shit pops off. “Hope for the best prepare for the worst,” is my new motto since the pandemic.🤷🏾‍♂️

        • bauhaus@lemmy.ml
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          1
          ·
          edit-2
          1 year ago

          not all of us are ready to just give up so easily. I’m willing to fight for the nice things we have, even if you’re not.

    • JohnOnABuffalo@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      Publicly funded doesn’t mean government controlled, PBS and NPR only get about 10% of their budgets from the government. Most of it comes from Viewers like You! (Donations)