THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 17, 1996 TAG: 9610170005
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 34 lines
Republican U.S. Rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia was in the forefront of the Capitol Hill conservatives hell bent on ending federal funding for the National Endowment of the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
But Gingrich, who believes the arts and humanities and public television and radio should look to the public sector for money, has energetically supported public broadcasting's effort to raise funds from individuals, businesses and foundations.
He has pleaded for private funding for public broadcasting in public-service announcements and recently hosted a fund raiser for Atlanta Public Television, Now he has autographed copies of his science-fiction novel, 1945, to be given to fans of WHRV-FM/89.5 and WHRO-FM/90.3 who make a pledge of financial support during the stations' fund-raising exercise from Oct. 19 through Nov. 1. The copies of 1945 have been donated by the novel's publisher, Jim Baen of Baen Books in Connecticut.
Says Gingrich: ``WHRO demonstrates exceptional entrepreneurship in offering copies of 1945 to those willing to back public radio with their own hard-earned money. This is exactly the kind of initiative that public broadcasting needs in order to remain competitive. I encourage everyone who appreciates quality radio and television to volunteer their time and money to their local public-broadcasting station.''
However greatly many may differ with Congressman Gingrich politically, agreeing with him on the value of public radio and TV and the need to keep both on the air is a no-brainer. by CNB