The Masterpiece Theater's "Downton Abbey" has amassed a large and loyal following on OETA.
One evening this week, my 9-year-old son became fascinated by a documentary about Henry Ford.
He actually put down his iPod Touch and watched in silence.
That alone made my husband and I sit up in attention.
Then, he peppered us with questions about the history of cars, World War II and how our ancestors fit into this time in our country.
This program was straight-forward, commercial free and void of any embedded product placement.
It was a nice reminder of what public television provides.
With bedtime nearing, I promised to record the rest, and he asked to look for books on Mr. Ford.
That’s when I saw the newspaper’s headline from my table:
”OETA losing support for state funds, lawmaker says.” Last year, lawmakers tried to end all state funding and abolish the public television station completely.
The argument is that it’s not a core function of government.
That failed, but the effort continues.
The state chips in about $3.8 million of its $7 billion appropriations budget for Oklahoma Education Television Authority.
That is about one-third of OETA’s budget.
The headlines are usually couched as a fight against Big Bird.
But it’s really a fight with the National Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which has been criticized as having liberal-leaning programming.
I don’t see public television as having a political leaning either way.
Then again, I’m watching “Curious George” and documentaries like the “Dust Bowl.”
It is the only broadcast television channel in the state covering the state legislature on a daily basis.
So, that's something to think about.
Also, there was a time my family didn't have cable, but OETA came in clear.
The idea of losing “B.J. and the Movie Club” makes me a little sad.
No matter what old movie host B.J. Wexler chooses, I get pulled in.
The real mourning would be no more of Masterpiece Theater’s “Downton Abbey,” which has been a smash hit acknowledged in a host of entertainment award shows.
It’s a wonderful mash-up of fictional drama set against key historical events in early 20th century England.
The beauty about having a government-supported education channel is that it is not dependant on commercialism to function.
But, the landscape of broadcasting has changed since OETA was founded in 1953 as an education entity.
It’s unknown how it would survive or evolve without public funding.
Hopefully, there can be some way to preserve the educational and artistic integrity of what it offers.
When cable channels such as A&E and the History Channel started, those offered programming close to public television.
But, now those are filled with "Pawn Stars" and "Hoarders."
I would hate for public television to be turned into that.
I’m not ready for Hooper’s Store on Sesame Street to sell Coca-Cola, models seductively eating a Carl's Jr. burger after "Thomas the Tank Engine" or "Honey Boo Boo Child" airing after an Abraham Lincoln documentary.
