How Public Television Impacted My Life

My love affair with public television began sometime in 1980--when I was about six years old.

Keep in mind...this was 30 years ago and my memories of that time was fragmented. I can only recall some things, but what I have to say is most important.

Public television is a cornerstone of American society and has played a critical part to its growth and ongoing education.

Back then, we had one rabbit-eared television that often could only get a set number of channels. But PBS was always the one that we would watch on a daily basis--always tuning in to Sesame Street or Captain Kangaroo with a plate of toast and a bowl of cereal by my side.

I remembered being glued to the TV and watching different episodes of each and enjoying the learning process that came with it. I learned a lot from PBS in those early days--always eager as a little boy to soak up information and life lessons like a sponge.

Mr. Roger's Neighborhood was another show which played an important role in my life as well--teaching me about friendships, manners, getting along, solving disputes, and getting the most out of life and not having to worry about day-to-day problems which often plagued our poverty-stricken family.

Television was often our escape, but public television gave us strength and wisdom and allowed us to come together as a family on cold afternoons, rainy days, or during the blistering chill of winter.

Public television was always our friend and we got a lot out of watching it.

Over the years, the shows started changing, but the educational aspect of public television never changed. It always came up with new ways to educate kids like me and I found that it was an experience that left me both humble and thankful for its gentle influence.

In some ways, public television inspired me to dream and start writing about fantastic things, fictional things that I wanted to convey on paper simply because of what I had seen on PBS.

But PBS also showed me the world. Taking me to places that I could only dream about, but often had never thought were possible. It opened up my mind to geography, math, history, culture, and people.

I can say without a doubt, that I would be lost today, if it weren't for public television.

And after 40 some odd years of being on the air, stations like PBS, NPR, and other public media outlets have proven to America's older generation that it still has a lot to teach kids of today.

Sure, we have cell phones, computers, internet, and everything else that has taken us beyond the living room, beyond the classroom, and beyond first-hand experience, but public television still has its uses.

Today's children are being taught in the same way that I was taught. In Jurassic Park III, we could only see one of the supporting character's little boy watching Barney the Purple Dinosaur on PBS and having a grand old time with the show--because he was so engaged in watching it.

And while it was acting, public television still is being shown in movies as having a positive and beneficial impact on our nation today.

Eliminating it because of political ideologies is perhaps one of the worst mistakes of this new century. If it goes, so goes our past and all the memories that we each have built up together as a people.

We cannot allow Congress to simply sweep away our nation's heritage because of politics and budget problems.

In the grand scheme of things, public television has made it possible for all of us to stay connected and still keep on learning.

I'm almost 40 myself--now--but I still watch public television to see what new things that I can learn and absorb and turn that experience into something useful or positive.

I don't want to see this valuable asset destroyed. I want it to keep going and give us more reasons to look for a better future--even if the present is troubled and without direction.

Save public television! Call your representatives! Call Congress! Tell them that you want public television saved.

Thank you.