Back in the days when there were only 3 networks, it was easier to make the argument for public TV and radio. Even then, the argument presumed that government ownership was preferable to the free market. Today, with dozens of specialized cable networks available to anyone with access to a satellite dish or cable TV (well over 80% of the population), it's harder to say what specialized need that PBS/NPR is meeting that isn't being met by the free market.

Remember, government funding always comes with strings attached. Those strings could take the form of censorship or on how the news gets presented. I honestly don't believe we need that in America. PBS does some fine programming like "Nova" but that can just as easily be met in the free marketplace. I've watched enough of the "News Hour" to see that it's just as biased as CNN, the broadcast networks, or Fox, so I really don't see why we need to spend over $400 million a year in tax dollars to subsidize what's available for free.