Citizens for Independent Public Broadcasting

Citizens for Independent Public Broadcasting (CIPB) "is a national membership organization dedicated to putting the PUBLIC back into public broadcasting so that we can all join in the debate about our nation's future.

"At the national level, CIPB has developed a detailed proposal for a Public Broadcasting Trust (PBT) that is independently funded, publicly accountable, and true to the service's founding mission. At the community level, CIPB builds chapters, and is working with national partner organizations to democratize community public broadcasting service. Toward these goals CIPB offers a training manual, video and a national clearinghouse for organizing."

• Director - Jerry Starr (Jerold M. Starr)

Launch

"In Washington, DC, on November 16, 1999, CIPB launched its national campaign to reform public broadcasting as a public trust, independent of corporate and government influence, and to empower community groups to democratize their local stations.

"As five-second underwriting acknowledgements have expanded into 30-second commercials, a goal of CIPB is to reclaim the Carnegie Commission's mission of public broadcasting to create programs "not to sell products or to meet demands of the marketplace," but to "enhance citizenship and public service."

"CIPB is organizing local chapters to democratize the governance and programming of their community's public broadcasting stations. CIPB also acts as a clearinghouse on the activities and accomplishments of these local chapters and on programs available for airing both nationally and locally.

"CIPB issued a press release and held the launch at the Benton Foundation in Washington, DC."

Directors

Include:

• Nolan Bowie
• Nicholas Johnson
• Barbara Trent - 1999-2000

Contact

Web: http://www.cipbonline.org