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Missoula voices criticize public-broadcasting censorship and proposed limits on arts council grants
Summary
Radio program guests said public-broadcasting programming decisions and a legislator's amendment to restrict Montana Arts Council funding for 'mature' material amount to censorship; Missoula Community Access Television launched a live open-mic show and advocates described the arts council as understaffed.
Speakers on a Missoula radio program criticized programming decisions at Montana Public Broadcasting and a proposed legislative amendment that would limit Montana Arts Council grants to materials deemed "appropriate for the entire family." They said the actions amount to censorship and risk shrinking opportunities for Montana artists and local producers.
The program's commentator said Montana Public Broadcasting has had limited coverage of telecommunications topics and that decisions about programming are sometimes made at a single station in Bozeman. "How does 1 white guy decide what's appropriate for the Montana television audience? I mean, that's censorship," the commentator said.
Separately, the commentator described a legislative amendment reported in Helena that would require the Montana Arts Council to spend money only on materials "appropriate for children or the entire family," and said that the amendment had been offered in committee and "I think passed" there. The commentator named the Montana Repertory Theater Company and said the amendment would bar funding for materials intended for mature audiences. "That would force the Montana Arts Council to spend their money only on materials, that were appropriate for children or that were appropriate for the entire family," the commentator said.
Why it matters: supporters of the arts told listeners the Montana Arts Council is understaffed and demoralized after staff cuts, and that reduced state support would affect arts education and small theater and film producers across Montana.
The program promoted local community-access television as an alternative forum. The commentator described a new Monday-night live open-mic program at Missoula Community Access Television (MCAT) on Spruce Street and encouraged independent producers to bring work to the MCAT studio. "It's live, and it's basically just an open mic. And anyone can come into the studio at MCAT...it's Monday nights live," the commentator said.
Additional context given on air: the commentator compared Montana's arts funding to Ireland's broader public support for arts and cited corporate giving as a potential source of increased support. The commentator said state funding amounts discussed on air were "minuscule" in comparison to the cultural value and that the governor had sought to boost support but that the legislature had not yet followed.
Formal actions referenced: the broadcast reported that a committee amendment limiting Arts Council funding to family-appropriate material had been offered and reportedly passed in committee; no final legislative votes were reported on air.
Ending note: guests urged listeners to track legislative action in Helena and to use MCAT and local libraries as venues for diverse programming.
