III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 489 

Designating April 2008 as Public Radio Recognition Month. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 14 (legislative day, MARCH 13), 2008 

Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself, Mr. STEVENS, Mr. SPECTER, Mr. CARDIN, and 

Mr. LEAHY) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Designating April 2008 as Public Radio Recognition Month. 

Whereas the mission of public radio is to create a more 

informed public—one that is challenged and invigorated by a deeper understanding and appreciation of 

events, ideas, and cultures; 

Whereas the programming and content created and distributed by public radio is based upon three core values—qualities of mind, qualities of heart and qualities of craft—and exemplifies the inherent meaning 

of localism by placing value and financial investment 

in local and regional assets to gather and distribute 

a collection of programming that informs and improves community; 

Whereas public radio is known for distinctive, award-winning programming including Morning Edition, All 

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•SRES 489 ATS 

Things Considered, A Prairie Home Companion, 

Marketplace, Speaking of Faith, and This American 

Life; 

Whereas the United States more than 800 public radio 

stations serve every State and every congressional 

district with news, information, cultural, and music 

programming that is unique to free radio; 

Whereas some 33 million Americans listen each week to 

public radio programming; 

Whereas the public radio audience has doubled in the 

past 15 years and increased by some 70 percent in 

the past decade; 

Whereas public radio stations are licensed by community 

foundations, colleges, universities, school boards, libraries, and other local non-profit entities; 

Whereas public radio stations are locally licensed, locally 

staffed, and locally programmed, and tailor their programming to meet the needs of local audiences; 

Whereas public radio stations receive, on average, more 

than 85 percent of their annual funding from local 

sources; 

Whereas public radio’s public service also finds expression through a deep, rich music discovery, education 

and enrichment experience—both for its audience 

and for performers, singer-songwriters, musicians, 

lyricists, and composers—which places the highest 

emphasis on a value partnership with performers to 

bring all facets of music into the lives of its audience 

in a way that is found nowhere else; 

Whereas public radio has preserved and enhanced the archetypal musical formats of American music hismstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS

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tory—jazz, classical, folk, blue grass, the blues, Celtic—and regards these formats as the priceless family 

treasures of public radio’s musical foundations; 

Whereas public radio is responding to its commitment to 

community and fact-based journalism with several 

initiatives including the Local News Initiative, a national effort to increase public radio’s service to communities through investments in station capacity to 

provide in-depth, serious, and balanced news and 

Public Insight Journalism, a pioneering concept that 

uses citizens to help cover the news by sharing their 

observations, knowledge, and expertise; 

Whereas public radio has embraced digital broadcasting 

technology because of its inherently inclusive nature 

and potential to expand public service programming; 

and 

Whereas public radio exists to serve the public interest: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the month of April 2008 shall be 

2 known as Public Radio Recognition Month, during which 

3 time all of America’s public radio stations shall be cele4 brated for their contributions to our Nation’s communities 

5 and enduring civic spirit. 

Æ 

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