That's a respectable response in the view of some congressional staffers. It means something to us. It takes a lot to make a phone call. We're getting the same number on the balanced-budget amendment. Regardless of how one looks at the current numbers, the potential for response is huge.
Audiences are larger still.
NPR said member stations draw 15.8 million listeners a week. Every congressional staff member insists the boss takes every constituent contact to heart. But, some staffers are being vague about the number of calls and letters they have gotten in support of public broadcasting. Recently, a Pressler staff member told WNET Friends President Beverly Lundquist that the office had received many communications on both sides of the funding issue. There are also reports that some of public broadcasting's detractors brush off the letters, saying they are predictable, organized responses to necessary budget cuts.