In fact, it is actually well intentioned. When carried too far, an adversarial relationship has been formed with the licensee. Unfortunately, due to decreasing enrollments and dwindling public funding, the lack of strong relationships with licensees is being translated into budgetary reductions to public radio and public television stations all over the United States. Stations are now, literally, paying for an overly protective tendency in regard to that entity which owns the station's most important document-its license. This is certainly not to say that stations should bear total responsibility for the current dilemma.
Licensees are also at fault.
Several decades ago when institutions were getting into the business of public broadcasting there was ample money available for such things. Often there was enthusiasm on the part of the licensee for the potential of the technology. However, there was little understanding of public broadcasting's purpose or how the station might fit into the mission of the institution. Without clear direction and support, most stations licensed to institutions have been living a schizophrenic existence since their inception. On the one hand, a public station must provide the best possible programming alternative to its audience.