by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, March 17, 2017

Thinking your cost contribution for your public media station is too pricey? Well, look at the whole picture. The average cost for the American taxpayer when it comes to getting a public TV or radio station? $1.35 per year.

By way of comparison, the average annual cost for the average U.S. consumer when it come pay TV providers per year: $843.72 (according to the FCC); others say it can be as high as $1237.20 (according to the Leichtman Research Group).

Well, you claim not to watch a PBS station or listen to an NPR radio station. Sure, no problem. You should have a choice; you love your ability to go “a la carte” for everything. Fair enough. Maybe others want to go “a la carte” on whether to get extra military tanks and battleship. Call your congressional representative.

Everyone wants savings. Cost-cutting is the rage. President Donald Trump wants to eliminate the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which has an annual budget of $445 million.

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The CPB delivers funding to public media. Now, to be fair, CPB represents a small piece of funding for a typical PBS or NPR station -- 15% and 2% respectively, according to one report.

What happens if public media loses some of its attraction. Is that more viewers/listeners for broadcast or cable or ad-supported radio?

In January, Pivotal Research Group says public TV stations pulled in a 0.8% share of all 18-49 viewers in looking at total day Nielsen ratings. This is down from a 0.9% share in January 2016 and 1.0% in January 2015.

Yes, PBS TV stations -- like advertising-supported broadcast and cable TV -- are seeing erosion. Traditional media will continue to look for share wherever it can.

TV consumers are still deciding how much media they should pay for -- and what channels they want -- in the new digital media age filled with seemingly lower cost options.

But consider this: A recent TiVo study that examined 100 networks which could be included in a skinny TV bundle -- typically 20-30 channels -- the PBS network was in eighth place in terms of popularity.

Now, think about all your media dollars and cents.