Sen. Farnese Helps Break Ground for New WHYY Learning Lab

Philadelphia, May 27, 2009 - Senator Farnese helped break ground Wednesday, for the Learning Lab, a new hi-tech facility that will be built at WHYY. It will include a media laboratory, classroom, performance and production space, where community groups, young students and adults can express themselves through digital video, audio, and new media.

Corporate and agency partners, including Lincoln Financial Foundation, DRPA, Dorrance H. Hamilton, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania provided funding for the unique learning facility.

“The Learning Lab will be an invaluable asset to WHYY and the community it serves, which will benefit from this state-of-the-art digital learning facility,” said Sen. Farnese. “It serves as yet another milestone in the evolution of public broadcasting and its mission to provide free educational programming and opportunities for lifelong learning.”

Sen. Farnese also expressed concern over sharp cuts to arts and cultural agencies and institutions like Public Television, adding, it is needed now more than ever, particularly in light of such tough economic times when more families either cannot afford, or do not have access to cable television. Currently, as many as 15% of Americans do not subscribe to cable. The senator pointed out that cable networks cannot provide the high-quality commercial-free educational, news, artistic performances and public affairs programming, as well as the community services that PBS stations like WHYY provide.

He said, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee he would do everything he could to help maintain as much funding as possible to Public Television stations throughout the Commonwealth.

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