MPR joins campaign to promote public broadcasting

Minnesota Public Radio said Wednesday it's joining a national effort to protect federal government funding for public media.

In a statement, MPR said the campaign is called, "170 million Americans for Public Broadcasting."

In recent months National Public Radio and other public media have faced criticism and threats of funding cuts over the firing of news analyst Juan Williams.

Republican lawmakers and conservative talk show hosts have led the protests. The statement from MPR said it anticipates a "vigorous" debate over funding for public media in 2011.