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Hi,
There's no sugarcoating it: PBS and public radio are in serious danger.
Last week, Donald Trump issued an executive order to "cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS," and Congress is about to vote on a measure that would claw back $1.1 billion for public broadcasting appropriated during the Biden administration.1
These cuts would be absolutely devastating, especially for local stations in rural areas that frequently have no other local source of news. That's why Demand Progress is ramping up our efforts to mobilize grassroots support and save public media.
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Over 1,500 locally operated public radio and TV stations across the country rely on federal funding. For many small town and rural stations, these funds account for 40-50% of their budget.2
These stations would simply cease to exist if Trump gets his way. "For them, it's existential," PBS CEO Paula Kerger said.3
That means millions of kids will no longer have access to PBS's award-winning early educational programming. Many of these children lack access to pre-K programs, and PBS plays a vital role in teaching literacy skills and preparing them for kindergarten.
Small towns all over the country with no local newspaper would also lose their last reliable source of news and information.
We've seen attacks on PBS and public radio before, but this time is different. Trump is not only proposing to defund PBS and public radio. He wants to take back $1.1 billion that was already appropriated and that local stations are absolutely counting on.
Trump's goal is clear: Control or destroy any independent news outlet that dares to challenge him. That's why this fight is about more than just defending PBS and public radio. It's about halting Trump's authoritarian assault on democracy.
Demand Progress is working to flood Capitol Hill with petition signatures and phone calls to help stop these cuts. But with Congress back in session this week, key votes could start happening at anytime, so we need to ramp up our efforts.
With gratitude,
The team at Demand Progress Action
Sources:
1. The New York Times, "Trump Signs Executive Order Seeking to End Federal Funding for NPR and PBS," May 2, 2025.
2. Protect My Public Media, "Urge Congress: Save Public Media," accessed May 8, 2025.
3. Face the Nation, "Transcript: Katherine Maher and Paula Kerger on 'Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan,' May 4, 2025," May 4, 2025.
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