As former journalists and lifelong civic leaders, we’ve spent our careers dedicated to transparency, truth-telling and the widespread good. We’ve seen firsthand how media can uplift communities — or go away them behind. That’s why we serve on the board of Cascade PBS, whose mission is to tell and encourage our group to make the world a greater place.
Now, public media is beneath risk — once more. President Donald Trump’s request to cancel all funding for public broadcasting is working its method by Congress and is alarmingly near approval. We have now been right here earlier than, most famously in 1969 when Fred Rogers delivered his stirring, heartfelt testimony to Congress that cemented help for continued funding on the spot. This time is totally different; we’re in advanced and unprecedented occasions, and the danger to public media has by no means been extra severe.
Public media is extra essential now than ever. In a world that always prioritizes revenue over public service, Cascade PBS stands as a beacon of community-focused journalism, schooling and galvanizing packages. We’ve served the Pacific Northwest for 70 years and have turn into an integral a part of this group.
When a lot of at the moment’s media eating regimen peddles outrage and rewards shouting over dialogue, worry over braveness, and distortion over reality, Cascade PBS brings gentle, not warmth. We’re a refuge for our kids and our personal want for civility. Greater than 130,000 of our neighbors have turn into loyal members, and we attain practically 2 million viewers, readers and listeners each month. Most of us, our kids, and now our grandchildren, grew up on PBS. We discovered to depend and skim, and the way to share and imagine in ourselves. We discovered about kindness and empathy.
Cascade PBS is greater than only a tv station; we’re a group hub of civic engagement and knowledgeable discourse, by our annual Concepts Pageant, unbiased journalism and native unique collection. And naturally, we’re the house for treasured packages like “PBS Information Hour,” “All Creatures Nice and Small,” “Discovering Your Roots,” “NOVA,” “Nature,” “American Masters” and the celebrated documentaries of Ken Burns.
This 12 months, the Company for Public Broadcasting acquired $535 million to help native stations by annual group service grants. PBS reaches 89% of lower-income households, providing trusted curriculum-based instructional programming that industrial networks gained’t contact. And in an emergency — from hurricanes to wildfires to well being crises — it’s public broadcasting that’s the spine of the Emergency Alert System, collaborating with native and nationwide authorities to make sure the fast and dependable supply of lifesaving info to the general public. And all this prices simply $1.60 per 12 months per particular person.
Federal help acts as a drive multiplier — for each greenback Congress allocates to public media, we generate about eight extra in personal and philanthropic help. That sort of leverage is uncommon for any federal program, and it’s a part of what makes public broadcasting so resilient and responsive. However federal help issues most in small and rural communities, the place company and philanthropic help will be more durable to return by. Authorities funding retains these stations on the air.
In most locations across the nation, public broadcasting is the final regionally owned, operated and ruled media group serving their group. The federal government can — and may — proceed to play a significant function in sustaining a media ecosystem that serves all People.
Public media will not be good, however it’s irreplaceable. At a time of rampant disinformation, misinformation, and deepfake and AI generated content material, People are determined for establishments they will belief.
Fred Rogers knew what it meant to be neighbor, and Cascade PBS honors that duty daily. We hope that you’ll contact your members of Congress and urge them to vote “no” on the president’s request to remove funding.