For years, Americans have rated local public radio and television stations among the most trusted media sources and best federal investments.

For about $1.60 per person annually, more than 1,500 locally operated public radio and television stations strengthen virtually every American community, ensuring universal access to impactful local journalism and storytelling, effective educational resources, and reliable emergency communications.

Eliminating Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding or prohibiting NPR and PBS from accessing federal funds would have detrimental consequences for local stations and communities nationwide and ignores the American people’s strong support for public media funding. Proposed legislation could lead to the loss of:

• The only source of school readiness for more than half of America’s children who cannot afford preschool.
• The most reliable source of emergency alerts and warnings.
• Local journalism and storytelling.
• Rich, local educational experiences, and forums to address community issues.
• Public media service in many areas of the country.
• Public media stations serving rural and Native American communities, often the sole source of local media available in those areas.

Studies show that countries with robust public media systems have healthier democracies, contributing to more civic engagement. Furthermore, the ongoing decline of local newspapers and other media outlets underscores the importance of preserving public radio and television stations, which are among the last remaining locally operated media organizations in our country.

Please reject legislation to restrict or defund public media and protect these valued sources of information, education, and enrichment.