As former journalists and lifelong civic leaders, we’ve spent our careers dedicated to transparency, truth-telling and the frequent good. We’ve seen firsthand how media can uplift communities — or depart them behind. That’s why we serve on the board of Cascade PBS, whose mission is to tell and encourage our neighborhood 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 means via Congress and is alarmingly near approval. Now we have 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 chance to public media has by no means been extra severe.
Public media is extra vital 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 applications. We’ve served the Pacific Northwest for 70 years and have turn into an integral a part of this neighborhood.
When a lot of right now’s media eating regimen peddles outrage and rewards shouting over dialogue, worry over braveness, and distortion over reality, Cascade PBS brings mild, not warmth. We’re a refuge for our kids and our personal need for civility. Greater than 130,000 of our neighbors have turn into loyal members, and we attain almost 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 browse, and tips on how to share and consider in ourselves. We discovered about kindness and empathy.
Cascade PBS is greater than only a tv station; we’re a neighborhood hub of civic engagement and knowledgeable discourse, via our annual Concepts Pageant, unbiased journalism and native unique collection. And naturally, we’re the house for treasured applications like “PBS Information Hour,” “All Creatures Nice and Small,” “Discovering Your Roots,” “NOVA,” “Nature,” “American Masters” and the celebrated documentaries of Ken Burns.
This yr, the Company for Public Broadcasting obtained $535 million to help native stations via annual neighborhood service grants. PBS reaches 89% of lower-income households, providing trusted curriculum-based academic programming that business 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 speedy and dependable supply of lifesaving data to the general public. And all this prices simply $1.60 per yr per particular person.
Federal help acts as a pressure multiplier — for each greenback Congress allocates to public media, we generate about eight extra in non-public and philanthropic help. That form 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 tougher to come back 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 neighborhood. The federal government can — and may — proceed to play a significant function in sustaining a media ecosystem that serves all Individuals.
Public media is just not excellent, however it’s irreplaceable. At a time of rampant disinformation, misinformation, and deepfake and AI generated content material, Individuals are determined for establishments they’ll belief.
Fred Rogers knew what it meant to be a superb neighbor, and Cascade PBS honors that accountability every single day. We hope that you’ll contact your members of Congress and urge them to vote “no” on the president’s request to get rid of funding.
