Under attack, public media makes its case to Congress and the courts

Public broadcasting representatives are actively lobbying Congress to preserve their vital federal funding, which constitutes half the budgets of some local stations. This effort comes as the Trump administration has targeted public media, criticizing their content as ‘radical propaganda’ and dismissing federal spending on these platforms. The majority of funds actually support local public broadcasting. With 190 officials from various stations in attendance, they emphasize the crucial services they provide, audiences' loyalty, and the cultural significance they hold in communities, especially during emergencies.

“I’m extremely worried about it,” said Dina Polkinghorne, the interim co-general manager of a station in rural Philo, Calif. “I’ve never seen community radio in such a perilous situation.”

Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican, has already announced her support. In an op-ed, she writes that public broadcasting stations in Alaska not only inform and connect people but also serve as warning systems.”

Read at www.npr.org