Trump budget completely eliminates national service that provides vital educational and news programming for children, students, rural areas

Washington (March 16, 2017) – Today, Senators Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) wrote to President Donald Trump to express their opposition to the complete elimination of funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in the White House Fiscal Year 2018 budget. More than 95 million Americans watch their local Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) station every month, while nearly 29 million Americans listen to NPR programming and newscasts every week. CPB, with fairly modest federal investment, creates a national footprint of nearly 1,500 locally-owned and operated public television and public radio stations across the country.

“Any funding cuts to the CPB could create a content deficit where the public no longer has access to enriching educational, civic, and entertainment shows for all Americans, regardless of ethnic, racial or socio-economic background,” write Senators Markey and Gillibrand. “With its near universal footprint, CPB provides virtually all Americans with access to this educational content and top-caliber local, regional, and national news.  Approximately 99% of all Americans can enjoy this public media, regardless of how much money they earn or where they live.” 

In the letter, the Senators argue that CPB’s educational programming is especially important for American families. With more than half of three and four-year-olds not attending preschool, PBS KIDS and the Ready To Learn Initiative serves as a key source of educational media, as PBS stations reach more children between two and five-years-old than any other children’s television network.

A copy of the Senators’ letter can be found HERE.