Protect My Public Media Day - March 6

It’s time to take a stand for this trusted public service you rely on.

Any day now, we expect The White House will deliver a package to Congress requesting the elimination of $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This move would effectively dismantle the public media ecosystem by defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation that supports 1,300 local public media stations across the country. Many of these local community media stations broadcast APM programs such as Marketplace, The Splendid Table, and Performance Today and those we distribute like The Daily from the New York Times and the BBC World Service.

This action would have a devastating impact on public media stations across the country and erode the services that you and so many others rely on. APM programs are part of the public media ecosystem, and they bring news, music, inspiration, and education to all Americans for free, without paywalls. 

We make these services freely available to our communities because public service is at the core of everything we do. Our communities count on us, and we will stand strong to continue to serve them.  

    • The White House proposal comes after Congress extended federal funding for the CPB through fiscal year 2027 in February.Federal funding for government programs, including support for public media, is currently authorized under a Continuing Resolution. Both the U.S. House and Senate passed a continuing resolution (CR) to extend FY2024 federal funding levels through the rest of FY2025, with a few alterations and adjustments. It includes level funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (the two-year advance to FY 2027), as well as Interconnection and the Next Generation Warning System.

    • APM received 6% of its budget last year from the CPB. The impact of the elimination of CPB funding could extend beyond the direct grant to APM by reducing the capacity of smaller stations to acquire content produced or distributed by American Public Media.

    • The FCC launched an investigation into the underwriting practices of NPR and PBS, and their member stations. In announcing the investigation, the FCC chairman expressly indicated his opinion that NPR and PBS should no longer receive taxpayer dollars.

    • The Presidents and CEOs of NPR and PBS, Katherine Maher and Paula Kerger, testified at a Congressional Oversight DOGE subcommittee (Marjorie Taylor Greene R-GA, Chair) hearing on federal funding of public media and bias in content on March 26.

      Watch hearing

How to Help 

There are many ways to show your support for APM.  

1. Contact your representatives

The White House will send a rescission package to Congress requesting the elimination of $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), effectively dismantling the public media ecosystem by defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Please reach out to your federal representatives and urge them to vote against these cuts!ake action: Sign our petition to let Congress know you oppose efforts to defund the CPB and demonstrate your unwavering support for these valuable public media services. 

2. Take action: Sign our petition to let Congress know you oppose efforts to defund the CPB and demonstrate your unwavering support for these valuable public media services. 

We will deliver the petition to the White House and Congress. 

3. Tune in, log on and engage with your favorite APM content

Show your support for public media by tuning in to Marketplace, The Splendid Table, Brains On! and other APM shows on the radio, podcast, web, apps, and social media.  

4. Make a Donation 

Donations to APM support trusted journalism, music discovery, and community conversation for all – no matter where you live or how you listen. From the broadcast to the podcast, on-air and online, gifts from individuals power everything you find at APM. Make a donation today.

Why is American Public Media and the public media ecosystem important?  

  • As the second largest public media content distributor in the nation, APM delivers programming and services of unparalleled value across the country.

  • Public media is the country’s only no-cost, commercial-free, nonprofit news and information service, resulting from a highly efficient public-private partnership.

  • Public media strengthens our society by delivering balanced, fact-based insights and diverse perspectives that foster meaningful dialogue and build community connections while serving as the backbone of emergency alert systems that keep Americans informed and safe during emergencies.

Contact Us 

Inquiries for American Public Media should be directed to our Member & Audience Services department by using our our contact form or by phone at 651-290-1212 | 1-800-228-7123. (Phones open 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. CT Monday through Thursday, open 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. CT Fridays).