Rescissions package that Senate Republicans are debating—and House Republicans passed—would rescind every dollar of federal support for 1500+ local public radio and TV stations nationwide
Sweeping cuts would hit rural stations hardest, force layoffs nationwide, and even jeopardize lifesaving emergency alerts people count on
Washington, D.C. – Ahead of a hearing on President Trump’s $9.4 billion rescissions request with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russ Vought, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released a new fact sheet detailing how the request to zero out $1.1 billion in funding Congress has already appropriated on a bipartisan basis for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) would hurt communities nationwide who count on the programming offered by the over 1500+ public radio and TV stations the funding supports.
1500+ STATIONS ACROSS AMERICA SET TO LOSE CRITICAL SUPPORT IF PACKAGE PASSES
[Full map and CPB data available here]
The rescissions package requested by President Trump that the House of Representatives passed in full earlier this month would rescind two years of advance funding Congress has provided for CPB to support public media in fiscal years 2026 and 2027—ripping away support that over 1500 public radio and TV stations all over the country rely on to keep broadcasts on air and deliver impartial news and critical updates that people count on every day.
For 50+ years, Congress has provided advance appropriations for CPB to help insulate stations’ programming decisions from politics—and to provide them with the certainty they need to keep the lights on.
ALL 50 STATES TO LOSE OUT SIGNIFICANTLY
Every state in the country is set to lose critical funding for local public radio and TV stations if the CPB funding is rescinded.
FUNDING ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK
| State | Funding |
| Alabama | $5,408,997 |
| Alaska | $12,023,34 |
| Arizona | $7,424,661 |
| Arkansas | $3,187,528 |
| California | $57,105,735 |
| Colorado | $7,655,017 |
| Connecticut | $3,017,018 |
| Delaware | $133,048 |
| District of Columbia | $18,275,757 |
| Florida | $24,944,99 |
| Georgia | $6,558,857 |
| Hawaii | $4,292,969 |
| Idaho | $3,341,916 |
| Illinois | $12,818,816 |
| Indiana | $9,388,508 |
| Iowa | $4,723,772 |
| Kansas | $3,989,434 |
| Kentucky | $6,627,021 |
| Louisiana | $6,530,752 |
| Maine | $2,895,498 |
| Maryland | $6,357,641 |
| Massachusetts | $22,549,33 |
| Michigan | $11,818,761 |
| Minnesota | $17,228,752 |
| Mississippi | $2,824,520 |
| Missouri | $8,677,805 |
| Montana | $2,837,807 |
| Nebraska | $6,297,290 |
| Nevada | $3,881,471 |
| New Hampshire | $1,795,240 |
| New Jersey | $2,282,024 |
| New Mexico | $5,841,697 |
| New York | $42,556,210 |
| North Carolina | $8,236,216 |
| North Dakota | $2,564,579 |
| Ohio | $13,341,101 |
| Oklahoma | $3,485,600 |
| Oregon | $7,468,534 |
| Pennsylvania | $14,492,945 |
| Rhode Island | $1,082,244 |
| South Carolina | $3,488,714 |
| South Dakota | $3,038,524 |
| Tennessee | $7,365,199 |
| Texas | $17,719,507 |
| Utah | $7,103,835 |
| Vermont | $2,043,510 |
| Virginia | $99,465,449 |
| Washington | $10,106,644 |
| West Virginia | $1,790,242 |
| Wisconsin | $8,498,812 |
| Wyoming | $1,870,865 |
The totals above detail the funding each state received in fiscal year 2024—the latest full year of data available. [CPB DATA]
LIFESAVING EMERGENCY ALERTS IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY
When disasters and other threats strike, public radio and TV stations nationwide not only provide critical updates to those affected who may be cut off from other communications channels, they also play an instrumental role in delivering emergency alerts.
Since 2013, public TV stations have helped the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system deliver emergency alerts to people’s cell phones via the stations’ own transmitters when cell companies’ connections fail. In 2024, over 11,000 alerts were issued by federal, state, and local authorities via the PBS WARN system.
Similarly, the Public Radio Satellite System (PRSS), which is managed by NPR, helps send presidential emergency alerts to local public radio stations nationwide—allowing critical communications to reach people, even when the internet or cellular connections fail.
Here are just a few recent examples of how CPB-funded stations and systems have helped disaster survivors:
- When wildfires ravaged southern California earlier this year, public media stations provided real-time updates and information to over 18 million people—and issued 100+ geo-targeted Wireless Emergency Alerts, like fire weather warnings, evacuation warnings and orders, and curfew notices.
- When Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, one local public radio station provided essential real-time updates and news as internet and cell services were down.
- When severe floods swept across central and eastern Kentucky this year—causing people to lose power and internet connections—local public radio let people know the latest weather reports, evacuation orders, where to take shelter, and how to apply for aid.
Zeroing out all CPB funding will seriously jeopardize stations’ ability to continue serving critical, lifesaving alerts and cut resources specifically provided to maintain and strengthen these emergency alert systems.
RURAL COMMUNITIES HIT HARDEST
Nearly half of all CPB grantees serve rural communities—and these rural stations are disproportionately reliant on CPB funding to keep their broadcast on air. Federal funding supports an average of 17% of rural stations’ revenue versus 9% for non-rural stations.
In total, 120 rural stations rely on federal funding for at least 25% of their revenue—and over 30 stations count on it for at least half. Some stations in the most remote parts of the country depend on federal support for even more of their revenue and could be forced to immediately shut down operations if CPB is defunded.
If this support is ripped away, stations will be forced to cut back on programming, lay off staff, and even take their broadcasts off the air.
“Should the Senate go along with the House and claw back this funding,
we’re going to see probably a third of our public radio stations go dark.”
— Ed Ulman, CEO of Alaska Public Media
“We are in a rural area, so a lot of areas don’t have cellphone service.
A lot of people do rely on the radio to get much of their information.”
EDUCATIONAL TOOLS FOR KIDS DEFUNDED
Rescinding all CPB funding would rip away federal investments in all manner of educational programming for kids. CPB grants support local programming across the country to educate young Americans about civics, provide educational tools and programming, and much more. Rescinding the funding would also cut off all federal support for PBS LearningMedia, a free digital learning website accessed by more than 1.4 million users each month, which supports teachers and helps students learn and understand new and complex concepts.
AMERICANS OVERWHELMINGLY SUPPORT THIS FUNDING
A recent survey from the Pew Research Center found that by a two-to-one margin, the American people overwhelmingly favor continuing federal funding for NPR and PBS, which receive support via CPB grants.
CUTTING THIS SUPPORT WILL DO NOTHING TO TACKLE OUR NATIONAL DEBT
Eliminating support for these stations will do next to nothing to address our annual deficit or growing national debt. The $1.1 billion Congress has already provided for two years of funding for public media represents less than 0.016% of all federal spending in fiscal year 2025 alone.
If President Trump and congressional Republicans want to tackle the deficit and our national debt, they can start by not passing their so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which will add $4 trillion to the debt over the next 10 years.
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