1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

Defunding NPR and PBS would be an immense disservice to the American public and an affront to the principles of free speech and press freedom. These venerable institutions play a vital role in providing nonpartisan, educational programming and fact-based journalism to communities across the nation, especially in our rural and underserved areas with few other sources of quality programming. Their reporting holds those in power accountable and gives voice to diverse perspectives often overlooked by commercial media outlets driven by profits. Cutting federal funding would jeopardize NPR's ability to produce essential national programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered, as well as locally-focused content that keeps Mainers informed about issues impacting their communities. For PBS, a loss of funding threatens beloved educational shows that promote childhood learning and civic engagement. Both networks reach over 99% of the population, especially in our rural and underserved areas with few other sources of quality programming. Rather than attempting to defund these trusted sources due to perceived ideological bias, we should respect their statutorily-protected editorial independence and the crucial service they provide to our democracy.