1. United States
2. Calif.
3. Letter

Subject: Protect Federal Funding for Public Media, Including RFE/RL I’m writing to urge you to oppose all efforts to eliminate or claw back federal funding for public media—including PBS, NPR, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), and independent stations. The White House’s recent proposal to eliminate funding, the Executive Order blocking support, and plans to claw back already-approved funds present an immediate and devastating threat to our entire public media system. Public media is essential to American life and global democracy. It provides trusted local journalism, life-saving emergency alerts, educational programming for families and teachers, and cultural content that informs and connects citizens. More than 1,500 locally operated radio and television stations across the U.S. depend on this federal support. In many rural and underserved communities, these stations are the only sources of free, high-quality, non-commercial content. Defunding could force many of them off the air. Globally, public media also serves a critical democratic function. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) provides independent news in 27 languages to 23 countries where a free press is restricted or under threat—including Iran, Russia, and Afghanistan. An estimated 40 million people rely on RFE/RL’s accurate, unbiased reporting each week. Gutting its funding would not only harm global press freedom but undermine U.S. soft power and influence abroad. Domestically, research supports continued investment in public media. A recent Pew Research Center study found that Americans are nearly twice as likely to support continued federal funding for NPR and PBS as oppose it. This investment powers services that boost children’s academic outcomes, enhance local public safety, and keep communities informed and connected. I urge you to: • Reject efforts to claw back or eliminate public media funding • Support full and sustained federal funding for PBS, NPR, RFE/RL, and other public media services Public media is a cornerstone of democracy, education, and international engagement. Please stand with the millions of Americans—and tens of millions worldwide—who rely on it every day. Thank you for your leadership and your service.