1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

As one of your constituents, I’m writing to urge you to protect public media funding and defend press freedom. At a time when misinformation is rampant and trust in institutions is eroding, Americans need access to reliable, independent journalism—especially through public outlets like PBS and NPR. These services provide fact-based reporting without a profit motive and are vital to keeping the public informed, especially in communities that lack strong local newsrooms. I’m deeply concerned about recent efforts to slash funding for public media and the growing consolidation of media ownership by a handful of billionaires. Whether it’s censorship of dissenting voices or the prioritization of profits over truth, these trends threaten our democracy. We cannot allow access to trustworthy information to be reserved for those who can afford paywalls or filtered through agendas. Please stand up for public media, resist legislation that would defund NPR and PBS, and support investments in local and nonprofit journalism. Free speech and a free press are the foundation of a functioning democracy, and they deserve your protection. Thank you for your time and service.