1. United States
2. Kan.
3. Letter

Some claim PBS and NPR don’t serve the public interest or are hopelessly biased. That is simply not true. Public broadcasting is one of the few remaining news sources trusted by Americans across party lines. Gallup and Knight Foundation research shows PBS ranks among the most trusted institutions in the country, with a majority of Republicans viewing it favorably. “The strength of public broadcasting lies in its independence from commercial pressures,” says Mark Lukasiewicz, former NBC News executive. Shutting it down isn’t reform, it’s sabotage. PBS and NPR reach communities that commercial media ignore. Rural stations depend on their coverage of local government, farm policy, and regional issues. Educational programming like PBS NewsHour, Frontline, and children’s shows such as Sesame Street and Daniel Tiger provide learning opportunities families can’t get elsewhere for free. That’s why educators, including the National PTA, have called public broadcasting “an irreplaceable resource for America’s children and parents.” This isn’t about politics. It’s about ensuring every American has access to fact-based news and educational content without paywalls. Trump’s push to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is an authoritarian tactic: weaken independent media, replace it with propaganda, and leave citizens less informed. Authoritarians fear an informed public. If you value the Constitution, reject this. Stand for the right of Americans, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents to hear the truth without government interference. Stand for democracy while there is still time.