WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released a Snapshot Report that highlights data on public broadcasters across the United States and broadcasters’ role in responding to emergencies and public safety events. In rural areas, public broadcasters may be the sole source of information during emergencies, leaving them disproportionately impacted by federal funding cuts.
“Public television and radio aren’t just for quality children’s television and unique radio content,” said Sen. Cantwell. “For millions of Americans, these stations are often their only source of emergency information during weather disasters. Earlier this month, House Republicans approved President Trump’s rescission request clawing back $1.1 billion in Congressionally-approved funding for public broadcasting. This report shows that if Senate Republicans allow this devastating cut to pass the Senate, nearly 13 million Americans could be left without access to their public media stations and the life-saving emergency alerts or information they need. As people prepare for potential hurricanes, wildfires and other extreme weather events, we should not be gutting our support for public media.”
The report included several key findings:
- The operations of 79 public radio and 33 TV stations across 34 states and territories are considered vulnerable to federal funding cuts.
- Nearly 13 million Americans live in communities under threat of losing their local public broadcast stations. What’s worse, these stations serve large swaths of the Western, Midwestern, and Southeastern United States at risk of wildfires, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other public safety emergencies. This double threat casts uncertainty on the ability of these stations to disseminate emergency alerts and information to residents when they need it most.
- More than 70 percent of federal funding goes directly to local public broadcasters for content, interconnection, and support services. It would cost local public broadcasters more than double CPB’s current contribution to replace these critical services through alternative public or private means.
Support through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is critical for many local stations, with the most vulnerable in rural and remote communities. Public radio and television stations serve as the primary—often sole—source of local news, educational content, and emergency alerts. These stations rely heavily on federal funding, with some depending on it for over 70 percent of their budgets. Some rural areas depend on their local public media station as their only source of information in emergencies.
In severe storm and wildfire situations that knock out a community’s power supply, TVs broadcasting news on the path of an incoming tornado may go dark due to power outages, and cell phones may lose service, leaving families with only local public radio broadcasts delivered to battery-powered, hand-crank, or car radios. Without local broadcasting, families in rural areas may not receive critical alerts in time to get to safety.
On June 3, President Trump submitted a rescission request to Congress for the CPB’s FY 2026 and 2027 funding, seeking to claw back nearly $1.1 billion in Congressionally-approved funding. On June 12, the House approved the President’s rescission request, and it is now before the Senate. If passed by the Senate, these cuts may leave millions of Americans without access to lifesaving alerts and emergency information.
To access the full report, please click HERE.
