Today, Congress voted to rescind $1.1 billion in federal funding for public media that had been approved earlier this year. This funding was intended to support public broadcasters through fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
This decision is devastating for the millions of people who rely on public media every day.
Public broadcasting signals reach 99% of Americans, including rural and remote communities that commercial broadcasters often overlook. For many communities, public media is the only local broadcast service available. While the media landscape has evolved significantly since the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, the need for public media has only grown. In a world saturated with commercially and politically driven content, public media remains uniquely committed to serving the public good alone.
Public media exists to inform, educate, and enrich local communities. It addresses the needs of underserved audiences and ensures that everyone has free, open access to honest, trustworthy journalism. That mission mattered in 1967 — and it matters just as much today.
We’ve said this before, and we’ll say it again: those who threaten open access to information do so because they fear the power of an informed public — a public capable of critical thinking, of holding power to account, and of exercising self-determination.
This is a bleak moment for public media, but our commitment to this community remains unchanged. NPR and a remarkable network of local stations will fight to continue to bring you rigorous journalism, courageous storytelling, and the kind of reporting that democracy depends on — every day, without fear or favor.
Looking Ahead
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) supports KUOW in two ways:
- Direct funding (about 5% of our total revenue)
- Access to vital infrastructure like satellite interconnection and emergency alert systems
With both suddenly gone, KUOW must immediately raise an additional $1.4 million to get us through the next year.
We’ve been diligently preparing for this possibility behind the scenes for a while now. Today, we’re launching an emergency fundraising campaign to cover our immediate funding gap and set ourselves up for a future without annual CPB support. We will be on-air beginning at 6:30 am to ask for our community’s help.
And some good news — a group of generous donors have already pledged to match collectively up to $700,000 in contributions, effectively doubling every gift toward our $1.4 million goal.
Our funding gap is real and serious, but this challenge won’t be solved with a single campaign. The CPB was KUOW’s biggest sustaining supporter, and we must now replace that support permanently. That’s why the best way to support KUOW today is to become a monthly donor.
Monthly donors are the bedrock of KUOW. Their consistent, dependable support gives us stability and resilience and helps reduce our fundraising costs. KUOW and NPR have been here for you, day in and out, with vital information and local storytelling. Today, we need you to be here for us.
The future of public media will depend on you and the decision you make right now to protect it.
Kerry Swanson
Interim General Manager, Chief Operations Officer
Press Contact
Annette Promes (apromes@kuow.org)
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