Congresswoman Matsui Condemns Republican Cuts to Public Media

Congresswoman Doris Matsui has issued a strong statement condemning Republican cuts to public media, specifically the Trump administration's $9 billion rescission package, which includes clawing back $1.1 billion in funding for local radio and television stations. The proposed cuts would jeopardize Americans' access to free, community-supported access to news, educational programming, and lifesaving emergency alerts. Congresswoman Matsui emphasizes the critical role public media plays in delivering quality educational and informational programs to local communities, providing public safety information, local news, children's educational content, and in-depth workforce training courses.

Key Takeaways:

• The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) as a private, non-profit corporation to provide non-commercial educational programming to the public.
• CPB provides grants to 1,216 public radio stations and 365 public television stations across the country, serving nearly 99 percent of the U.S. population with free programming and services.
• Congresswoman Matsui has introduced the Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act, legislation that would prohibit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from revoking broadcast licenses or taking action against broadcasters based on the viewpoints they disseminate.
• Congresswoman Matsui has also led a bipartisan letter emphasizing the importance of federal funding for public radio and television, highlighting the valuable services public broadcasting provides for local communities.
• Public media plays a crucial role in providing lifesaving information, including emergency alerts, in times of crisis, as seen during Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and the 2017 Northern California Wildfires.
• Public broadcasting networks support educational content that parents nationwide rely on to help their children learn, averaging 16 million monthly users and more than 350 million monthly streams across digital platforms.
• Local stations like PBS Reno offer "Curiosity Classroom" services that provide free STEM, literacy-based workshops for Pre-K through fourth-grade classrooms in northern Nevada and northeastern California.
• 90 percent of surveyed parents said PBS Kids helps prepare children for success in school, and 82 percent of voters, including 72 percent of President Trump's voters, value PBS for its children's programming and educational tools.

Statistics:

• $9 billion: The amount proposed to be rescinded by the Trump administration, including $1.1 billion in funding for public radio and television.
• 1,216: The number of public radio stations receiving grants from CPB.
• 365: The number of public television stations receiving grants from CPB.
• 99 percent: The percentage of the U.S. population served by public broadcasting stations.
• 16 million: The average number of monthly users for public broadcasting educational content.
• 350 million: The average number of monthly streams for public broadcasting educational content across digital platforms.
• 63 percent: The percentage of respondents voting for PBS Kids as the most educational media brand in 2025.
• 90 percent: The percentage of surveyed parents saying PBS Kids helps prepare children for success in school.
• 82 percent: The percentage of voters valuing PBS for its children's programming and educational tools.
• 72 percent: The percentage of President Trump's voters valuing PBS for its children's programming and educational tools.

Sources:

• "MATSIU CONDEMNS REPUBLICAN CUTS TO PUBLIC MEDIA" by Rep. Doris Matsui, July 18, [source](https://matsui.house.gov/media/press-releases/matsui-condemns-republican-cuts-public-media)
• "Broadcast Freedom and Independence Act" by Rep. Doris Matsui
• "Bipartisan Letter Emphasizing Importance of Federal Funding for Public Radio and Television" by Rep. Doris Matsui and others