What Seniors Will Lose With Senate Cuts to PBS & NPR

Senate Passes $9 Billion Cut to Public Broadcasting

What seniors will lose with Senate cuts to PBS- NPR

What Seniors Will Lose with NPR, PBS Cuts

Early this morning, the Senate approved a White House request to cancel about $8 billion in funding for foreign aid and $1 billion for public broadcasting. Congress had previously authorized the spending.

This matters to the aid programs and local news outlets that rely on that money. However, it also matters because the Constitution grants Congress the “power of the purse” — the authority to determine how the government spends its funds. By bowing to Trump’s request, Republicans made the rare choice to cede that power.

The Senate voted 51 to 48. Two Republican senators objected: Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. The House is expected to give final approval to the package later this week and send it to Trump to sign.

What Seniors Will Lose With $9 Billion Cuts

What seniors will lose with Senate cuts to PBS- NPR

Senate Passes $9 Billion Cut to Public Broadcasting

NRP HBO Cuts: Impacts on Seniors

What seniors will lose with Senate cuts to PBS- NPR

Senate Passes $9 Billion Cut to Public Broadcasting

Why Republicans are backing these Public Media Cuts

• NRP HBO Cuts: Impacts on Seniors.include Loss of access to local news and information: Public broadcasting often serves as a primary source of local news, information, and community programming, especially in areas with limited or no alternatives, according to The New York Times. Seniors in these regions could face reduced access to information vital for staying informed about local events, community services, and emergency alerts. More feelings of isolation and loneliness, the end of public broadcasting in rural poor areas
• Reduced access to educational and cultural programming: PBS offers a wide range of academic and cultural programming, including documentaries, performances, and news analysis, according to ThinkTV. These programs can be particularly valuable for seniors who may have limited mobility or access to other cultural and educational resources, according to the Morris County, NJ News | Daily Record.
• Increased feelings of isolation and loneliness: For some seniors, particularly those who live alone, public broadcasting provides a sense of companionship and connection to the outside world, according to a letter to the editor published in the Daily Record. Disruptions to these familiar programs and voices could exacerbate feelings of isolation and loneliness.
• Potential impacts on specific demographics: In some states, tribal radio stations rely heavily on federal funding to provide news and cultural programming to Native American communities, notes CBS News. Cuts to public broadcasting funding could disproportionately impact these communities and their seniors.
• Impact on emergency services: Some public media stations provide essential emergency services and weather alerts, particularly in rural and remote areas. Funding cuts could hinder their ability to deliver these life-saving services. 

It’s essential to note that the impact of any funding cuts would vary depending on the specific station and its level of reliance on federal funding. Some stations, particularly smaller and rural ones, rely more heavily on federal grants than larger stations in urban areas, according to The New York Times.

PBS stations offer free access to the arts, bringing performances and cultural experiences to people who might not otherwise have the opportunity.

Ken Burns on the PBS NPR Cuts

What seniors will lose with Senate cuts to PBS- NPR

Senate Passes $9 Billion Cut to Public Broadcasting

Ken Burns, the renowned documentary filmmaker, is a strong advocate for PBS funding, calling cuts to public broadcasting “shortsighted” and “misguided”. He emphasizes that PBS provides critical services beyond entertainment, including emergency broadcasts and public education, especially in underserved communities. Burns notes that the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provides a significant portion of the funding for his documentaries, would be impacted by cuts, potentially affecting his work and that of others who rely on long-form storytelling. 

Paula Kruger, PBS President, on the Cuts

Why Republicans are backing these Public Media Cuts

Senate Passes $9 Billion Cut to Public Broadcasting

What seniors will lose with Senate cuts to PBS- NPR

Why Republicans are backing these Public Media Cuts

Cutting federal funding for public broadcasting has been a long-standing ambition of Republican administrations and was frequently raised by President Trump during his first term.

“It is unfair to ask conservative Americans to pay for a service that mocks them, that has nothing but a derisive attitude towards them,” says Mike Gonzalez, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Last year, a senior NPR editor resigned after accusing the outlet of favouring left-wing voices.

Gonzalez wrote a chapter in the Project 2025 policy blueprint calling for an end to all federal funding for public media.

Cutting federal funding for public broadcasting has been a long-standing ambition of Republican administrations and was frequently raised by President Trump during his first term.

“It is unfair to ask conservative Americans to pay for a service that mocks them, that has nothing but a derisive attitude towards them,” says Mike Gonzalez, senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank. Last year, a senior NPR editor resigned after accusing the outlet of favouring left-wing voices.

What will happen now that Cuts are coming

What seniors will lose with Senate cuts to PBS- NPR

Senate Passes $9 Billion Cut to Public Broadcasting

Why Republicans are backing these Public Media Cuts

The real pain will be felt by local stations in far-flung locations like Unalakleet, Alaska, and Pendleton, Oregon.. Those broadcasters often rely disproportionately on federal grants for their operations due to a funding formula that takes into account their limited number of donors and programming sponsors.

What about local stations?

An internal NPR report from 2011 obtained by The New York Times said that if Congress cut off funding to the public radio system, up to 18 percent of the roughly 1,000 member stations would close, with broadcasters in the Midwest, South, and the West affected the most. Nationwide, up to 30 percent of listeners would lose access to NPR programming.

For PBS, local TV stations would also bear the brunt of the cuts. Popular programs like “PBS NewsHour” and “Nature” may need to find funding elsewhere, such as through donations or syndication.

Donate to NPR to Support Your Local Station with the Cuts, especially if you are a Senior or a Senior Advocate.

Why Republicans are backing these Public Media Cuts

It’s time to take a stand for this trusted public service you rely on.

Public media is facing funding cuts at the federal level that would significantly impact our programming, including news, music, culture, educational programs, and the emergency alert system. 

The White House is seeking to eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This private, nonprofit corporation supports 1,300 local public media stations across the country as well as NPR and PBS. 

This would effectively dismantle the public media ecosystem. Take a stand for this trusted public service you rely on today.  

• What you need to know

How to Help 

Senate Passes $9 Billion Cut to Public Broadcasting

What seniors will lose with Senate cuts to PBS- NPR

There are many ways to show your support for APM.  

1. Contact your members of Congress

The Senate passed cuts to eliminate $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This bill would effectively dismantle the public media system. Please reach out to your Representative and tell them the damage it will do to the general public, rural stations and seniors

2. Take action: Sign our petition to let Congress know you oppose efforts to defund the CPB and demonstrate your unwavering support for these valuable public media services. 

We will deliver the petition to the White House and Congress. 

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3. Tune in, log on, and engage with your favorite APM content

Show your support for public media by tuning in to Marketplace, The Splendid Table, and other APM shows on the radio, podcast, web, apps, and social media.  

4. Make a Donation 

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