Trump’s War Against PBS and NPR Is Wrong

Why Conservatives Should Support Public Media: Like many in my generation, my first experience with public media came from childhood staples like Sesame Street and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.

Growing up near Erie, PA, my parents valued our local PBS station (WQLN), contributing what they could during fundraising drives.

Later, as a teenager, I volunteered at a pledge drive—my first real glimpse into the community’s support for public broadcasting.

Over the years, my appreciation deepened. While living in San Diego, I regularly listened to KPBS radio for trusted news and information. Moving to North Carolina in 2005, I became a sustaining donor of WFDD in Winston-Salem. Today, I proudly serve as Vice Chair of WFDD’s Community Advisory Board, actively supporting the station’s fundraising and development.

This long relationship with public media has shown me something my conservative friends and colleagues may unintentionally overlook: the biggest losers in defunding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) are the rural and conservative communities who rely on it the most.

A Renewed Push to Defund Public Media

The Trump administration recently renewed efforts to eliminate CPB’s federal funding, proposing a rescission of $1.1 billion previously appropriated by Congress.

Additionally, the President issued an Executive Order to prevent NPR and PBS from receiving CPB funds. While the administration’s intention may be to reduce government spending based on policy priorities, the President’s order is constitutionally suspect.

Moreover, eliminating CPB funding or restricting how it can be used would disproportionately harm the regions and voters that many conservative leaders seek to support.

What CPB Actually Funds

Established by the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, CPB was designed to ensure free, educational, non-commercial media access for all Americans, regardless of income or geography. Today, it supports over 1,500 public radio and television stations, from major cities to small rural towns. Notably, about 45% of these stations serve rural and underserved communities.

CPB does not directly fund national NPR or PBS operations. Per federal statute, roughly 70% of CPB’s budget goes to Community Service Grants for local stations—these stations choose how to spend the funds based on local needs.

With its administrative costs tightly capped at 5%, the remaining CPB budget supports infrastructure, emergency alert systems, and educational programming.

For many rural broadcasters, CPB makes up a critical part of their budget—about 17% on average. For some Native American and isolated rural stations, CPB funding accounts for more than half of their operating income. And yet, this support costs the federal government less than 0.01% of federal discretionary spending—just $1.60 per American annually.

The Broader Value CPB Provides

Public media delivers measurable benefits unmatched by commercial media. These include life-saving emergency alerts, early childhood education programming, trustworthy journalism, and local culture and music preservation.

During Hurricane Helene in 2024, North Carolina public broadcasters, including Blue Ridge Public Radio and PBS North Carolina, became critical lifelines, broadcasting essential emergency alerts when commercial services failed. Similarly, WWNO remained on the air during Hurricane Katrina against all odds, and WKMS stood alone, delivering lifesaving information during the 2021 tornadoes in Kentucky after cell towers toppled and commercial stations went dark.

Beyond emergencies, CPB strengthens community journalism, education, and culture. Initiatives like the “Texas Newsroom” bolster local news coverage abandoned by commercial outlets, and CPB-funded PBS Kids and PBS Learning Media provide essential educational resources. CPB also quietly supports music and cultural programming by negotiating affordable system-wide music licensing agreements. Many local stations, particularly rural ones, could no longer legally broadcast music without these licenses due to prohibitive licensing costs.

The Impact on Conservative Communities

Rural America—where public media has the deepest reach—is also where support for conservative policies and candidates is strongest. Wyoming, Montana, Alaska, South Dakota, and West Virginia communities rely on CPB-supported stations for news, emergency alerts, and educational content. These regions often lack daily newspapers or commercial radio with local content.

Defunding CPB wouldn’t harm major public broadcasters in big cities. It would shutter local stations in small towns and rural counties that provide severe weather alerts, educational programming, and locally produced content that reflects regional values and heritage. Moreover, these rural stations don’t just inform during natural disasters—they save lives. This service isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential.

A Conservative Case for Supporting CPB

Conservatives value rural development, public safety, family-focused education, and community resilience. CPB funding supports each of these directly. It enhances rural infrastructure, helps prepare families for emergencies, supports childhood education at home, and strengthens local culture—all without imposing a heavy burden on taxpayers.

Rather than eliminating funding, conservatives have an opportunity to improve CPB’s oversight and efficiency. Congress can tighten accountability requirements, audit the use of funds, and ensure local stations reflect their communities’ needs. These reforms would strengthen public media’s alignment with conservative principles of responsible spending and local control.

A Missed Opportunity If Cut

If CPB is defunded, it won’t reduce national programming that conservatives may find objectionable—it will erase vital local programming that many rural voters rely on. The emergency alert systems, regional music shows, and in-depth local reporting will vanish—not because of audience disinterest, but because of budgetary starvation. Without CPB, many public radio stations that only offer music or hybrid programming and depend on CPB’s licensing arrangements would be forced off the air or stripped of their most popular content.

Leadership Requires Standing With Communities

Elected conservatives should be CPB’s strongest defenders. Supporting public broadcasting is not a concession to opposing viewpoints—it is a vote of confidence in rural America’s strength, values, and needs.

This isn’t about politics. It’s about practicality. It’s about ensuring rural Americans have access to safety alerts, educational resources, and local storytelling. These are not luxuries—they are public services. Without CPB funding, hundreds of rural stations will shutter without impacting NPR or PBS programming and news services.

Authentic leadership puts the well-being of constituents ahead of ideological battles. Conservative officials should become public media’s strongest advocates, demonstrating their steadfast commitment to rural communities and families. They should lead the charge to preserve and strengthen CPB, not dismantle it.

About the Author: Dave Petri

Dave Petri is a retired Navy Commander and Business Consultant from Mount Airy, NC. He is the Communications Director for National Security Leaders for America and serves as the Vice Chair of the Community Advisory Board for Public Radio Station WFDD in Winston-Salem, NC.