Alliance of Rural Public Media Sends Letter to Congress in Support of Public Media Funding

The letter, signed by 75 rural public media stations, urges opposition to efforts to rescind previously-approved funding for public media stations

Today, the Alliance of Rural Public Media sent a letter to leaders in Congress urging them to oppose the reported rescission of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The letter, which was signed by 75 of ARPM partner stations from across the country, was addressed to bipartisan Appropriations Committee leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. The letter highlights the invaluable services provided by rural public media stations and explains the severe impact the loss of federal funding would have on their ability to continue to serve their communities.

---

To Whom It May Concern:

We, the Alliance of Rural Public Media, are asking you to oppose the rescission of funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). We represent rural public media stations nationwide, including stations designated by CPB as Rural Audience Service Stations (RASS), who qualify for additional federal assistance due to the rural coverage area we serve. Nearly 70 percent of all federal funding for public media is distributed directly to stations.

Our ability to serve rural audiences enables public broadcasting to fulfill its mission of universal service – reaching 99% of the population with free, over-the-air broadcasts, as well as un-paywalled digital access.

Due to the financial, operational, and infrastructure challenges of serving rural and remote audiences, our stations often rely on federal funding more than stations located in large markets as a proportion of our overall budgets – with some relying on CPB funding for up to half of their annual revenue. Yet, because we are often the only source of daily local news in our communities, as well as that of reliable emergency alerting, audiences depend on us to keep them informed and safe.

Rescission will put this essential rural service at risk. Please accept this letter, signed by 75 stations, and commit to preserving public media for your rural constituents.

Don’t let rural public radio go dark. We are counting on you.

Sincerely,
Alliance of Rural Public Media

The full letter can be found here.