On Friday, Republicans in the House finalized a $9.4 billion rescission package that includes the clawback of $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
The funding supports more than 1,500 locally-operated public television and radio stations across the country including WAMC. The rescission also cancels funding for foreign aid programs.
During a live broadcast on WAMC Friday, Democratic Vermont Senator Peter Welch said majority Republicans are kneeling at President Trump’s feet.
“If you're in a congressional job and your job is to give your best judgment, and you can't do it because you're scared of the president, I think it may be time to move on,” Welch said. “But what is profoundly different about what's going on here, and this is the lament I have, is the checks and balances system that is core to our democracy, that's getting eroded because the president is just demanding total deference, and he's getting it. That thing is really pretty scary.”
New York Public Radio CEO and President LaFontaine Oliver says while the cut to broadcasting is not surprising, it does hurt. Oliver says stations must “envision a new future for public media.”
“This change in federal funding, it doesn't change our organization's public service mission, nor does it reduce the demand our communities have for the kinds of educational, informational, cultural programming that we produce and the sort of civic engagement that you know our station, and your station there at WAMC is producing every single day,” Oliver said.
NPR Morning Edition Host Steve Inskeep called to WAMC, saying stations, especially smaller and rural outlets, will be forced to shut down.
Inskeep says in a changing media landscape and an era of unchecked social media, listeners can get more than just “a take” from public media.
“It's going out and trying to understand somebody that we don't understand, going out and trying to find somebody's story and relate it to other people so that we can comprehend each other, rather than just be outraged at each other, or look down at each other, or some of the other things that we're encouraged to do,” Inskeep said.
Fellow Morning Edition Host Michel Martin says local public radio stations provide coverage and sincerity that large outlets, even NPR, can’t provide for its audience.
“The other thing that sticks with me is the fact that, you know, one of the things that a lot that irritates a lot of people about big news stories is when people kind of parachute into a community,” Martin said. “You know, parachuting in has its place because, you know, parachuting in to a place is part of how we express to the rest of our country, men and women, that a story matters to them. It's not just about where it's happening, but the thing about a member station is they don't have to parachute in. They're in. They're already there.”
The final 216-to-213 vote included all but two Republicans, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania and Mike Turner from Ohio.
The bill goes next to President Trump for his signature.
Speaking with WAMC Friday, former editor of the Washington Post Martin Baron called it a “grim time” for the American public.
“It's not just an attack on people's opinions,” Barron said. “It's an attack on, attack on facts. Really, you have a president now who wants to be, he wants, he wants to be the sole owner of the truth.”
The cuts to public television will take a toll on local programming.
Troy-based WMHT Public Media provides, arts, culture, and learning to viewers. New York Congressman Paul Tonko says three in four Americans depend on public media.
The Democrat from the 20th District says children benefit from educational programming supplied by PBS.
“Think of the terrific programming for kids, for example, you know, teaching them not only ABCs, but teaching them kindness, teaching them respect,” Tonko said. “This is quality programming, and nearly three in four Americans, I'm reminded, rely on public radio for emergency updates, public safety alerts. So, this affects a lot of people in a brutal way.”
If you’d like to support WAMC’s mission of delivering balanced reporting, and arts and cultural programing and informative discussion 365 days a year, donations can be made on our website, WAMC.org.
