Public media is a lifeline in Wyoming and across America. Yet today, it faces its most serious threat in decades.
On June 12, the House of Representatives passed the Rescissions Act of 2025, which would eliminate all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for fiscal years 2026 and 2027, reversing funding that Congress had already appropriated.
The bill now moves to the Senate, where it could be amended, passed or defeated before the July 18 deadline.
While that debate unfolds, let’s remember what public media truly is. It’s not about Washington – it’s about local communities. It amplifies hometown voices, showcases local culture and governance, and brings critical services to rural and urban areas alike.
As the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 put it, public media exists to serve the “instructional, educational, and cultural needs” of Americans and to provide diverse, high-quality, accessible programming for all.
CPB, which was created by that same act, ensures that stations meet these standards while also being fiscally accountable.
While it does not have any editorial or managerial oversight of public media organizations like NPR or PBS, CPB monitors how federal investments are spent, and ensures that stations are serving their local communities.
Unlike commercial outlets, public media is held to the highest standards of transparency, accountability and responsiveness precisely because it is responsible to the American taxpayer.
Cutting federal funding removes critical taxpayer oversight and makes public media less accountable to the public.
I’ve seen this system from both sides. I spent 35 years at Wyoming Public Television, rising from a programmer to general manager.
In that time, we grew from a 10-person operation in one county to a statewide service with three full-power transmitters, 42 translators and carriage on 30-plus cable systems – all with a team of just 20 people.
We produced hundreds of debates, documentaries and weekly legislative coverage that no other outlet provided. We gave Wyoming citizens a platform to see and hear their leaders and neighbors tell their own stories.
Now, as chair of the CPB Board, I see the broader picture. We are charged with ensuring that more than 375 public media stations across the country meet strict programming and fiscal requirements.
These stations produce annual audits, document their community engagement, and strive to meet high standards of fairness and integrity.
When questions arise about political bias, we take them seriously because editorial independence, objectivity and balance are foundational principles of public media.
But these values are under increasing pressure in today’s dynamic and complex media landscape. At a time when civic trust is fraying, public media provides Americans with reliable, local reporting and information that empowers citizens to participate in decisions that affect their lives.
This isn’t just about a line item in a federal budget – it’s about preserving trusted, local storytelling and community connection.
In Wyoming alone, CPB provides nearly $2 million each year to public media. That support allows Wyoming PBS and Wyoming Public Radio to reach 97% of the state’s citizens, providing vital news, cultural content and emergency alerts.
Without federal support, and CPB’s ability to leverage economies of scale to provide cost-effective services to public media stations across the United States, smaller or rural stations like ours could face drastic service reductions or go dark altogether.
The impact would ripple far beyond the broadcast tower. Public media is often the only early learning provider for the nearly two-thirds of 3- and 4-year-olds in Wyoming – and more than half of preschool-aged children nationwide – who aren’t enrolled in school.
It’s a trusted source of emergency alerts in severe weather. It brings coverage of local school boards, state legislatures and veterans’ issues that no national outlet will cover.
At around $1.60 per American annually, public media is one of the best returns on investment in the federal budget. Gutting this funding risks unraveling decades of bipartisan support and cutting off essential services to the people who need them most – families, small businesses, students and seniors in communities across the country.
Public media is a national asset. Let’s strengthen public media – not dismantle it.
Ruby Calvert is chair of the Board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and former general manager of Wyoming PBS.
