Funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is under attack. Siouxland Public Media is at risk of losing $200K annually. The time to act is now. Tell Congress to preserve funding for public media.
What's at Stake
This is the biggest threat to public media in a generation. Funding for every local station and public media programmer is at risk. The Trump administration has asked Congress to eliminate $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). While this move targets NPR and PBS, the true impact is on the 1,500 local public radio and television stations that receive the vast majority of these resources, including Siouxland Public Media.
CPB dollars make up approximately 20% of Siouxland Public Media's annual budget. Additionally, CPB supports the public radio interconnection system and negotiates and pays for music rights on public radio stations.
An immediate loss of such significant funding is a huge blow to our organization. We’ll be forced to make tough decisions on the programming and services you rely on.
Local News Coverage
About 20% of Americans live in communities where their local public radio station is the only source of local news. Much of Siouxland Public Media’s service area falls into this category.
When we talk with listeners, we often hear nostalgic stories about the local newspapers that once arrived on their doorsteps every morning. Without a trusted, locally rooted voice like Siouxland Public Media—one committed to fact-based reporting—we risk losing touch with the issues that matter most to our community. Instead, we become dependent on faceless organizations and, increasingly, AI-generated content.
The loss of stations like ours would only deepen our cultural isolation and make us more vulnerable to misinformation and disinformation.
Emergency Services
Public radio stations are often the sole source of critical information in emergencies and natural disasters. Siouxland Public Media is key part of the distribution system for emergency alerts, which all other radio stations can monitor. When the next tornado, derecho or disaster strikes, these services help us escape harm and stay connected to crucial information in the aftermath.
Music & Cultural Programming
Siouxland Public Media is a platform for our community’s voices. Whether we’re documenting the journey between the Genoa Indian Industrial School and the Omaha Reservation, chatting with local musicians and business owners about organizing a small-town music festival, sitting down with newspaper owners fighting to keep their publications alive, or creating programming that highlights the incredible music our community deserves—SPM is a channel that reflects Siouxland’s grit, determination, creativity, and inventiveness.
Cuts to funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting directly threaten our ability to share this diverse range of music and cultural programming
What You Can Do
Your voice matters. There’s still time to stop these efforts to claw back funding for public media. Here’s how you can help:
- Call your lawmakers. The decision is now in the hands of Congress. Let them know why we must invest in a strong and accessible public media system.
- Send a message. Email your U.S. representative and senators. Share what public media means to you and why it’s worth protecting.
- Show your support. We’re preparing to rely on our communities more than ever. Help us get a start on replacing this federal funding.
- Spread the word. Public media serves everybody. Tell your friends. Share it on social media. Let everyone know why public media is important and encourage them to act before it’s too late.
- Stay connected. Listeners, viewers and supporters nationwide are organizing to protect the public broadcasting they rely on each day. Protect My Public Media has additional tools, information and ways to get involved. Join the action network for all the latest on how you can protect Siouxland Public Media and local stations everywhere.
Your Questions About Public Media Funding
How is public media funded?
Every local station has a different mix from similar sources. Smaller, rural stations rely more on federal funds. Overall, the CPB gets $535 million annually. That’s approximately $1.60 per citizen — about .008% of the federal budget — and a fraction of the amount invested by other countries. Only one-fourth of that amount supports public radio specifically.
What does CPB do?
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting mainly administers grants, evaluates station effectiveness and ensures accountability to Congress and the President. The vast majority of its funds go to local radio stations like Siouxland Public Media.
CPB also supports local stations in other ways — negotiating and paying for music rights for music stations and supporting the public radio and television interconnection systems. Without these funds, costs for individual stations will rise. Broadcasting will be more expensive. The price of playing the music you love will increase. Those costs are too much for many stations to absorb.
Why does public funding matter?
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was created to serve as a public good — helping to provide a freely accessible, trusted source of high-quality educational and informational content. We still wholeheartedly believe in that founding principle. And it’s part of our mission to connect Siouxlanders to the news, music, information and ideas that shape their world every day. We believe public funding ties us more closely to our mission to serve the public good.
What will happen to public radio if federal funding goes away?
NPR receives very little funding from CPB. A significant source of NPR funding comes from local stations that pay fees to air its programming. If stations lose money, NPR and other national program providers will also face a loss of revenue, leading to tough decisions on programming and services.
Siouxland Public Media will face this same financial reality. While we have practiced conservative fiscal management for many years and have financial reserves to help us, $200K is a significant loss. We are taking steps to protect our core operations and maintain the highest level of service for you.
What happens next?
Congress has 45 days to make a decision on the rescission. The House will vote first, followed by the Senate. Each chamber only needs a simple majority to pass the rescission. So it only takes a few Republican lawmakers to vote against this package and save public broadcasting. Contact Congress now before it's too late.