AS MANY AS
115 public television and radio stations are projected to close
As a consequence, tens of millions of Americans will lose access to free, high quality news, educational, and cultural programming. In our highly interconnected public media system, the failure of these stations will also have a cascading effect endangering distressed stations in other areas of the country and threatening services everywhere.
In response, Public Media Company has launched the Public Media Bridge Fund. The Fund’s purpose is to secure local public media service at this vulnerable moment, with an early focus on rural and underserved communities where public media organizations face the greatest risks.
Public Media is at a Crossroads
For more than 50 years, U.S. public media has connected 99% of Americans to trusted local and national news, educational programming, and cultural content—backed by billions in community investment, a vast broadcast infrastructure, and the hard-earned trust of local communities across the country.
Today, that system is in crisis. The loss of federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting threatens to trigger a cascade of local station closures, starting with many rural and under resourced stations, with consequences that could cause irreversible damage to our civic and democratic life.
We have a narrow but critical window to protect these important community institutions—and to reimagine public media for a stronger, more sustainable future.
The Public Media Bridge Fund application is open until November 3. Review our resources to learn more and start your application today.
- Preview the application questions
- Read our FAQs
- Watch our recent webinar
- Review our slide deck.