Why Federal Funding Matters: PBS CEO Paula Kerger on the Vital Role of Public Media

As public media faces one of its most serious funding threats in decades, PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger offers timely and urgent perspective in this interview with PBS NewsHour’s Amna Nawaz. With the Trump administration proposing to rescind over $1 billion in federal funding, and in the wake of controversial board firings at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Kerger explains what’s at stake, not for PBS alone, but for the thousands of local stations that rely on this funding to serve their communities. From providing trusted news and vital educational programming to acting as a lifeline for emergency communications in rural areas, public broadcasting plays an irreplaceable role in American life. In this conversation, Kerger dispels misconceptions, addresses partisan critiques, and calls on viewers and supporters to make their voices heard before it’s too late.