FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty has responded cautiously to the U.S. Senate’s vote last week, to eliminate federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), describing it as “an opportunity for innovation” rather than the demise of public media.
Trusty recognized CPB’s long-standing role in delivering educational and cultural programming, especially in rural and underserved areas.
However, she aligned the Senate’s decision with growing public distrust in media, stating, “With trust in media at historic lows, taxpayers’ demand for transparency, accountability, and balance from federally funded outlets is understandable.”
In stark contrast, Commissioner Anna M. Gomez condemned the vote as a politically driven effort to undermine independent journalism, warning of dire impacts on rural communities reliant on public media for local news and emergency alerts.
“The FCC’s baseless attacks on public broadcasters are dangerous,” Gomez said. “Its role should be to ensure access to accurate, interference-free news.”
If implemented, the Senate’s decision would end CPB funding, in place since 1967, potentially shuttering stations critical for local news and civic programming in underserved regions. Trusty, however, maintained that government-funded media must face scrutiny, stating, “As a regulator, I will support policies fostering media access and competition, without assuming any funding or content model is beyond reform.”