Public Broadcasting Deserves Your Attention
By Jordan DelFiugo
When I first learned Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) was at risk of being defunded, I couldn’t help but cry as I recalled nostalgic summer afternoons spent watching Between the Lions in my childhood home. Public media has played a vital role in providing educational content and community services across the country for over 50 years, introducing the public to iconic characters like Bill Nye the Science Guy, Mister Rogers, and Big Bird, all of whom have connected with viewers from all different backgrounds and socioeconomic statuses. But as of Oct. 1, federal funding for public broadcasting has officially ceased at a time when public media is perhaps more necessary than ever.
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According to a September poll from Gallup, American trust in the media is at an all-time low, with only 28% of Americans reporting that they feel they can trust the media they consume. In an era of distrust and rampant disinformation, public media provides fact-based and community-centered reporting. Unlike private media organizations, public broadcasting is not driven by an owner’s agenda or commercial interests, but rather a mission of public service.
Since 1983, one major effort of PBS has been combating the “summer slide,” which can be defined as the academic loss students, most pertinently those raised in low-income households with fewer resources, experience when on summer break. According to the PBS fact sheet, PBS reaches more children from low-income homes than any other children’s TV network. The service is viewed in 87% of non-Internet homes and 56% of low-income homes. A study published by the Department of Education also found that preschool children living in low-income households were able to learn critical science concepts and practices from PBS’s The Cat in the Hat programming, illustrating the necessity of PBS for Americans who rely on this free and accessible resource.
Outside of providing education, PBS has also long promoted racial equity. In 1969, at a time when racial segregation was still prevalent in public pools, Mister Rogers made history when he invited a Black character, Officer Clemmons, to join him in soaking his feet in a plastic kiddie pool on a hot day. Currently, according to PBS’s 2022 diversity report, 44% of the network’s staff are people of color, and 60% of PBS’s primetime documentaries include BIPOC talent and were produced by BIPOC or explored diversity-related topics. The network also works in collaboration with partners like the National Multicultural Alliance and Independent Lens, supporting diverse filmmakers and programs.
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Above all, PBS has helped foster compassion, a value that feels increasingly rare in today’s social climate. This year, a Muhammad Ali Center report found that 61% of Americans believe compassion has decreased throughout the country, with almost 40% of respondents admitting that they have grown less empathetic towards negative news events over the years. Shows like Sesame Street, Mister Rogers, and more recently Caregiving, model empathy and emotional intelligence for young generations of viewers, helping teach children how to process big feelings and how to treat others with empathy and respect. Moreover, programs such as PBS NewsHour and Finding Your Roots share human stories that encourage understanding in the face of individual differences. Through its programming, PBS both educates audiences and helps them develop the emotional literacy needed to build a more compassionate world.
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Though public media have stopped receiving federal funding this month, all hope is not lost. On an individual level, we can all still take steps to support local PBS stations through multiple different avenues, whether that looks like donating to fundraising campaigns, volunteering, or simply raising awareness about the importance of their content. Subscribing to newsletters, calling your representatives, and even simply engaging with their digital platforms can all make a difference. With political division and apathy on the rise, we as a society simply cannot risk losing such a necessary resource.
