It’s 2010, and I’m sitting on the living room floor in front of the TV, waiting for my older sisters to come home from school. I’m wrapped in the pastel knitted blanket that was made for me when I was born, with some Goldfish crackers and apple juice by my side. After a long day of kindergarten, I can unwind by watching my favorite PBS shows, probably starting with “Arthur,” “Martha Speaks” or maybe “WordGirl.” I’m learning how to read and write while also being taught the importance of kindness and honesty, all through colorful, spellbinding animation.
It’s 2025 now, and Republicans in the U.S. Congress have pushed to end public news programs such as PBS and NPR, claiming they are a waste of taxpayer dollars, and specifically targeting PBS for promoting “leftist agendas” to children. However, as someone who grew up watching public broadcasting, I know firsthand how essential it is for this country to have educational shows for children without financial barriers.
In the 1960s, there was a growing need for public broadcasting. Cable television and subscription-based channels were inaccessible to lower-income households, and audiences were tired of on-air ads. As a result, the Carnegie Corporation proposed the development of a public broadcasting system focused on educating the American public and expanding access to educational resources. In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act, aiming to give a “stronger voice to educational radio and television,” which led to the creation of CPB, PBS and NPR. Public broadcasting not only made news and information freely available to adults, but also introduced programs specifically geared towards educating the youth.
By 1969, PBS had become the home of two children’s programs that would forever shape the world of kids’ television: “Sesame Street” and “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” The first of its kind, “Sesame Street” was designed to make learning impactful, easy and exciting, teaching kids fundamental skills in both mathematics and English. “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” encouraged children to be good, kind members of their communities, with an emphasis on respecting those around them. In a 1969 episode, during a time when many public swimming pools in America were still segregated, Mister Rogers invited Officer Clemmons, a Black police officer, to cool down by sharing the same inflatable pool. This moment sought to teach both children and adults that, regardless of the color of our skin, we are all human, and the world is a better place when we are kind to each other.
Despite the positive messages relayed through beloved characters like Big Bird or Mister Rogers himself, programs such as PBS and NPR are now under attack. On Mar. 26, during a DOGE subcommittee hearing led by Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, public broadcasting was a contentious topic. Republican representatives questioned NPR CEO Katherine Maher and PBS CEO Paula Kerger about alleged biased reporting and “indoctrinating children with leftist ideology.” Many Republicans have called for the complete withdrawal of federal funding from public broadcasting, dismantling the entire system. Earlier this year, the news organization The Associated Press was banned from the White House press pool, and this attack on public broadcasting represents another assault on the free press. Particularly, some lawmakers have taken issue with PBS children’s programming, claiming that LGBTQ+ individuals and drag queens are showcased on their network, which could negatively impact children. In reality, a drag queen did appear on PBS, but it was during a segment of “PBS News Hour,” not on any children’s program.
In 2025, Congress planned to allocate $535 million to CBP, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is one one-hundredth of 1% of the U.S. federal budget. In contrast, Congress plans to spend $858 billion on the Department of Defense, highlighting a stark difference between military spending and funding for public broadcasting. Compared to other countries, the U.S. federal government only spends about $1.50 per person on public media, whereas the U.K. government spends about $100 per person.
Last month, CPB announced that it is moving toward closure after Congress approved cuts of over $1.1 billion to public broadcasting. Public broadcasting remains an important institution because it provides everyone with access to information and knowledge. It doesn’t just deliver national news; local news stations are also included in the public broadcasting system and are instrumental in keeping small towns informed. Without local news, smaller communities are more vulnerable to misinformation and less aware of the events happening around them.
As of February 2024, more than 130 million people in the U.S. watched PBS. Children from lower-income families deserve access to creative and educational TV programs. As a citizen, you can support public broadcasting by donating to organizations like PBS and NPR, as well as your local public media station. In the land of the free, everyone should have the right to public media. As PBS CEO Paula Kerger said, “There’s nothing more American than PBS.”