Today, President Trump delivered a specific request to Congress to rescind funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
This funding to the CPB supports 1,500 public media stations across the country, including KNKX. It’s important to note that this budget allocation was already approved by Congress.
Now, President Trump is demanding that Congress take it back.
Unlike Trump’s executive order attempting to defund NPR and PBS, which has already been challenged in court, this “rescission request,” if successful, would have the full force of law behind it. It is the gravest threat to public media we’ve faced.
For KNKX, federal funding provides 6 to 7% of KNKX’s annual budget. This reduction of funding will affect both music and news at KNKX. If eliminated, we will face a shortfall of nearly $600,000 in the upcoming fiscal year. In addition to direct funding, we rely on the CPB for essential elements of our service, such as reduced music licensing fees. These resources are at risk as well.
KNKX is dedicated to serving all of Western Washington. Whether you live in a rural, suburban, or urban community, everyone benefits from free access to trusted journalism and cultural programming without influence from commercial, university or government interests.
We believe in freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and freedom of the press, and we are fighting to preserve these critical rights so you can connect to the information, news, and music you rely on.
You can help protect the future of KNKX.
Please take a moment to call your congressional representative and tell them how important it is to preserve public media funding.
In Western Washington, we have many elected leaders who know and understand these benefits. Nevertheless, it is vital for them to hear about your support for this cause. If you are a listener to KNKX or Jazz24 elsewhere in the country, your support for public media might be even more meaningful. Here’s a directory from Protect My Public Media to help you find your elected members in the House of Representatives, which will consider the bill first.
And, if you are in a position to support KNKX financially, please consider joining KNKX as a sustaining member or increasing your existing sustaining membership.
In light of these challenges from the federal government, this summer, we are launching an effort to add 5,000 monthly Sustainers - ensuring we can continue serving our community, no matter what lies ahead.
Sincerely,
David Fischer
President & General Manager
KNKX
