PBS, KEXP, KUOW: how impending public media cuts could change local stations

We’re closing in on the deadline for President Trump’s rescission package. Senate Republicans have until this Friday to pass the package with a simple majority. If they don’t, they’ll face a Democratic filibuster that they’ll need 60 votes to overcome. On Tuesday, the Senate voted to advance rescissions with a 51-50 vote – Vice President JD Vance was the tie breaker. Republican Senators Collins, Murkowski, and McConnell all voted no. Today, Senators will have up to 10 hours of debate before the final floor vote – if they pass the package, it will then head back to the House for a vote, before going to the President’s desk. Again, this all needs to happen by the end of Friday. So that’s a lot of procedural details, but let’s get to the nitty gritty: If this passes, the Administration would claw back $9 billion dollars in previously approved funding – most of which is intended for global health programs and foreign aid projects. It would also rescind more than $1.1 billion dollars currently budgeted for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, or CPB. You’re listening to public radio right now - so you’re probably well aware that  those dollars include funding for KUOW, as well as other local public radio and TV stations, which receive support from the CPB. What exactly would the impact of rescission be for Seattle stations? Can public media survive these cuts? And, with news becoming increasingly fragmented, should taxpayers still pay for public media?  We’re putting those questions to leaders of local public media organizations. Guests: Kerry Swanson is interim CEO of KUOW Rob Dunlop is CEO and President of Cascade PBS Ethan Raup is CEO and President of KEXP Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.