In recent months, public media has come under increased scrutiny, highlighting the evolving landscape of public media and the need for continued community support. Through it all, Kansas City PBS remains committed to serving the entire community as a source for independent journalism, multimedia storytelling, music discovery and education resources.
In this FAQ, we will do our best to answer the most pressing questions about federal plans to cut public media funding while also exploring the structure, funding and value of local public media. Most importantly, we’ll highlight why public media remains an essential part of our community and how you can support it amid these uncertain times. If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out to our team at communications@kansascitypbs.org.
Published April 24, 2025
What can you do to protect public media in Kansas City?
To support Kansas City PBS, visit protectmypublicmedia.org. There, you can contact your lawmakers to urge them to support local stations like Kansas City PBS and sign a petition to protect public media nationwide.
The White House has announced plans to cut federal funding for public television. What does this mean for Kansas City PBS?
In the coming days, we anticipate the White House will submit a proposal to slash already approved federal funding for public media. If Congress agrees to cut federal funding for public media, local stations like Kansas City PBS will lose critical support that funds local documentaries, emergency communications, education resources, British dramas and more. Defunding public media wouldn’t just disrupt services offered by Kansas City PBS, Flatland and 90.9 The Bridge — it could force our fellow stations in more rural areas to shut down entirely. We expect the proposal, also known as a rescission package, to be delivered to Congress when they return from recess on Monday, April 28. Once Congress receives the rescission package, it will start a 45-day period during which lawmakers must adopt or reject the request to eliminate CPB funding.
If approved, how soon will public media funding cuts impact Kansas City PBS?
If Congress approves the rescission package proposed by the Trump administration, local stations will start to see those cuts beginning in October 2025, according to reporting from PBS News Hour.
If the funding has already been approved, how can it be taken away?
The Trump administration is asking Congress to use a process called "rescission" to cut funding already approved for public media broadcasting. Rescission allows the president to cancel Congress-approved funding previously provided to federal agencies.
How much does public media funding cost me as a taxpayer?
For about $1.60 per person each year, federal funding for public media powers content and outreach that boosts children’s academic outcomes, life-saving emergency alerts and warnings, invaluable local resources and storytelling that reflects the heart of our communities. More importantly, research from the Pew Research Center consistently shows that most Americans support federal funding for public media.
Published February 19, 2025
How Does Public Media Work?
What is the difference between PBS and Kansas City PBS?
Kansas City PBS is a PBS member station that is locally owned and operated with operational oversight provided by a local board of directors comprised of Kansas City community members. Kansas City PBS pays annual dues to PBS in exchange for access to national programming like MASTERPIECE, PBS News Hour, NOVA, NATURE and our PBS KIDS shows. Kansas City PBS supplements PBS programming with locally produced series and services. Any decisions regarding our policies and local programming are made at a local level independently of PBS.
Kansas City PBS’ Funding Sources
For more than 60 years, Kansas City PBS has worked to build trust in our local communities, and as a result, we have deep roots and connections within the Kansas City Metro and beyond. Our commitment to increasing our presence in the community and strengthening our relationships with our audience through quality programming and essential services is reflected in our funding sources. As a community-supported nonprofit media organization, 56% of our funding comes from individual givers who believe in the power of public media to improve lives and deliver great programming. Another 13% of our funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes federal funds to local public media stations across the country.
What is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)?
Established in 1967 by legislation signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is a nonprofit organization that funds public radio and television stations in the United States. The CPB distributes funding to local public radio and television stations. The CPB supports research, technology and program development while ensuring universal access to non-commercial content and telecommunications services. While Kansas City PBS receives funding from CPB, our main source of funding comes from individual donations. CPB funding is most crucial to stations in rural areas where access to reliable information is often most critical.
What is the FCC (Federal Communications Commission)?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is a US government agency established in 1934 by the Communications Act to regulate communications by radio, television, cable, satellite and wire. Its mission is to promote competition, ensure connectivity, and enforce the Communications Act and related regulations. The FCC protects consumers, regulates critical infrastructure, works to close the digital divide, fights robocalls and caller ID spoofing, and supports telehealth.
Is Public Media Under Attack?
FCC Underwriting Investigation
Kansas City PBS is afforded a broadcast license through an agreement with the FCC (Federal Communications Commission). Since 1961, Kansas City PBS has maintained this agreement and has remained in good standing. As a public media station, we adhere to the rules and guidelines set by the FCC and these rules extend to our use of on-air underwriting messaging. Public broadcasting stations, including ours, are prohibited from running commercials and instead present corporate underwriting spots that avoid direct calls to action. While we believe we are in compliance, we are conducting an internal audit to ensure adherence across the board.
On January 29, 2025, both NPR and PBS received a communication from newly appointed FCC Chairman Brendan Carr stating that the FCC was opening an investigation into both organization’s use of underwriting. Mr. Carr stated the end goal of this investigation in his letter:
"Congress is actively considering whether to stop requiring taxpayers to subsidize NPR and PBS programming. For my own part, I do not see a reason why Congress should continue sending taxpayer dollars to NPR and PBS given the changes in the media marketplace since the passage of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.”
Kansas City PBS’ Diversity Programs and Initiatives
Recently, executive orders were issued by the White House that questioned the legality of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. As with all our practices, we are thoughtful and seek expert support when setting goals and defining our policies. We have not made any changes to Kansas City PBS policies or programs.We are organizing a working group of board members and staff to monitor information coming out of Washington D.C., Jefferson City and Topeka.
Why is public media so important?
The Value of Public Broadcasting
Public media is dedicated to providing free, accessible and factual information to everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status or political affiliation. This mission, established by the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, is even more crucial today amidst the rise of social media and an increasingly saturated media landscape.
At Kansas City PBS, we focus on local storytelling, capturing the history of our region through the lived experiences of our community members. We promote an informed citizenry by hosting town hall discussions, candidate debates and large-scale collaborations like the 2024 Voter Guide, developed with the Kansas City Media Collective. Additionally, we offer entertainment through British dramas and foster continuous learning with scientific programs.
We provide these services free of charge and strive to reach our audience of over a million people each month across state lines. We straddle a world of analog broadcast systems and digital experiences to ensure we can bring everyone into the fold.
What Can I Do?
Ways to Support Kansas City PBS
Kansas City PBS’ single largest source of income comes from individual donations. We truly are supported by “Viewers Like You.” There are many ways to support our mission monetarily and otherwise.
- Become a Volunteer
- Join our Community Advisory Board
- Contact Your Congressional Representative
- Visit Board Meetings — Our regular meetings of the Board of Directors are open to the public. As a community-supported nonprofit, we value transparency and take our role as a public service seriously.
- Donate