Public media organizations across the US have declared March 6 Protect My Public Media Day, a national call to action in their defense against a potential funding cut. 

Protect my Public Media is driving this initiative in response to federal funding from US congress to more than 1,500 public media stations potentially being put on the chopping block next week. March 14 is a deadline for congress to renew this funding, which is distributed by the nonprofit Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). It costs individual US taxpayers US$1.60 each year

Public media in the US reaches roughly 99% of the population, and millions of Americans consume it everyday, according to a statement from NEPM, a station in Springfield, Massachusetts that receives about 10% of its budget (US$850,000) from the CPB. 

The stations are calling on Americans to contact their government representatives, sign an online petition and post on social media about the March 6 event. Other companies have also expressed their support. Fred Rogers Productions posted the following comment on its LinkedIn account: “Fred Rogers Productions is joining public media stations and supporters across the country to protect public media’s future on March 6. From reliable local news to proven educational resources for children and families, public media keeps communities connected. Pledge to participate at Protect My Public Media.”

Local stations all over the US, including WPLN, KCRW (California) and KNKX (Tacoma, Washington), have been promoting Protect My Public Media Day. Federal funding makes up a small but important part of their annual budgets (about 5% for both KRCW and WLPN, and roughly US$593,000 for KNKX), and losing this resource would compromise their ability to produce important and educational content and news. KRCW, for example, says it’s able to cover important topics and highlight underrepresented voices because of the CPB funds. 

If this funding ceases to exist, it could be especially destructive to stations in more rural areas not supported by direct donations from their smaller populations, according to a statement from Nashville public radio station WPLN. “Revenue diversification is part of our strategy to stay strong and sustainable. However, the reality is that without alternative support, the loss of CPB funding would lead to an equivalent loss of local programming.”