Senator Murkowski Reiterates Her Support for Public Broadcasting
Washington, DC – In an opinion piece published in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner this morning, U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) reiterated her support for public broadcasting as the administration proposes to cut funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). The senator outlined the unique value that public broadcasting offers to Alaskans across the state and committed to defending the CPB’s funding through her role as a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations.
“Not only would a large portion of Alaska communities lose their local programming, but warning systems for natural disasters, power outages, boil water advisories, and other alerts would be severely hampered,” Senator Murkowski continued. “What may seem like a frivolous expense to some has proven to be an invaluable resource that saves lives in Alaska.”
The full piece can be viewed here at the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, or read below.
My Support for Public Broadcasting
Senator Lisa Murkowski
Last week, President Trump released his budget proposal for fiscal year (FY) 2026 that would effectively eliminate the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a nonprofit corporation established by Congress in 1967. The CPB oversees the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting, allocating funds to local radio and television stations to provide robust telecommunications services for Americans. While I share the desire to reduce government spending, defunding the CPB, and particularly the essential reporting it allows locally owned radio and television stations to provide in Alaska, is not the place to start.
Even before I knew what public broadcasting was or what makes it possible, I recognized its value. Growing up in communities around our state, public broadcasting was a key part of daily life. No matter where we were living, my family relied on local radio and television to keep us safe, informed, and connected.
Based on the more than 2,000 unique messages my office has received from Alaskans expressing their support for our local media, that experience is widely shared. As print journalism continues to face challenges in an increasingly digital world, public broadcasting remains essential to people and communities across Alaska.
On the North Slope, KBRW is filling a major communications gap created by a severed subsea fiber optic cable, and the station will likely serve as the sole source of emergency communications for the region until the cable is restored later this year.
In the YK-Delta, KYUK provides updates on the Kuskokwim ice breakup daily at 8:40 am, following an early and rapid breakup season.
In Kodiak, KMXT hosts “Talk of the Rock,” a radio show that addresses mental health concerns and aims to provide support for listeners. In the Aleutians, KUCB ensures that Unalaska’s fishermen have access to accurate weather reporting as they head out for various openers.
In Southeast, KRBD offered routine updates after the Wolfe Point landslide in March, as crews worked to secure and restore the road outside Ketchikan.
I know these things because I, too, rely on these sources to keep me informed about events on the ground. And I am immensely grateful to the local reporters who are dedicated to telling the stories of their communities, big and small, in times of both triumph and tragedy.
The fact is, we get these essential services at a comparatively small cost. Alaska’s local stations received $12 million from CPB last year, accounting for anywhere from 30-70 percent of their overall budgets. Although they also receive individual donations, sponsorship dollars, and grants from the state, the loss of federal funding would be devastating for our local stations.
Not only would a large portion of Alaska communities lose their local programming, but warning systems for natural disasters, power outages, boil water advisories, and other alerts would be severely hampered. What may seem like a frivolous expense to some has proven to be an invaluable resource that saves lives in Alaska.
To be clear, I am not advocating for a blank check for national outlets. The vast majority of CPB funds are distributed to local stations, not national organizations like PBS and NPR. Nor do these funds weigh down the federal deficit. The $12 million that local Alaska stations received last year equated to roughly 0.00018 percent of all federal spending.
The President has made his views about CPB clear, but the final decision rests with Congress. As a Senator for Alaska, and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I will do everything I can to protect your access to emergency updates, news, weather reporting, and educational programming that local public broadcasting provides.
Local media makes a difference—and Alaska would be worse off without it.
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