In Sunday’s (10/12) Washington Post, Michael Andor Brodeur writes, “Back in July, the Trump administration clawed back some $1.1 billion in funding for public broadcasting, effectively shuttering the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which for nearly 60 years appropriated federal funds to organizations such as PBS, NPR and other member stations. This move was paired with a complete congressional wipeout of federal funds for public media going forward. This predicament has put listeners who depend on public radio for news and information—especially in rural and remote areas—in a precarious position. It also has stations across the country scrambling to fill funding gaps left in the wake of this withdrawal of federal support…. On Oct. 1, these funding cuts officially landed, forcing dozens of stations to cut hundreds of jobs, and putting vulnerable outlets at high risk…. For classical music lovers, this minor-sounding closure should strike an ominous chord: When you consider that some 96 percent of the classical music on U.S. radio is broadcast over public airwaves, a single loss feels like the tip of a particularly perilous iceberg. The potential closure of public radio stations threatens the availability of free, over-the-air classical music for millions of people. Moreover, many stations… are closely interconnected with their respective region’s classical music scenes, maintaining long-term partnerships and symbiotic relationships that increase the visibility and viability of local arts economies.”
