Dear John,

Last night the House voted to finalize the passage of a rescission package that takes back previously Congressionally authorized federal funding for public media. This marks a significant and sobering moment for public media and the communities we serve. The enactment of this bill means that all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) that goes to support NPR, PBS and all local stations, including KQED, will be eliminated for the next two federal fiscal years beginning October 1, 2025. For more than 50 years, this funding has been a cornerstone of the public-private partnership that makes our service possible.

Ultimately, the greatest impact will be on the communities we serve who rely on us for emergency communications, educational programming and services for our youngest learners, and trustworthy local news and information. This will be devastating in rural areas where their local public media station is their only local source for critical media services.

For KQED, we will lose approximately $8 million in support in each of the next two years. We’ve already been confronted with the reality of budget shortfalls, and have been forced to lay off staff and reduce expense budgets.

The loss of current funding will force NPR, PBS and other stations across the country to make difficult decisions. Given the financial and programmatic interdependence of the system it will take time to assess the full impact of this measure. Additionally, we will collaborate with our colleagues at major stations, especially in California, to explore how we can support smaller stations and fill any information gaps in their communities.

This is a grave setback, but this is not the end for public media or KQED.

There is still a chance to restore federal funding in the future. This is an uphill battle, but we and our public media partners across the nationwide system will continue to fight for it. Our communities and the stability of our democracy demand it.

What remains clear and certain is that in this time of division, polarization, misinformation and disinformation, independent, non-commercial media is more important than ever. We are informing you — our members, supporters and communities — of this news and reaffirming our unwavering commitment to public service. We will find a way forward.

This week we are coping with tremendous change. But I also know our strength and resilience is drawn from our commitment and dedication to public service, as well as the incredible support from our community.

From all of us here, we are deeply grateful and privileged to have your support.