As the US Senate prepares to vote on President Trump’s $1.1 billion in clawbacks of already approved funding for public broadcasters before the end of the week, a new national survey suggests the move is at odds with voter sentiment.
According to a Peak Insights poll of likely voters conducted online from June 29 to July 1, Americans overwhelmingly value public media’s core services and trust its reporting more than that of for-profit media outlets.
Fifty-three percent of respondents said they trust public media networks and local stations to report the news “fully, accurately, and fairly,” compared to just 35 percent who said the same about media in general. Voters also expressed stronger support for public media’s role in delivering emergency alerts (82 percent), children’s educational content (66 percent), local programming (66 percent), and national news (60 percent).
When asked about eliminating federal funding entirely, 53 percent of voters opposed the idea, while 44 percent supported it. Support for public media extended to its public perception: 65 percent of respondents had a favorable view of local public television and radio stations, 61 percent of PBS, and 54 percent of NPR. In contrast, 61 percent expressed an unfavorable view of for-profit media.
This is an improvement from a March Pew survey, which found that 43% of Americans supported continued federal funding for NPR and PBS, while 24% opposed it.
The survey also revealed widespread belief in the social value of public media: 68 percent said it serves as a lifeline for rural and underserved communities, 66 percent said it provides quality educational programming for children, and 62 percent believe it should remain free of charge. Additionally, 64 percent supported appointing an independent ombudsman to ensure content remains balanced and nonpartisan.
Corporation for Public Broadcasting President and CEO Patricia Harrison emphasized, “Public media is a trusted, vital part of American life, available free of charge and commercial-free. The path to a better, more trusted public media is only possible with continued federal support, which drives our commitment to serving the American public.”
“Federal funding compels CPB to continually strengthen efforts to deepen trust and fulfill the mission envisioned by Congress through the content and services provided by local stations,” Harrison added.
The study comes as President Donald Trump intensified calls to eliminate funding for public broadcasting, heading into the vote, which could happen as early as Wednesday. Trump’s July 10 post on Truth Social demanded GOP lawmakers back his effort to defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting ahead of the Friday deadline, warning Republicans that supporting NPR and PBS will cost them his endorsement.
The rescissions package, which cleared the House in June, has faced bipartisan resistance in the Senate, especially from lawmakers representing rural states. Democrats have warned that advancing the bill could threaten broader budget negotiations and risk a government shutdown.
