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Public Media Is Under Threat — But the Fight Isn’t Over

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Dear Listener,

Late last night, the U.S. Senate passed H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, by a narrow vote of 51–48. While this is a setback, there were powerful signs of support for public media: Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski broke party ranks to vote against the bill, and both of Maryland’s Senators, Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks, stood with us and voted NO.

The bill now returns to the House of Representatives for final consideration and another vote later this week. When the House first passed the bill, six Republican members opposed it — but two later reversed their position, allowing it to pass. That makes your voice more important than ever.

Let me be clear: this fight is not over. Now is not the time to let up. Now is the time to stay engaged, informed, and united in our belief that free, trusted and independent media matters.

We urge you to contact your members of the House of Representatives and make sure they know how important public radio is to you, to our city and to our region. You can also show your support by joining our action network at ProtectMyPublicMedia.org. Signing up takes just a moment — and helps amplify the collective voice of public media supporters across the country.

If you know **influential voices in our community—business leaders, public servants, artists, educators—**please encourage them to speak up as well. Their outreach could make a critical difference in these final days.

Today, I’ll be on Midday with NPR’s David Folkenflik to talk about what’s at stake and what lies ahead for public media. I hope you’ll listen in or catch the episode later.

What’s at risk is clear. NPR programming accounts for just 25% of station content but generates nearly 50% of all public radio listening. That programming is essential to the success of NPR’s 246 Member stations — including WYPR and WTMD.

Every $1 in federal funding leverages $7 in local support, empowering stations to produce high-impact journalism, elevate local voices in music and culture and deliver innovative, inspiring content to communities nationwide. Public media is also a vital part of the emergency communications systems in nearly half of U.S. states, providing critical information in times of crisis.

Regardless of the final outcome, I want to thank you. Millions of supporters like you have reached out to lawmakers, making your voices heard. That level of engagement has made a real difference — and it shows how much trust our communities place in public media.

As we move forward, I’m reminded of a British WWII slogan that still resonates today: “Freedom is in peril—defend it with all your might.”

That’s exactly what we intend to do — for our community, for the public trust and for the First Amendment.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Craig Swagler
Baltimore Public Media President and General Manager

Please take a minute to contact your Representatives through ProtectMyPublicMedia.org

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