Senate to vote July 15 on rescinding already-approved support for public media
On Tuesday, July 15, the U.S. Senate is set to begin debate on the Rescissions Act of 2025, a bill that would eliminate all federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). That funding keeps stations like 88.9 KETR operating in rural communities that depend on reliable, local broadcasting.
This vote isn’t symbolic. If passed, it would eliminate a key source of support that KETR uses to provide local service, train students, and keep rural listeners connected to news, weather, and emergency communications.
What CPB Funding Makes Possible at KETR
In fiscal year 2024, CPB support helped KETR:
- Broadcast East Texas A&M football and basketball games, as well as area high school coverage — games no other station carries
- Deliver trusted national news and emergency alerts from our 100,000-watt signal, reaching rural areas where broadband and cell service may be unreliable
- Employ part-time and student workers, who contributed over 1,200 hours of service while gaining experience in journalism, production, and operations
- Keep programs like Morning Edition, All Things Considered, BBC News and The Texas Standard on the air for listeners who rely on a free, over-the-air signal
What’s at Risk if the Funding is Pulled
If the CPB appropriation is rescinded, KETR will lose more than $140,000 in annual support. The immediate effects could include:
- Ending live sports broadcasts due to the loss of announcer and production funding
- Reducing or ending student and part-time employment, limiting training and weakening station capacity
- Reduced access to national news and entertainment programs due to the cost of carriage fees
- A heavier financial burden placed on the university and local supporters, many of whom already do their part
About the Funding Itself
Congress approved CPB funding as part of the federal budget passed in March 2025. The Rescissions Act now under consideration would cancel that funding mid-year — just four months after it was signed into law.
KETR and stations like it plan operations around annual appropriations. This reversal would interrupt staffing, programming, and local service that have already been committed.
“Congress approved this funding in March. The Rescissions Act would revoke it mid-year.”
Rural Leaders Are Speaking Out
More than 200 local and state officials — including leaders from Texas — have signed a public letter urging the Senate to preserve CPB funding. The signers include county commissioners, mayors, sheriffs, school officials, and legislators from rural communities that rely on public radio for news and communication.
What You Can Do
If you’ve relied on KETR for weather coverage, Lions football, trusted news, or student-centered programming — your voice matters.
- Call your Senators before July 15 and let them know CPB funding matters where you live
- Talk to friends and neighbors about what local public radio means in a rural region
- Support the station directly if you can — local donations become even more critical in moments like this
Federal funding helps rural public media do what commercial media won’t: serve. If you value that service, this is the time to help protect it.
