Post 31: Call Your Representatives to Save Public Broadcasting! 📣
If you support independent musicians, authors, Tiny Desk Concerts, Sesame Street, and quality journalism without a paywall, then call NOW!
Hello Friends!
Another quick message from me today (I have two other, more fun drafts sitting in the hopper, but I can’t NOT send this one). I’m writing to request that you please call your Representative and ask them to vote NO on H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, which would take back $1.1 billion in previously-approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. That’s NPR, PBS, MPR, The Current, etc. This would be a serious blow to all those places you turn to—not just for well-vetted news, but as a source for new music, books, and entertainment… Oh yeah, and NPR Music’s Tiny Desk Contest!
I know there is so, so much going on all the time, and you probably receive enough Substacks telling you to call your Representatives every week. But as an independent artist, I couldn’t stay silent on this—because while maybe we (mostly?) understand that factual reporting is an important function of public media, it’s less-discussed how equally crucial it is to the arts. For musicians like me, public media is one of the rare places that will champion your work if you’re not a creator of Top 40 pop hits. Almost all of my radio air time has come from public media. Most of my big press has too, like MPR, PBS NewsHour and, of course, the Tiny Desk Concert. Losing places like NPR Music would damage one of the very few functioning parts of the music ecosystem.
On top of this, as a soon-to-be-author (my memoir’s publication date is set for mid-April!), gutting public media would also reduce interview opportunities for authors. And these interviews are what help spread the word about new, interesting books—especially non-fiction books! I have gotten so many book recommendations myself by listening to authors on public media. And literally half the places I was planning on reaching out to ahead of my own book release are public media outlets. Again, these kinds of drastic cuts would have huge impacts for our culture. Everything that doesn’t “click” with the algorithm or have huge financing behind it is going to become even harder to find… Art will feel flatter, less vibrant, and less beautiful unless you really dig. Don’t believe me? Listen to the man himself, Bob Boilen, who started the Tiny Desk!
Yes, I know I have a personal interest in public media—that’s why I am writing this! Awhile back, I decided that I don’t want to bombard you with my political opinions unless there’s a personal perspective I can offer you or if I have some expertise in the area. There’s so much noise right now and I don’t want to add it it. I am trying to focus on the next right action in my own life—to live with integrity and bless my family, friends, and community (and that’s hard enough, believe me). But, yes, once and awhile I still feel led to put out a call to action... And calling your representative is an easy lift!
Don’t know who your representative is? You can look them up at 5calls.org (their app is great, too) or at the House.gov website. Tell them that you oppose the cuts, and that you’re not alone… According to a Pew Research survey, over half (53%) of Americans trust public media. That number might sound low (though, let’s be clear, that is indeed the majority!), but consider this: when it comes to reporting the news “fully, accurately and fairly” — only 35 percent of voters trust media in general, but 53 percent of voters trust public media networks and local stations. Otherwise all we’ve got is cable news.
The claim that gutting public media is somehow obeying the will of the people is an outright lie. After all, two-thirds of Americans (66%) agreed that they support federal funding for public radio (with 58% of Republicans and 77% of Democrats in favor of continued federal investment), and over 7-in-10 respondents who identify as Republicans (77%) and Democrats (78%) agreed "I rely on public radio emergency alerts and news for my public safety.” And polled voters of both parties highly value public media’s core services and programming such as emergency alerts (82 percent) children’s educational programming (66 percent), local programming (66 percent) and national news reporting (60 percent). It’s time to insist that our representatives to do their jobs and represent us! Make your voice heard ASAP… The deadline is tomorrow!
I called my Representative, Pete Stauber, today and the conversation went like this:
Me: “I’m concerned about the proposed cuts to public media. At least 60% of Americans support public media. It provides useful programming. I am calling to ask what Representative Pete Stauber’s position is on funding public broadcasting.”
His Assistant: “Representative Stauber has supported it in the past.”
Me: “What about right now?”
His Assistant: “Well, there have been conversations among Republicans.”
Me: “What conversations?”
His Assistant: “About fiscal responsibility.”
Me: “Doesn’t that seem a little disingenuous when they just passed 4 trillion dollars of tax cuts? One billion dollars seems like a drop in the bucket compared to that amount.”
His Assistant: “You’re right, that’s an insufficient response.”
Even his own staff seems to be aware of how dishonest this latest bill is, and yet the chances of it passing are dangerously high. But it’s not over until it’s over… So please be an engaged citizen / music / book / culture-lover and call your Representative today!
Sending Love and Feisty Energy,
Gaelynn Lea
Bob Boilen, one of the founders of the Tiny Desk Concerts and Public Radio Music Expert Extraordinaire, wrote about how devastating the potential cuts to public media would be on the music industry with far more depth and expertise than I ever could here - please read, share, and then call your Representatives ASAP: https://noncommusic.org/stories/bob-boilen