WASHINGTON, D.C. – June 3, 2026 – America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) are proud to announce its annual Protect My Public Media Day, taking place tomorrow, Thursday, June 4, 2026. Organized by Protect My Public Media, a national grassroots advocacy campaign overseen by APTS Action, Inc., the day of advocacy and awareness focuses on protecting the future of local public media stations.
This virtual event brings together local public media stations, partner organizations and advocates to highlight the value of local service and the importance of restoring federal funding for those services.
Protect My Public Media Day comes at a key moment in the fiscal year 2027 appropriations process, as Congress begins considering federal funding legislation that could restore funding for local public media stations and help secure them for the future.
This year’s theme is Locally Rooted. Rising Together. It reflects the deep connection stations have with the communities they serve and how stations and their supporters are coming together in this moment to protect the future of local public media stations.
“Last year, Congress voted to eliminate federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), but local public media stations were hit the hardest by this action because they received the vast majority of CPB funding,” said Kate Riley, President and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations.
“Since federal funding was eliminated, stations have been forced to reduce local programming, lay off staff, scale back community-focused services and delay critical infrastructure upgrades, diminishing the local service communities rely on and putting dozens of stations at risk of closure, particularly in more rural areas.
“Local stations across the country are serving their communities in unmatched ways but their ability to continue these essential services is seriously threatened if federal funding for local stations is not restored.
“Every day, viewers and listeners turn to local stations across the country for local reporting and information they can trust, a safe place for children and families to learn, lifesaving public safety alerts during emergencies and local stories that would otherwise go untold. Local stations connect communities by sharing stories, preserving history, supporting learning and convening community conversations, among other lifechanging services. These are services no one besides public media provides.
“We are grateful to the local public media stations, partners and advocates who are coming together on Protect My Public Media Day to raise their voices to advocate for a future that supports strong local public media stations.
“As Congress considers future federal funding for local public media stations, we encourage everyone who depends on their local station to contact their Members of Congress and share what this local service means to them.”
Supporters of local public media stations can visit www.protectmypublicmedia.org to participate in Protect My Public Media Day, take action and share how local stations have made a difference in their lives.
###
About APTS
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization ensuring a strong and financially sound public television system and helping member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and community connections to their local areas and the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
About Protect My Public Media
Protect My Public Media (PMPM) is a national grassroots advocacy campaign dedicated to protecting and restoring federal funding for local public media stations. In collaboration with public media supporters, local stations and partners, PMPM raises awareness about invaluable local service stations provide to every community and connects Americans with opportunities to advocate for their future.
Contact:
Stacey Karp
202-654-4222
skarp@apts.org