Ed Markey: “I rise today to speak not just in opposition to the proposed rescission of public broadcasting funds but in strong…”

“I rise today to speak not just in opposition to the proposed rescission of public broadcasting funds but in strong support of something far more important: the survival of local public radio and television stations across the country. These local stations are lifelines. And in moments of crisis, they become critical tools for public safety. When hurricanes knock out power, when wildfires force evacuations, when floods or winter storms threaten entire towns, it is local public stations that deliver the emergency information people need in realtime. Public broadcasters also serve a critical role in distributing alerts to other commercial stations serving as an entry point for the information. It helps to connect the entire emergency alert system. Public media stations are embedded in the communities, trusted by their neighbors and committed to getting lifesaving information out. Pulling the rug out from under these stations--especially in rural areas where they may be the only source of local news and alerts--is a threat to public safety. That is not hypothetical. That is reality. These stations don't just serve in times of disaster. They serve every day by delivering local news that no one else is covering. In an era of media consolidation and nationalization, public radio and television step in. They are the ones at the townhall meeting, the school board meeting, the high school debate tournaments.…”