The US House of Representatives passed a bill that secures federal funding for public broadcasting in 2024.

Last week, the House of Representatives approved seven 2022 appropriations bills, including one that secures federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) for Fiscal Year 2024.

Under the FY 2022 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, CPB will receive an advanced appropriation of $565 million as well as additional support of $20 million for the public broadcasting interconnection system and $31.8 million for the Department of Education’s Ready to Learn programme.

President and CEO of CPB, Patricia Harrison, wrote that the Corporation was grateful for the House of Representative’s “strong support of public media” and that this would help in “ensuring that public media remains free and available to every American throughout the country, in rural and urban areas.”

She said that, “As the country continues to address the impact of a global pandemic on every aspect of American life, public media is responding with content and services that support the increased educational, informational, and public safety needs of America’s diverse communities…”. As the appropriations process continues, CPB looks “forward to working with Congress on funding decisions to support a healthy and vibrant public media system.”

Find out more: PMA welcomes $565m funding recommendation for CPB

President and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations (APTS), Patrick Butler, also commended the House for its funding approval and stated that “This is a historic day for public television”. According to Butler, this is the “largest increase in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in half a century”, which has been approved “in recognition of the extraordinary work our stations have done in America’s communities and the exciting potential for even greater service in education, public safety and civic leadership in the years to come.”

Throughout the pandemic, public media stations across the US have been keeping audiences informed, educated, and entertained, despite grappling with their own financial pressures and the challenges of operating amid COVID-19. The Public Media Alliance welcomes the approval for federal funding and support for US public media in recognition of their demonstrable and ongoing contributions to society.

Header Image: Washington DC , Capitol Building – detail, US. Credit: MDart10/Shutterstock.com