Last summer, starting with this executive order, public media found itself in the middle of the question of what Americans and the government of the people value. It became apparent that the people and those who govern do not agree with each other. The people value the First Amendment and public media. The March 31, 2026 ruling does not turn back the clock and restore funding to the public media system but it does something powerful in this moment - it reaffirms freedom of the press. The essential service KPBS and our national partners PBS and NPR are providing right now has more value than ever.
