Contact: Moira Bulloch – mbulloch@cwa-union.org / 202-434-1168
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Communications Workers of America (CWA) union, representing public media workers at local stations for NPR and PBS across the country and non-editorial workers at the national headquarters of NPR and PBS, has condemned President Trump’s unlawful executive order impeding the freedom of the press for local public TV and radio stations receiving funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
“President Trump’s attack on public TV and radio stations is an attack on workers and an attack on our communities,” said Claude Cummings Jr., President of CWA. “This country—of the people, built by the people, for the people—relies on an independent and free local press. Working people are at the heart of local news stations, covering the stories that matter most to their communities. And with our communities under attack, working people will stand together and fight back.”
“This executive order is an unlawful attempt to circumvent Congressional support for a free press and an attack on the working people who provide independent, trusted, local news coverage,” said NABET-CWA President Charlie Braico. “Our independent public TV and radio stations are essential in providing trusted, important local news and weather coverage, and so much more. Without public television and radio stations, we will lose access to critical local news and programming.”
“President Trump’s actions to attempt to use executive action to stop funding America’s public media is another attack on every American’s First Amendment rights,” said NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss. “The American public spends a tiny fraction of what every other developed country on Earth invests in public media. This has led to the expansion of news deserts across the United States, denying the American public reliable news and information. We call on every American to respond by supporting NPR and PBS workers and becoming a monthly donor to your local station today.”
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About CWA: The Communications Workers of America represents working people in
telecommunications, customer service, media, airlines, health care, public service and
education, manufacturing, tech, and other fields.