 PBS is not usually at the center of major drama in the media industry. But all of that changed when the Trump administration moved to claw back and restrict federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, putting the futures of both PBS and NPR in jeopardy. “It’s been an interesting year,” PBS CEO Paula Kerger tells us on this week’s episode of Mixed Signals. “If you want, I can walk you through the year in about three minutes or three hours.” In larger media markets, federal funding was never a huge factor, and those affiliates will likely survive. But Kerger emphasized a point Ken Burns also made in our conversation a few weeks ago: For some stations, “particularly in small rural communities,” federal dollars make up “as much as half of their funding. And for them, it’s existential.” She said she was surprised to learn that even some Republicans who voted to strip federal funding may not have fully realized how that decision will impact their local stations. We also asked Kerger about whether a Sesame Street parody of the president may have played a role in his animosity towards PBS, how Burns’ podcast tour could rally support, whether the debate around public media funding parallels one happening across the pond with the BBC, and much more. Our show may not be broadcast over public airwaves, but it is still made possible by viewers (and listeners!) like you. You can check out our full interview with Paula Kerger and every episode of Mixed Signals wherever you get your podcasts, or watch it on YouTube. — Max Tani | 
