WGAE Statement on House Vote to Cut Current Funds for Public Media

NEW YORK, NY (June 12, 2025)—The following is a statement from the Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) regarding the House vote passing H.R. 4, the Rescissions Act of 2025, which cuts all current funding to public media:

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a public treasure. Programs like “NOVA” have educated generations of American viewers about science and shows like “Molly of Denali” and “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” teach children valuable lessons about kindness and acceptance. These programs, along with the many others written by Writers Guild members, provide rural and urban households, classrooms and communities with accessible educational content and off-screen learning tools that serve all Americans and their families equally, with no subscription fee.

The House’s vote to strip money that had already been allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is fueled by a radical right-wing ideology that aims to destroy a non-partisan public service despite all evidence of its wide benefits. It is a total fabrication that these cuts will offset the massive debt that will be caused by the Trump Administration’s big, bad, billionaire-backed reconciliation bill. This vote is an example of the richest people in the world taking money and resources away from everyone else. We urge the U.S. Senate to reject this shameful and destructive legislation.

ABOUT THE WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA EAST
The Writers Guild of America East, AFL-CIO, is a labor union of more than 7,500 members working in film, television, news, podcasts and online media. The Guild negotiates and administers contracts that protect the creative and economic rights of its members; conducts programs, seminars and events on issues of interest to writers; and presents writers’ views to various bodies of government. For more information on the Writers Guild of America East, visit wgaeast.org.

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