For more than 75 years, Michigan Public has been committed to serving our state with fact-based journalism, inspired stories, and cultural programming that informs, educates, and enriches.
In 1967, the Public Broadcasting Act solidified America’s commitment to these values. It codified and strengthened the mission of public radio and television stations across the country, ensuring that locally controlled, independent media would be accessible to everyone—free from commercial pressures, rooted in public service, and supported by a system that prioritized the public interest. The Act secured the ideals of public media for generations to come, allowing stations like Michigan Public to thrive.
And today, public media is needed more than ever.
As sources for local news evaporate, especially in smaller towns and rural communities, public radio has stepped in to fill the gap. Across the country, public media stations are now among the last remaining sources of reliable local reporting—connecting communities with vital information about government, education, the environment, and the issues that impact everyday life.
The Public Broadcasting Act established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and the federal funding it distributes has been foundational in upholding the Act’s 1967 ideals.
The Community Service Grant from CPB provides about 6% of our public service budget at Michigan Public. But just as importantly, CPB support strengthens the public media network, ensuring that local stations and statewide stations like ours can work together to provide trusted news, cultural programming, and lifelong learning opportunities to everyone in all communities for free.
Public media was built on a simple but powerful idea: that every person, regardless of income, location, or background, deserves access to education, fact-based journalism, and the stories that connect us. That idea has never been more important, and it’s why public media remains one of the most trusted institutions in America.
At Michigan Public, we take our inspiration from you, the listeners and supporters who have stood with us for more than 75 years and who believe in the power of thoughtful reporting, civil dialogue, and the role public media plays in strengthening our democracy.
Our motivation comes from you, the individuals who tune in every day, the members who sustain us, the institutions and organizations who invest in our work, and the communities across Michigan that rely on public media to stay informed and engaged.
I invite you to visit Protect My Public Media right now to learn more about how public media is funded, why it matters, and how you can help ensure our continued strength for generations to come.
Thank you for being part of the Michigan Public community. Your listenership, engagement, and support makes everything we do possible.
