LANSING, Mich., Aug. 21, 2025 — Today, state Rep. Jason Morgan (D-Ann Arbor) introduced legislation to protect free, independent public media in Michigan after Congressional Republicans voted to strip federal funding for public broadcasting stations. The bill, titled the Securing Access to Vibrant, Enlightening Education and Local Media Outlets (SAVE ELMO) Act, creates a new Public Media Fund to keep PBS and public radio stations on the air, support childhood education and preserve trusted local journalism.
“Michigan families have counted on public media for generations — it taught our kids their ABC’s and 123’s, it told the truth about what’s happening in our towns and it gave every family free access to culture and education,” Morgan said. “When politicians threaten that funding, they’re not just coming for Elmo — they’re coming for the only voices still covering city hall, the only arts programs some kids will ever see, the only classroom that never closes its doors. Public media belongs to the people, and we’re not going to let it be taken away.”
The SAVE ELMO Act (House Bill 4797) would provide $13 million in funding to support local, nonprofit public broadcast stations that serve Michigan communities. Grants of up to $1.5 million per station would be awarded through the Michigan Department of Education to help outlets continue programming, staffing, infrastructure upgrades and technical operations. Stations must be Michigan-based and demonstrate a commitment to non-commercial, public-interest programming that serves local educational, civic and cultural needs.
“I grew up learning from public media — Mister Rogers taught us to love our neighbors, Elmo taught us how to listen to each other and Red Green taught us that duct tape can fix just about anything,” Morgan continued. “For families across Michigan, especially in rural and small towns, PBS wasn’t just TV — it was our classroom, our concert hall and our newsroom. Pulling the plug on that isn’t saving money, it’s stealing opportunity. And I can’t let that happen.”
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