Ken Burns Slams Trump’s Cuts to Public Broadcasting as “Extremely Shortsighted”

Following the Senate’s approval of President Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts to public media, renowned filmmaker Ken Burns is expressing concern over the potential impact on the future of documentary production.

The celebrated filmmaker, who has earned two Oscar nominations and five Emmy Awards, shared his dismay about the implications for PBS, a network that has been instrumental in airing his documentaries and shaping his career.

“We’re all a bit taken aback and are grappling with the sheer lack of foresight,” Burns remarked during an appearance on PBS NewsHour. “PBS is an iconic American institution cherished across different political, geographical, and age demographics. The most shortsighted aspect, in my view, is the disproportionate effect these cuts will have on rural communities.”

Burns pointed out that about 20% of his project budgets are funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “Losing that funding is significant; we’ll need to find ways to compensate. I’m optimistic that with additional effort, we’ll manage,” he commented.

“However, it’s the larger-scale projects that might receive 50 to 75% of their budget from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting that will suffer,” he continued. “These projects won’t come to fruition, which means less diversity in the voices and stories presented by filmmakers. Upcoming filmmakers will find it exceedingly difficult to break into the industry.”

On Thursday, the Senate passed the budget reduction package by a slim margin of 51-48, aiming to withdraw $1.1 billion from public media. This decision comes despite warnings that such cuts could severely harm the ecosystem of PBS, NPR, and other public broadcasters.

The legislation is now headed to the House for final approval, with a vote expected by Thursday. Congress faces a deadline by Friday to enact the budget package.

Paula Kerger, President, and CEO of PBS, criticized the Senate’s decision in a statement: “The Senate has passed a rescission package that contradicts the preference of the majority of Americans, who not only trust PBS but also recognize the substantial value we add to their communities.”

“These cuts will have a profound impact on all our stations, particularly those in smaller or rural areas,” Kerger added. “Many of our stations offer unique local programming and emergency alerts for free. These stations will soon face tough decisions.”