Education by the People for the People: Janine Jackson
As KMUD’s Spring Membership Drive continues under the theme “Education by the People, for the People,” the station is highlighting voices that champion independent journalism. This week, KMUD News spoke with Janine Jackson, Program Director of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) and host of the syndicated radio show CounterSpin, which airs Sundays at 1 p.m. on KMUD.
Jackson discussed the importance of independent media and the growing threats to public broadcasting, including efforts to eliminate funding for public media under proposals like Project 2025.
Corporate Influence and Public Media’s Role
FAIR, founded in 1986, has long advocated for vigilance in media consumption, emphasizing how corporate ownership influences news coverage. Jackson underscored the importance of public media as an alternative to corporate-controlled news, particularly for underserved communities.
“When we talk about public media, we’re talking about stations that provide news to rural and remote regions that commercial outlets often ignore,” Jackson said. “They cover stories and perspectives that aren’t driven by advertisers or corporate interests.”
Funding Challenges and Political Pressure
Jackson also addressed misconceptions about the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides essential funding to stations like KMUD. She explained that CPB was created to shield public broadcasters from political interference, but that funding has increasingly been used as leverage to influence content.
“There’s a perception that public media is flush with government funding, but it’s actually a tiny fraction of the budget,” Jackson said. “Despite that, the threat to defund it has been used as a political tool to pressure NPR and PBS to cater to partisan interests.”
Project 2025 and the Future of Independent Media
Jackson warned that Project 2025, a policy agenda promoted by conservative think tanks, explicitly aims to eliminate public media funding. She argued that this is not just a financial decision, but an attempt to silence independent voices.
“Defunding public media isn’t about saving money—it’s about control,” Jackson said. “It’s about ensuring that media are accountable to powerful interests rather than to the communities they serve.”
As public broadcasters across the country face uncertainty, Jackson encouraged listeners to support truly independent media.
“Even if there’s a show on your local station that you don’t agree with, that’s not the point,” she said. “The point is preserving spaces where diverse voices can be heard—voices that powerful forces are invested in shutting down.”
KMUD Membership Drive and Full Interview
This conversation is part of KMUD’s Spring Membership Drive, which highlights the value of community-supported media. Listeners can hear the full interview during a Public Affairs special next Tuesday at 5:30 p.m., just before the local news.
