Some of the strongest voices in the media are being taken away. Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” was canceled, and PBS and NPR were defunded. Is this a coincidence or a way of silencing public voices?
The question isn’t whether the media is changing, but who are the ones being left behind.
The First Amendment was written for the American people to express their opinions, learn new information and challenge authority. It was not written to hide politicians from embarrassment. The First Amendment seems to be used for trying to protect politicians and corporations from whatever predicament they get themselves in. Instead of wanting the people’s voices to be heard, politicians chose to cut some of the most informative programs and voices. We as a nation need to protect our free speech.
CBS made it clear that the cancellation of “The Late Show” was due to financial reasons and low viewership. While streaming these shows can cost a significant amount of money, the timing of the cancellation makes me wonder how intentional it was. This was presented weeks after the network had a settlement of $16 million with President Donald Trump over a defamation related lawsuit.
Colbert is known for his satirical remarks, especially against President Trump. His jokes were there to give the audience something to laugh and think about. President Trump even made a comment about Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon being next. We are not just going to sit here and act like these events are unrelated.
The massive cuts to PBS and NPR are already angering the American people. PBS has been a learning platform for six decades, and Congress thought it would be a good idea to silence one of the most informative networks of our time. Growing up, PBS taught me to always stick up for yourself, and that being your true, authentic self was important. Now I’m ready to stick up for PBS and NPR after the ridiculous defunding of the network.
Silencing these platforms might make other media outlets scared to speak their truth. When people in the entertainment industry see what is happening to these networks and entertainers, it might make them think twice about speaking up. We are now living in a society where people feel like they have to be scared of power, when in reality, a good democracy is formed by citizens fighting for their truth.
Being a digital media major, I wonder how silenced I will feel once in the workforce. If some of the biggest platforms are easily being silenced, I question what will happen when I want to speak my truth. Being online, I already see how social media platforms are shadow banning valued opinions. Instagram has even been known to shadow ban major political events that have been occurring.
We could argue that these platforms aren’t what they use to be, but that does not erase the value they have. Viewership has dropped due to other streaming devices that have emerged in the last 10 years. Many tax payers also believe that they don’t need to be relied on to keep these networks funded. Shouldn’t that mean PBS and NPR should be fine on relying on private donations? In reality, the short answer is no. Private donations alone aren’t enough, especially for rural stations that depend on federal support.
Nothing could replace the educational aspect of PBS. No private network is going to be at the same capacity as a public one. No YouTube reel or video could replace the endless years of “Sesame Street” that taught children the importance of kindness. That also goes for “The Late Show.” Colbert’s YouTube clips don’t compare to him being able to speak his truth in front of millions of viewers live.
This isn’t just about canceling a couple of platforms; it’s now about whether or not the American people should be scared to speak their truth. Politicians are so big on being true to the Constitution until it affects them. If we keep allowing public broadcasting to be suppressed, what does that mean for the voices of everyone else?
What it really means is that we need to fight for our voices to be heard.
