BOZEMAN — Montana PBS. A name you’ve probably heard, considering it’s watched by more than 250,000 Montanans, including 30,000 children, each week. But those shows you and your kids love? Sesame Street? Backroads of Montana? They could all be at risk due to federal funding cuts.
“No one else is paying for it now. Every viewer. Every member. Everyone who benefits from those programs? We need every Montanan to step forward to continue this service,” says Aaron Pruitt.
WATCH: Anonymous Donors Offer $900,000 Match in Montana PBS Fundraising Effort
Aaron has been with Montana PBS for 31 years. As the director and general manager of Montana PBS, I asked Aaron to share what was going through his head on July 18th when the U.S. House voted to pass the Rescissions Act of 2025.
“We always knew this was a possibility,” says Pruitt. “We have been preparing for it, obviously. But hoping that it would not come to pass.”
The Rescissions Act cancels $9.4 billion in previously approved government funding to the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (or USAID), various related agencies, and the CPB, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which provided Montana PBS with government funding.
“Funding that we would have received here this fall in October. And for Montana PBS? That would have been $1.8 million. Money that we were counting on in our budget,” shared Aaron.
That money made up nearly 20% of Montana PBS’ annual funding. Aaron says, due to the Rescissions Act, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting will be shutting down entirely, bringing additional concerns such as losing their music license and distribution technologies for national programs like Sesame Street, PBS Newshour, and more.
“It’s a major hit for us. It’s going to be a different time for public media going forward. Both radio and television. And we don’t know yet what PBS national will look like” says Aaron.
In response to the Rescissions Act, the Friends of Montana PBS have launched a statewide emergency fundraising initiative: the Bridging the Gap campaign. The goal? To raise the $1.8 million they’ve lost.
“We have received a generous $900,000 match from a group of donors that believe strongly in Montana PBS and have believed in it for decades,” Aaron shares gratefully.
These anonymous donors are offering half of the fundraiser goal, matching dollar-for-dollar each contribution from the public until the full $1.8 million is raised.
“It’s a challenging moment for Montana PBS, but it’s exciting as well. Even before we really started the big ask of members, a lot of people have come to us and said, ‘How can I help?’” Aaron told me.
If you want to help Montana PBS Bridge the Gap, Visit their website: https://www.montanapbs.org/bridgethegap/
