John, it’s a worrying time for anyone who knows – like you do – that a free press is necessary for a functioning democracy.
Last month, billionaire Jeff Bezos announced his plans to “radically overhaul” The Washington Post’s opinion pages so it only publishes opinions that match his “free markets” point of view. [1]
And this decision came just a week after his Washington Post’s last-minute refusal to run our ad calling for Elon Musk to be FIRED. [2]
But unfortunately, this problem is bigger than just one newspaper. Major media giants keep rolling over for Trump and his billionaire allies – protecting their bottom line over their duty to report critically on those in power.
CBS reportedly settled Trump’s baseless $20 billion lawsuit to gain his administration’s approval for a corporate merger. [3] And ABC caved the same way – handing over $16 million in a lawsuit settlement rather than standing by their reporting. [4]
John, this is a serious concern for every American who believes in free speech. Will legacy media honor the trust we’ve put in them, or will they preserve their profits – and give a free pass to those seeking to destroy our democracy?
And because people like President Trump, Elon Musk, and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene know that an informed public makes their anti-democracy agenda that much harder to implement – they want to slash funds for public media like NPR and PBS. [5]
After a contentious hearing with accusations of partisanship, Republicans introduced legislation to end all government support of the news outlets. [6]
Trump attempted – and failed – to cut funding for PBS during his first administration – because Americans don’t approve of cutting an institution they’ve relied on for decades.
But it seems like no matter where you look, we’re facing an all-out war on the truth – and on the independent, adversarial journalism that voters depend on to stay informed.
Now more than ever, we need media free of paywalls and billionaire agendas – whether we’re in big cities or small towns, we deserve strong public funding for fact-focused news.
But unfortunately, it seems like Trump’s attacks on media companies are having their desired effect – silencing dissent. With your help, Common Cause will step up to fill the gap.
It’s time to mobilize and stop these attacks on independent media. Can you chip in $3 to defend journalistic integrity as legacy media continues to cave to President Trump and his billionaire friends?
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The team at Common Cause
[1] https://www.npr.org/2025/02/28/nx-s1-5312819/washington-post-bezos-subscriptions-cancellations
[2] https://thehill.com/media/5148497-washington-post-backs-out-of-fire-elon-musk-ad-order/
[3] https://www.wsj.com/business/media/paramount-executives-ask-could-they-be-sued-for-settling-trumps-20-billion-cbs-lawsuit-228604a2
[4] https://www.politico.com/news/2024/12/17/media-lawyers-trump-lawsuits-fears-00194938
[5] https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5023143-republicans-cut-spending-pbs-planned-parenthood/
[6] https://www.forbes.com/sites/antoniopequenoiv/2025/03/27/will-trump-defund-npr-and-pbs-heres-what-we-know-as-president-attacks-the-broadcasters//
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