With the stroke of a pen, President Trump approved a $1.1 billion cut in July that ends federal support for public media, jeopardizing independent journalism across America. Now, rural and tribal stations face severe cuts or closure, and stations like Detroit Public Radio, which depends on hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in federal funding, might never be the same.

This should concern every American who cares about democracy. The U.S. stands among a select few nations with a truly free press, protected by the First Amendment. But democracy doesn’t sustain itself; it demands active support.

Here at WDET, I am proud to say our journalists are part of that scaffolding. We speak truth to power, hold government officials accountable, and bring you essential reporting that digs into what local leaders are doing and how it affects you.

How WDET works for its community

On The Metro, the daily news and culture show I co-host with Tia Graham, we put local leaders in the hot seat and amplify unheard community voices daily.

Without this type of independent journalism, democracy weakens.

I am also proud to say that, unlike so much of the media competing for your attention, public broadcasters like WDET do not chase clicks or corporate sponsors — our mission is rooted in the public interest. That independence makes us a watchdog against corruption, a provider of emergency alerts, and a trusted news source.

But because we inform people honestly, it upsets powerful people — those who benefit from public ignorance or propaganda.

Without a free press, power goes unchecked, transparency disappears, and trust erodes. In the absence of local independent media, who is holding city council accountable? Who is investigating your local school board or monitoring law enforcement transparency? Studies show when local news disappears, voter turnout drops, polarization rises, and people feel less connected to their community.

A rising trend

While the erosion of local journalism may feel gradual, the danger to press freedom is neither new nor confined to city limits. Around the world, journalists face harassment, imprisonment, and even death for pursuing the truth. We don’t need to look further than the Committee to Protect Journalists to see myriad documented examples of that, abroad and here in the U.S.

But let’s fix our gaze abroad for a moment, because this playbook — weakening independent media — is a timeless tactic deployed by authoritarian rulers across the globe.

In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has packed its public broadcaster with loyalists. This has silenced critical voices and rewritten national narratives.

In Poland, the ruling party seized control of public media, firing hundreds of journalists. It has turned it into a government mouthpiece.

Without a free press, power goes unchecked, transparency disappears, and trust erodes

In Greece, the government abruptly shut down ERT—public radio and TV—with no warning, claiming cost savings, then it hijacked its equipment. It was seen as an attempt to silence independent media.

In Argentina, the far-right President Javier Milei dissolved Télam, the national news agency founded in 1945, accusing it of being “propaganda.” Observers say this is part of his battle with the press and comes amid deep cuts to the public sector.

In the Philippines, Congress refused to renew the license of its leading broadcaster. This move was widely viewed as retaliation for the network’s critical news coverage of President Rodrigo Duterte’s administration.

Again, I want to be clear: These tactics—defunding, censorship, co-option—are a familiar playbook among leaders who fear accountability. And the move to defund public media in the U.S. is part of that playbook. We cannot let this country go down the same path — a nation that has enshrined the free press in its Constitution.

Support public media

Public media’s history is rooted in education, service, and community connection. From classroom broadcasts in the early days of radio to today’s hard-hitting reporting that holds powerful people accountable, public media like WDET is an institution, both a Detroit one and one that prioritizes your access to information.

Today, your support means we can continue challenging the powerful and protecting your right, and your community’s right, to know. Please consider donating now at wdet.org/give because democracy depends on all of us.

An abbreviated version of this op-ed appeared in the Detroit Free Press.

Two months ago, a campaign to enact ranked choice voting in Michigan got off the ground. 

Ranked choice voting lets you rank candidates in order of preference. If no one gets more than 50 percent at first, the last-place candidate is dropped and those votes go to your next choice. 

Supporters say that the process, if approved, will strengthen our democracy.

But it didn’t take long before Republicans in Lansing and political advocates began attacking the electoral process. 

Last month, state lawmakers passed a bill in the House along party lines to ban ranked choice voting. But even its Republican sponsor admitted that if voters approve it on the ballot, that would override the ban.

Nonetheless, state House Representative Rachelle Smit, who sponsored the legislation, says that ranked choice voting is confusing, and “only breeds skepticism, especially when every close contest invites lawsuits and recount battles.” 

How are the leaders behind ranked choice voting responding to this political fight — and what’s their plan to get it on the 2026 ballot?

Joe Spaulding, campaign director for Rank MI Vote, spoke with Robyn Vincent about why he believes ranked choice voting will make our system more, not less, democratic.

The Metro reached out to the group, Stop RCV and state House Rep. Rachelle Smit about why they’re against ranked choice voting. Rep. Smit directed us to her Detroit News column, which says ranked choice voting threatens election integrity. Stop RCV sent us a statement that “ranked-choice voting makes every part of the election process more difficult,” for both voters and election administrators. 

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

Subscribe to The Metro on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

More stories from The Metro

What do Detroit voters want out of city’s next mayor? This summer, the WDET News team has been hitting the streets for a new project, Citizen Vox, to help us get a clearer picture of what Detroiters want out of the next mayor.

Ahead of Tuesday’s primary, WDET news director Jerome Vaughn joined the Metro to tell us more about what WDET reporters have been hearing from residents.

Detroit’s mayoral primary is Tuesday, August 5, 2025. The top two vote-getters will advance to the general election in November.

Follow all of WDET’s election coverage, including candidate interviews and Citizen Vox by visiting the 2025 Election Guide.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on demand.

More stories from The Metro