MASTERPIECE has been on the air for almost as long as PBS itself; our 50th anniversary is a few short years away. From Upstairs Downstairs and I Claudius, to Downton Abbey and Victoria, the series has been a cherished source of high-quality storytelling brought to you week in and week out. To many of you, MASTERPIECE is the “drama of your lives,” watched by generation after generation of families. We know this through your viewing, your letters, your tweets and steadfast support.

As you’ve likely heard, there are significant cuts to funding for public broadcasting in the President’s proposed budget. Public TV stations rely on that funding to present MASTERPIECE and all the other compelling programs that audiences enjoy and rely on every day. The federal funding for public broadcasting represents less than 1/100th of one percent of the federal budget, yet PBS is watched by 82 percent of U.S. households. It’s one of America’s best investments, costing only $1.35 per citizen each year. That’s right: $1.35. This investment is critical to providing every American with free access to public media — a proven, reliable source of in-depth and informative journalism, award-winning educational children’s programming, and vital programming about history, culture and, yes, high quality and meaningful drama.

If you feel as I do that public media is an essential part of the fabric of our culture, please make your voice heard.

Visit www.ProtectMyPublicMedia.org both to sign a petition to support continued funding and also to find information about the ways public media serves our communities. Please let your friends and family know how important public media is to you and watch for updates with additional information on how you can make a difference.

Thank you,