Public service media and democratic capacity in the United States: a comparative institutional and cultural policy analysis

Public service media are essential democratic and cultural infrastructure, yet the US has one of the weakest systems in the developed world. This article argues that the problem is not only inadequate funding, but a long policy history that privileged commercial media, fragmented public institutions, weakened regulatory protections, and treated information as a market commodity rather than a public good. Comparative evidence shows that countries with stronger public media benefit from more stable funding, clearer mandates, greater independence, broader cultural representation, and healthier democratic information environments. By contrast, the US system remains politically vulnerable, financially insecure, uneven in local capacity, and poorly equipped for platform-dominated digital spaces. The central takeaway is clear: if policymakers want a more resilient democracy, stronger local information systems, and a less commercially-driven public sphere, public service media must be treated as a strategic national investment supported by durable funding, stronger governance, and broad public access.