Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns – Screencap of Twitter/X video.

Liberal documentary filmmaker Ken Burns was recently speaking to the anti-Trump publication ‘The Bulwark’ when he claimed that rural Americans won’t be able to get news without PBS and NPR.

As you’ll see below, people are not buying that at all.

Isn’t it telling that Burns is speaking to this anti-Trump publication that’s staffed with people who claimed to be conservatives for decades?

In this clip, Burns says:

“It’s a big deal, they killed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, incredibly shortsighted, it’ll hurt mostly rural communities. Maybe that’s their intention. There’ll be news deserts. Nobody will be covering the school board or the city council meetings.

Watch:

Filmmaker @KenBurns discusses why the Trump administration killed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with @JohnAvlon: "It'll hurt mostly rural communities — maybe that's their intention. There'll be news deserts." pic.twitter.com/gKoulzPF7e

— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) November 9, 2025

What Ken Burns fails to mention here is that he has relied on PBS to air his documentary films. He has a vested interest in the success of public broadcasting.

People took issue with his claims. Take a look below:

Rural Appalachian Americans listening to All Things Considered https://t.co/dJxhi0GBQ7 pic.twitter.com/cVPjJ3GRxU

— Dr. Richard Harambe (@Richard_Harambe) November 10, 2025

It’s 2025. No one in rural communities depends on PBS or NPR. This is absurd. https://t.co/U01wXqLXXj

— Mark Hemingway (@Heminator) November 10, 2025

It's weird how they pretend rural communities care about PBS and NPR when it's all programming enjoyed by affluent white people. That's why it was always such a weird thing to subsidize. https://t.co/Iwb86J3a27

— Frank J. Fleming (@IMAO_) November 10, 2025

The people who got 6 booster shots, wore a mask, and think Trump called Nazis “very fine people” are constantly making subtle digs about how uninformed rural people are. https://t.co/RLxqdXuOYy

— Jesse Kelly (@JesseKellyDC) November 10, 2025

It’s adorable how all the people who sneer at rural communities 364 days a year suddenly pretend to care so they can use them as political fodder for NPR. https://t.co/FCJRpJS5NU

— Amy Curtis (@RantyAmyCurtis) November 10, 2025

Nobody in a rural community gives a shit about PBS. It is only watched by self-important big city Leftists. Cry harder. https://t.co/rEJR8f7gzg

— Nick Searcy, Actor/Director/Producer/Author (@yesnicksearcy) November 10, 2025

Go look at an electoral map of any state—entire rural areas are all red. They know they have access to internet, satellite tv, other news outlets. They’re just mad that these people reliably vote GOP and don’t give a shit about PBS. That’s all this is. https://t.co/yAt3NjwEQi

— Vanessa (@Nessakins_) November 10, 2025

Rural communities have the internet.

This soft bigotry of assuming they all live in huts in the woods with rabbit ears as their only access to media is stupid. https://t.co/cEIoCNSuK8

— Bonchie (@bonchieredstate) November 10, 2025

All he’s doing is proving he does not step foot in or talk to people from rural areas.

Literally no one in America is solely dependent on Public Broadcasting for their news. https://t.co/gZphkLQlN5

— RBe (@RBPundit) November 10, 2025

Ken Burns probably doesn’t think about rural America very often. He just likes PBS and NPR for what they’ve done for his career.

Mike LaChance Mike LaChance has been covering higher education and politics for Legal Insurrection since 2012. Since 2008 he has contributed work to the Gateway Pundit, Daily Caller, Breitbart, the Center for Security Policy, the Washington Free Beacon, and Ricochet. He has also written for American Lookout, Townhall, and Twitchy.

You can email Mike LaChance here, and read more of Mike LaChance's articles here.