In my last post, When Public Media Fades, So Do Documentaries, I explored how the loss of $1.1 billion in CPB funding and PBS’s resulting 21 percent budget cut threaten the ecosystem of independent documentary filmmaking. This follow-up looks at the human side of those numbers by highlighting the kinds of films that public media has made possible over the years—work that may now be at risk if funding continues to erode.

Public media isn’t just a broadcast network. For decades, it has championed powerful documentary storytelling. Below are examples of the kinds of films PBS has commissioned and supported—stories that may become rarer if the recent budget cuts continue to undercut this vital creative infrastructure.

Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s (2025)

A deeply personal portrait of three families managing the emotional, logistical, and relational shifts that follow an Alzheimer’s diagnosis. It shines a light on caregiving in real time, offering profound empathy and insight into aging family dynamics (PBS, Express News).

The In Between

Premiering on Independent Lens, this documentary by Robie Flores—filmed in her hometown of Eagle Pass, Texas—pushes back against negative border stereotypes. It captures the vibrancy of cross-border youth and culture, weaving powerful storytelling with authentic, place-based representation (PBS, Express News).

If Dreams Were Lightning

A short documentary revisiting rural health access through an intimate lens. Supported by CPB and ITVS, the film reexamines the clinics and hospitals the filmmaker knew as a child and reflects on long-standing gaps in rural healthcare (CPB Congressional Justification Report).

Philly D.A. (2021)

This eight-part series follows Philadelphia’s progressive District Attorney Larry Krasner through his early term, offering a gripping look at criminal justice reform. A collaboration between ITVS and CPB, it’s storytelling at institutional scale, deeply rooted in civic transformation (PBS, Wikipedia).

Dolores (2017)

An electrifying documentary about labor activist Dolores Huerta, the co-founder of the United Farm Workers. Featuring interviews with Angela Davis and Gloria Steinem, the film traces decades of social justice movements and made its mark through PBS’s national reach (PBS, Wikipedia).

Garbage Dreams (2010)

Set in Cairo’s largest garbage village, this award-winning film follows three teenage boys navigating environmental stewardship and globalization’s threats. It exemplifies how public media elevates global stories with local resonance (PBS, Wikipedia).

The Scale of PBS’s Reach

These films are not just passion projects. They reach audiences at a scale that most independent filmmakers can only dream of:

Independent Lens consistently reaches more than 1.3 million viewers per episode on broadcast, with millions more streaming online and on the PBS app (PBS Impact Report).
POV, another flagship PBS series, averages 1.2 million viewers per broadcast and has distributed over 400 films from 275+ independent filmmakers worldwide (PBS POV).
These audiences include schools, libraries, and community groups where PBS documentaries are screened and discussed, multiplying their cultural and civic impact.

In an era where streaming platforms chase commercial appeal, PBS has provided a rare guarantee that independent, mission-driven documentaries will not only be funded but seen by millions.

Why This Matters

These documentaries share more than just powerful storytelling—they represent the heartbeat of public service media. Here’s what’s at stake:

As the funding base erodes, so does the ability for PBS to foster stories that push boundaries, connect communities, and hold cultural significance.

Call to Action

We are witnessing more than budget cuts—we may be seeing the unraveling of a storytelling ecosystem that sustained some of the most vital nonfiction storytelling of our time. To safeguard independent filmmakers and the stories that matter, we must:

Advocate for new, sustainable funding models through philanthropy, regional initiative funds, and public-private partnerships.
Amplify awareness about what is at risk: not just programming, but cultural memory, civic insight, and creative opportunity.
Support films and filmmakers directly through streaming, community screenings, and grassroots engagement.

Stories on the Brink: Documentaries PBS Has Fostered and What We Stand to Lose