In May 1969, Fred McFeeley Rogers, host of the nationally syndicated series Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, appeared in front of the U.S. Senate on behalf of PBS and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. In a six-minute speech, he impressed upon the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media the necessity for children’s content that captured “the inner drama of childhood,” by speaking “to it constructively.” By the end of his speech, Rogers had secured the support of Chairman John Pastore and $20 million in funding, which the Nixon administration had sought to cut in half.  If only such tactics could work now. After decades of fending off defunding attempts, the CPB saw its board formally vote to dissolve last month after Congress’ rescission of all federal funding last year. But its beneficiary PBS Kids remains. Public TV’s educational media brand for children 2-8  has long carried Mr. Rogers spiritual successors Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Donkey, alongside Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow and Arthur, into 95% of U.S. households. The brand continues to maintain its commitment to viewer access, with new ASL episodes and industry-leading research on child development, literacy and even AI.  “The bulk of …