Key Points:

• Arizona PBS could lose funding due to an executive order from President Donald Trump

• PBS says “Arizona Horizon” will not be threatened by potential funding cuts

• Supporters say losing “Horizon” would be detrimental to elected officials and voters

Arizona PBS is vowing to protect and strengthen its nightly news show amid federal funding cuts ordered by President Donald Trump. 

“Arizona Horizon” is a go-to stop for any politician, candidate or consultant looking to spread their message to the public. But its host, Arizona PBS, could be in jeopardy after Trump signed an executive order on May 1 instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to cease funding to PBS and NPR. 

Scott Woefel, the station’s general manager, said viewers shouldn’t expect any immediate change to “Horizon” while PBS explores legal options and outside fundraising sources to backfill federal funding, which accounts for about 13% of AZPBS’ budget. 

“‘Horizon’ is going to continue, and, as a matter of fact, we want to expand it and do more under the ‘Horizon’ brand,” Woelfel said. “So if we lose this federal funding, we’ll be making some other changes elsewhere in the organization.”

Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed several lawsuits against the Trump administration over its revocation of federal funds from different government entities, but a spokesperson declined to comment on a potential lawsuit over CPB funding. Mayes, a former journalist and frequent “Horizon” guest, did provide a statement in support of the show. 

“As someone who has appeared on Arizona Horizon for years — first as a journalist and now as Arizona’s Attorney General — I know firsthand the critical role it plays in informing the public,” Mayes said. “And it helps hold public officials accountable through thoughtful, fact-based dialogue and rigorous debate and in-depth conversations about issues that really matter to Arizonans.” 

For decades, “Horizon” has interviewed and provided debate platforms to Arizona’s biggest political names on both sides of the aisle. Even in 2025, with trust in media at an all time low and partisanship at an all time high, the show has managed to host roundtables with bipartisan election officials, interviews with both of Arizona’s U.S. senators and discussions with Republican leaders in the Legislature.

Woefel attributes the influence of “Horizon” at least partially to its host, Ted Simons. Simons, who has served as the show’s host since 2007, declined to be interviewed for this story. 

“People know when they come on that (Simons will) be fair, that the questions will be balanced,” Woefel said. “They’ll be the things that people want to know. It’s not going to be sensational.”

Chuck Coughlin, CEO of HighGround Public Affairs, is another frequent guest on “Horizon” and also attributed its popularity to Simons and his interview style.

“Even Kari Lake goes there because that’s where the debates are and I didn’t hear anybody after any of those debates — on the right or the left — say that they got gamed in the debate,” Coughlin said. “They legitimately try and do a fair and unbiased job of letting the candidate speak to the issues and in many cases, forcing them to speak to the issues.”

Coughlin pointed out that debates hosted by “Horizon” and moderated by Simons and other journalists are often the only debate in many local and statewide races, giving the show a crucial role in informing the state’s voters about elections that impact them most.

“It would be a loss of transparency,” Coughlin said. “If (AZPBS) were to suffer financially, our political culture would suffer.” 

While candidates could go to other stations like 12News, ABC15 or FOX10, Coughlin said “Horizon’s” ability to dive deep on issues in longer segments creates a “more mature” political conversation for those in the know. 

“It’s just a healthy place to have a discussion,” Coughlin said. “And a lot of people in our industry and in our elected universe pay attention to them. They say the New York Times is the paper of record. I would say that (Arizona) PBS is the electronic medium of record for Arizona politics.”

While AZPBS waits for more clarity on its funding situation, Woefel said fans of “Horizon” and PBS in general can donate to the station or learn more online about how to support public media. He said the station has already received an outpouring of support in the weeks following Trump’s executive order.

“In the last couple months, every time I’ve said what I do, somebody says, ‘Oh, I heard about the funding fight, we love you, we’re pulling for you,’ all kinds of stuff,” Woefel said. “So there’s a lot of broad public support.”