One day after NPR CEO Katherine Maher faced intense questioning from House Republicans over public media funding, a new Pew Research Center survey highlights widespread public and partisan uncertainty about whether there should be federal support for NPR and PBS.
The Pew survey, conducted March 10–16, found that 43% of Americans support continuing federal funding for NPR and PBS, while 24% believe the funding should be eliminated. Another 33% remain unsure. But that topline number masks a deep partisan split.
Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 44% support ending federal funding for NPR and PBS, compared to just 19% who want it to continue. Support for defunding is even stronger among Republicans over the age of 50. Meanwhile, only 5% of Democrats and Democratic-leaning respondents believe Congress should pull federal support, with 69% favoring continued funding.
The political polarization is also reflected in media consumption and trust. According to Pew, only 9% of Republicans say they regularly get news from NPR, compared to 32% of Democrats. Just 12% of Republicans trust NPR as a news source, while 26% say they actively distrust it. Among Democrats, 47% trust NPR, and only 3% distrust it.
Maher defended NPR’s public service role, emphasizing its partnerships with local stations and recent efforts to diversify newsroom perspectives. She also clarified that federal support accounts for a small share of NPR’s budget – roughly $11.2 million annually – and is mostly used to support the Public Radio Satellite System, which she said “helps safeguard our national security, civil defense, and disaster response.”
While NPR and PBS do receive much of their funding from donations and sponsorships, the proposed bill would eliminate all federal support for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which receives $535 million annually and helps fund both networks directly and through local stations.
Tesla CEO and Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk is among Republicans calling to “defund NPR.” The network has also fallen under recent scrutiny from FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, who requested an investigation into whether NPR and PBS underwriting acknowledgments violate federal limits on promotional advertising.
Perhaps we could learn from other nations and how they view public broadcasting? Often it’s helpful to learn from successes and failures of others before charging ahead with a decision.
Public opinion on federal funding for NPR and PBS remains deeply divided, with a stark partisan gap. While supporters emphasize their role in public service and local journalism, critics question the necessity of taxpayer funding. This debate isn’t going away anytime soon.
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