Public media leaders and lawmakers are rebuking an executive order from President Donald Trump directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to halt all federal funding to NPR and PBS, calling the move illegal and a direct threat to independent journalism.
The executive order, signed late Thursday night, claims that government subsidies for NPR and PBS are “outdated and unnecessary,” citing alleged partisanship and a competitive media landscape that no longer requires public support. The order instructs CPB to stop both direct and indirect funding to the two organizations and mandates that all federal agencies identify and terminate any grants or contracts that benefit them.
The order quickly drew strong condemnation and warnings that the move not only violates the Public Broadcasting Act but also endangers access to public media in communities across the country.
NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher issued a statement, saying, “NPR is unwavering in our commitment to integrity, editorial independence, and our mission to serve the American people in partnership with our NPR Member organizations,” she said. “We will vigorously defend our right to provide essential news, information, and life-saving services to the American public. We will challenge this Executive Order using all means available.”
Maher pointed to the Public Broadcasting Act, which specifically bars federal agencies from interfering in CPB’s operations. “America’s founders knew that an informed public is essential to a functioning democracy, and that commitment to serve an informed public is the heart of NPR’s mission,” she added. “This is not about balancing the federal budget. The appropriation for public broadcasting, including NPR and PBS, represents less than 0.0001% of the federal budget. The President’s order is an affront to the First Amendment rights of NPR and locally owned and operated stations throughout America to produce and air programming that meets the needs of their communities.”
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger called the order “blatantly unlawful,” and said the network is evaluating legal options.
On Capitol Hill, lawmakers are also pushing back. Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) said, “President Trump’s executive order is both illegal and a direct threat to the survival of local public media stations across the country.”
“These stations are a lifeline for rural and urban communities alike, offering everything from educational children’s programming to life-saving emergency alerts. Eliminating funding for public media punishes free expression and jeopardizes trusted sources of news, culture, and emergency information for communities everywhere.”
In the wake of the executive order, public broadcasters and advocacy groups are expected to mount legal challenges to preserve the funding pipeline for local stations.
This comes days after a federal judge temporarily blocked Trump’s attempt to remove three CPB board members, siding with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in a legal fight over political interference and the independence of public media.
I was told that federal tax dollars amounted to 1% or less of NPR’s overall budget. So what’s the big deal about losing 1%?
The fact is it doesn’t matter if it’s biased or not. It’s freedom of speech and press that is protected by the constitution. This president doesn’t care about laws or the constitution. He also has no power over how money appropriated by congress is spent. He’s attacking all media, not just public broadcasting. He’s coming after YOU next.
So explain how losing 1% of your budget constitutes a violation of the 1st Amendment.
If it were independent and objective reporting, I would understand the outrage. But it’s not. Most news reporting is slanted and, in some cases, propaganda. It also only represents 2% of their budget. I guess they will have to work for their revenue like the rest of us in broadcasting!
As pointed out in yesterday’s article about the cut in PBS/NPR funding, it’s only 2% of the CPB’s budget. If they can’t make that difference up, they have no business being in “business.” And there is NO need for tax dollar funded broadcasting here in the USA. Commercial stations are plentiful across broadcast / cable / streaming and offer a wide range of viewpoints.
I would think that 2% would be easy to make up. Cut some salarys of these high paid administrators.
Predictable. But, America has spoken. We don’t want to pay for bias reporting. That’s what the private sector is for…
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