While public radio begins to grapple with the fallout of a $1.1 billion rescission of federal funding, the world’s largest association of Christian communicators is cheering Congress for what it calls a “critical course correction” to ensure equality for religious speech.
National Religious Broadcasters, which represents Christian media organizations across the US, commented that it has advocated for “viewpoint diversity” in public discourse, asserting that the defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is a necessary step toward that aim.
NRB President and CEO Troy A. Miller said the decision reflects a growing demand for ideological fairness in taxpayer-supported media.
“Taxpayers should not be compelled to fund a media ecosystem that increasingly operates as a mouthpiece for one political perspective,” Miller said. “Public broadcasting has long benefited from taxpayer dollars while excluding many voices, especially faith-based and conservative perspectives.”
While NPR and CPB leaders have warned the cuts could lead to station closures and reduced emergency alert coverage, the NRB argues the free market should guide media funding, including for noncommercial outlets.
“Religious broadcasters have operated for decades without government funding, sustained by the strength of their message and the support of their audience. It is time for all media to stand on their own in the free market and for the airwaves to remain open to diverse voices,” Miller said.
In that same vein, FCC Commissioner Olivia Trusty issued a statement on Monday, saying the clawback, “Presents an opportunity for innovation, partnerships, and more localized decision-making. As a regulator, I will continue to support policies that promote access and competition in media, without presupposing that one model of funding or content creation should be immune from public scrutiny or reform.”
The Rescissions Act of 2025 awaits President Donald Trump’s signature to become law. The legislation follows a May executive order, dubbed Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media, from the President instructing the CPB to eliminate grants for NPR and PBS.
