In a recent move, President Trump has issued an executive order aimed at halting federal funding for two major public broadcasters, NPR and PBS. He argues that their coverage exhibits a left-leaning bias, a claim that has sparked considerable discussion and debate. The funding for these organizations, which is determined by Congress, is now in the spotlight due to the executive order.
The order, similar to others from the president, may face legal challenges. It states, “Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter,” emphasizing that their portrayal of current events is not “fair, accurate or unbiased” for taxpayers.
On social media, Trump has been vocal about his stance, urging Republicans to “DEFUND AND TOTALLY DISASSOCIATE THEMSELVES FROM NPR & PBS, THE RADICAL LEFT ‘MONSTERS’ THAT SO BADLY HURT OUR COUNTRY!” View post here.
The executive order tasks the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and other federal agencies with stopping direct and indirect funding to NPR and PBS. “The CPB Board shall cancel existing direct funding to the maximum extent allowed by law and shall decline to provide future funding,” the order asserts.
Katherine Maher, President and CEO of NPR, defended the necessity of public media funding in a recent interview on All Things Considered. She highlighted, “I think that it’s important for public media to be able to continue to be relevant in a time where there is a lot of coverage of different issues and areas of interest.”
Both NPR and PBS leadership were recently called to testify before a House oversight committee on allegations concerning ideological bias in their programming. During the hearing, Maher faced criticism over past political social media posts, while PBS President Paula Kerger addressed questions regarding a controversial video posted by a member station but not aired on television.
Public media funding flows through the CPB, which received $535 million for the current fiscal year, as confirmed by a recent bipartisan stop-gap bill. This budget, renewed biennially, aims to shield the CPB from political influence. Congress has assured funding through September 2027.
NPR directly receives about 1% of its funding from the federal government, with a slightly higher percentage coming indirectly. Its member stations, which number over 1,300, get 8% to 10% of their funding from CPB. PBS, meanwhile, and its stations rely on CPB for around 15% of their revenues.
Most CPB funds support local stations, with a significant portion allocated to costlier television programming. Both NPR and PBS have been encouraged to seek private funding and comply with FCC guidelines. PBS provides substantial educational content, while NPR focuses on news and music. Together, they reach over 99% of the U.S. population, offering crucial services during emergencies.
In a related development, Trump announced the removal of three CPB board members, prompting the corporation to file a lawsuit against him, arguing his actions overstep legal bounds.
Finally, the Federal Communications Commission is investigating NPR and PBS for potential violations related to corporate underwriting, examining whether their practices infringe upon bans on commercial advertising.
—
Read More Michigan News
