Federal leader of NPR issues stark warning: Expect massive shifts if federal support is withdrawn
In a significant blow to public broadcasting, Congress has voted to cut nearly $1.1 billion in federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) through 2026 and 2027. This decision, which awaits President Trump's signature to become law, will impact NPR and PBS, two pillars of public media in the United States.
NPR, which operates through 386 public radio grantees and around 1,300 stations nationwide, is expected to feel the impact deeply. For some rural stations, CPB funding constitutes up to 50% of their budget. This funding cut is part of broader efforts by the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers to decrease federal support for public broadcasters.
The Senate voted 51-48 in favour of the package, with only Republican support. The bill's passage continues a history of efforts by Republicans to reduce funding for public media, although support for NPR and PBS has traditionally been seen as bipartisan.
The funding debate and past coverage, including Hunter Biden's laptop and COVID origins, were put into the spotlight during a recent House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing. NPR CEO Katherine Maher testified at the hearing, asserting that NPR is "non-partisan."
However, Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., posted a thread featuring videos of himself on the Senate floor, providing examples of NPR's political bias. The report does not indicate whether these claims of political bias are widely accepted or disputed, nor does it provide evidence to support the claims.
In response to the funding debate, NPR CEO Katherine Maher warned staffers that the outlet will undergo significant changes if it loses federal funding. She also stated that taking federal funding away from NPR does not help anyone. NPR's legislative affairs executive warned during a meeting that there would be "a lot of instability" if Congress strips federal funds from NPR.
The hearing also did not elicit a specific response from NPR to the allegations of political bias. One tweet accused NPR of reporting that country music and birds are racist, telling Americans to stop eating beef, and promoting the Russia-gate conspiracy. However, the tweet referenced does not specify the source of the alleged biased articles.
As the bill awaits President Trump's signature, the future of NPR and PBS hangs in the balance. Hanna Panreck and Alex Miller of our website, along with Lindsay Kornick, have contributed to this report.
NPR, given that it receives a significant portion of its funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), is bracing for major changes as the proposed funding cuts could constitute up to half of its budget for many rural stations. This funding cut, which aligns with broader efforts by the Trump administration and Republican lawmakers to decrease federal support for public broadcasters, has sparked debates about the political bias of public media outlets like NPR, a topic that received attention during a recent House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing.
