Implications of Trump's Funding Reductions on a Rural North Carolinian Upbringing (in reference to NPR and PBS)
Executive Order Leads to Potential Demise of PBS and NPR
In a move that's sent shockwaves through the public broadcasting world, President Donald Trump signed an executive order on May 1, 2025, aiming to slash federal funding for NPR and PBS. The order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to "cease direct and indirect funding" to these organizations, which the President claimed was in line with his administration's policy to eliminate biased and partisan news coverage.
The executive order was far from a surprise, echoing the President's March demand on Truth Social to halt funding for public broadcasting. At that time, he had posted: "NPR and PBS, two biased and partisan platforms that perpetuate extremist ideologies, must be DEFUNDED by Congress, IMMEDIATELY!"
Fast-forward to today, and here I am, a tax lawyer working as a senior writer for Forbes, sharing my thoughts on this contentious issue. Being a lifelong fan of PBS and NPR, I can't help but feel passionately about this debate.
Embarking on a Journey with PBS and NPR
PBS, a non-profit public broadcasting television network, made its debut in 1969. This network isn't a single entity but a collection of over 330 member stations across the U.S., producing their own content or airing programs from other sources. Familiar programs like "NewsHour", "Masterpiece", "Anne of Green Gables", and "Doctor Who" (popular among British television fanatics) across the nation are thanks to PBS.
Growing up in rural North Carolina, my family relied heavily on PBS for our primary source of entertainment, education, and news. This public broadcasting network provided us with an escape from our limited resources, offering captivating shows that fed our curiosity and hunger for knowledge. NPR, too, played a significant role in our lives, providing ethical and family-friendly programming on the radio. From "All Things Considered" and "A Prairie Home Companion" to "Car Talk" and "Sesame Street", NPR served as an essential companion for us in our small, rural town.
Defunding and Its Consequences
Unfortunately, the preservation of PBS and NPR has been under constant threat, as challenges to funding date back to the early days of public broadcasting. However, opposition to funding recently reached a boiling point with President Trump's executive order.
PBS receives only about 15% of its budget from federal tax dollars, with the rest coming from viewers and private donors. The federal funding PBS receives is minimal, amounting to $535 million per year, or just under $1.60 per U.S. person per year. Even if this funding were eliminated, the financial impact on the federal budget would be minimal. But the consequences for PBS, NPR, and their member stations would be catastrophic.
Cuts to federal funding could push public television and radio stations to seek alternate funding sources. Larger markets, like New York or Los Angeles, might be able to make it work through relying on donors. However, smaller markets, like the one I grew up in, would likely struggle and potentially shut their doors, leaving millions of Americans with no source of local news, entertainment, and educational programming.
In response to the executive order, PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR's president and CEO Katherine Maher have both expressed their intentions to challenge the order's legality, raising concerns about its constitutionality and the president's authority to implement such a measure without legislative approval.
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In light of President Trump's executive order aiming to defund NPR and PBS, one may question who watches PBS and its impact on rural communities, like the one I grew up in, where PBS and NPR provided essential entertainment, education, and news. Surprisingly, PBS relies on just 15% of its budget from federal tax dollars, with the rest coming from viewers and private donors. If federal funding is indeed cut, smaller markets could potentially shut their doors, leaving millions of Americans without local news, entertainment, and educational programming.
NPR's president and CEO, Katherine Maher, and PBS CEO Paula Kerger plan to challenge the order's legality, raising concerns about its constitutionality and the president's authority to implement such a measure without legislative approval. To stay informed on this issue, readers can subscribe to the Forbes Tax Breaks newsletter, delivered weekly to their inbox.
In today's political climate, it's crucial to express thoughts and concerns on pressing issues, such as the defunding of public broadcasting and its potential impacts on local communities, through various platforms, including social media like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, or by engaging in discussions on websites and in comment sections below articles.
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