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Trump’s Executive Order Cuts $535M in Public Media Funding

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting challenges the legality of the order as public media leaders seek alternative funding sources.

People participate in a rally to call on Congress to protect funding for US public broadcasters, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR), outside the NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C., on March 26, 2025. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images/TNS)
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Overview

  • President Trump issued an executive order on May 1, 2025, halting $535 million in annual federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
  • The CPB, responsible for distributing funds to NPR, PBS, and local stations, has filed a legal challenge to block the order, citing its congressional charter as an independent nonprofit.
  • Public broadcasting reaches 99% of Americans, providing free educational, cultural, and emergency programming, with federal support costing under $2 per person annually.
  • Major philanthropic organizations, including the Gates and Ford Foundations, are expected to step in to fill funding gaps, potentially reducing public accountability for these media outlets.
  • Critics argue that defunding public media undermines congressional oversight and risks creating news deserts in rural and underserved areas.