NPR and PBS push back against Trump’s order to cut funding: ‘This could be devastating’
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Introduction:
The news topic “NPR and PBS push back against Trump’s order to cut funding: ‘This could be devastating’” has drawn international attention, with various media outlets providing diverse insights, historical context, political stances, and on-the-ground developments. Below is a curated overview of how different countries and media organizations have covered this topic recently.
Quick Summary:
- National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) defend themselves against efforts by the Trump administration to cut off taxpayer funding. Both told a Sunday political talk show they were looking at legal options. Trump last week issued an executive order blocking NPR and PBS from receiving taxpayer funds through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) The White House said that unlike in 1967, when the corporation was established, the media landscape is now filled with news options and the concept of government funded news media was “not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence” NPR’s chief executive, Katherine Maher, said her organization is “looking at whatever options are available to us”. The impact to smaller communities across the US could lose 40 to 50% of their funding, Kerger said.
- The CEOs of NPR and PBS said they will challenge President Donald Trump’s executive order to end public funding to the organizations. “We’re looking at whatever options are available to us,” said NPR CEO Katherine Maher on Sunday’s “Face the Nation” PBS CEO Paula Kerger: “We have never seen a circumstance like this and obviously we’re going to be pushing back very hard” At least 135 lawsuits had been filed to at least temporarily pause some of the Trump administration’s executive orders as of May 2, according to New York Times reporting. “Twenty percent of Americans don’t have access to another local source of news. The impact of this could really be devastating, particularl,” Maher said. “I think it’s a little preliminary for us to be able to speak to specific strategies that we would take,” Kerger said.
- The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes funding to PBS and NPR stations, to “cease direct funding” to them. It labeled the news outlets as partisan and biased. Both NPR and PBS have previously said that Trump’s effort to cut their funding would disrupt essential media service and have a “devastating impact” on Americans who rely on them for credible local and national news. This comes after Republican members of Congress grilled the heads of the broadcasting networks in March in a hearing titled “Anti-American Airwaves,” led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia). Trump administration has labeled multiple institutions in academia and the media industry as being leftist, Marxist, biased, and woke. Human rights advocates have raised concerns over free speech and academic freedom.
Country-by-Country Breakdown:
Original Coverage
National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) defend themselves against efforts by the Trump administration to cut off taxpayer funding. Both told a Sunday political talk show they were looking at legal options. Trump last week issued an executive order blocking NPR and PBS from receiving taxpayer funds through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) The White House said that unlike in 1967, when the corporation was established, the media landscape is now filled with news options and the concept of government funded news media was “not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence” NPR’s chief executive, Katherine Maher, said her organization is “looking at whatever options are available to us”. The impact to smaller communities across the US could lose 40 to 50% of their funding, Kerger said. Read full article
NPR and PBS CEOs say they’ll challenge Trump admin over federal funding cuts
The CEOs of NPR and PBS said they will challenge President Donald Trump’s executive order to end public funding to the organizations. “We’re looking at whatever options are available to us,” said NPR CEO Katherine Maher on Sunday’s “Face the Nation” PBS CEO Paula Kerger: “We have never seen a circumstance like this and obviously we’re going to be pushing back very hard” At least 135 lawsuits had been filed to at least temporarily pause some of the Trump administration’s executive orders as of May 2, according to New York Times reporting. “Twenty percent of Americans don’t have access to another local source of news. The impact of this could really be devastating, particularl,” Maher said. “I think it’s a little preliminary for us to be able to speak to specific strategies that we would take,” Kerger said. Read full article
Trump signs order that aims to cut funding to NPR, PBS
The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes funding to PBS and NPR stations, to “cease direct funding” to them. It labeled the news outlets as partisan and biased. Both NPR and PBS have previously said that Trump’s effort to cut their funding would disrupt essential media service and have a “devastating impact” on Americans who rely on them for credible local and national news. This comes after Republican members of Congress grilled the heads of the broadcasting networks in March in a hearing titled “Anti-American Airwaves,” led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia). Trump administration has labeled multiple institutions in academia and the media industry as being leftist, Marxist, biased, and woke. Human rights advocates have raised concerns over free speech and academic freedom. Read full article
Public Broadcasting Chief Calls Cuts ‘Devastating,’ Trump Says PBS “Very Biased”
The White House plans to ask Congress to pull back more than $1 billion in public broadcasting funding. The move could eliminate nearly all federal support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. President Donald Trump’s administration has targeted NPR and PBS because of a Republican perception that the media outlets report with an unfair liberal bias. Most of this federal funding goes to local station branches rather than the national station. It makes up a significant portion of overall revenue for small and rural stations, a hit that she said would be “devastating” for them. It is the largest single source of funding for public radio, television and related online and mobile services. It also generates revenue through sponsorships and donations, which also generate revenue through donations. It’s a small, but critical part of the budgets at NPR, PBS and other public media outlets. Read full article
Global Perspectives Summary:
Global media portray this story through varied cultural, economic, and political filters. While some focus on geopolitical ramifications, others highlight local impacts and human stories. Some nations frame the story around diplomatic tensions and international relations, while others examine domestic implications, public sentiment, or humanitarian concerns. This diversity of coverage reflects how national perspectives, media freedom, and journalistic priorities influence what the public learns about global events.
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Sources:
- Original Article
- NPR and PBS CEOs say they’ll challenge Trump admin over federal funding cuts
- Trump signs order that aims to cut funding to NPR, PBS
- Public Broadcasting Chief Calls Cuts ‘Devastating,’ Trump Says PBS “Very Biased”
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/may/04/npr-pbs-funding-trump-order