The United States’ public broadcasting infrastructure, which has proudly hosted iconic programs such as “Sesame Street,” Ken Burns documentaries, and “All Things Considered,” is confronting an unprecedented challenge. President Donald Trump has issued an order to significantly cut federal subsidies, potentially marking the most severe crisis in its nearly 60-year history. Major figures within the sector, including leaders from PBS, NPR, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, indicated on Friday that they believe Trump’s directive to be unlawful and are prepared for a legal battle.
NPR’s President and CEO, Katherine Maher, expressed a strong intent to defend the organization’s right to deliver critical news and information to the public, stating they would challenge the executive order by every available means. Similarly, Paula Kerger, President of PBS, denounced the executive action as outright illegal.
The origins of the public broadcasting system trace back to the late 1960s, when it was constructed as an educational and public-spirited alternative in the broadcasting landscape. In his order, President Trump criticized the system as having become politically biased and outdated, especially given the current diverse and innovative media environment. He argued that government funding in such conditions is not only antiquated and unnecessary but also detrimental to the appearance of journalistic independence.
While the order mainly targets news organizations, it potentially affects other programming as well, including PBS’s “NewsHour,” NPR’s journalism, as well as their entertainment, educational content, children’s shows, and historical documentaries by figures like Ken Burns. Federal funding, totalling about half a billion dollars annually, is channeled through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with approximately 70% of it going directly to around 330 local PBS stations and 246 NPR stations.
The financial dependence on public funding varies widely; larger market stations often rely more on philanthropy and fundraising, while smaller stations are more dependent on government support. Besides the executive order, there is scrutiny and potential legislative debate regarding future funding levels for public broadcasters, and questions about corporate underwriting practices handled by the Federal Communications Commission, as explained by Josh Shepperd, an expert on public broadcasting.
Trump’s order mandates the cessation of federal funding for PBS and NPR while urging the identification and elimination of indirect public financing sources. Aside from the core CPB funding, PBS also benefits from a U.S. Department of Education grant aimed at enhancing children’s foundational skills in reading, math, and science, particularly in underserved areas. However, Shepperd notes that the most significant impacts could be felt at the local level, affecting potential program expansion and local content.
During a Congressional hearing in March, Republican representatives aired their long-standing grievances with public broadcasting networks—a trend spanning years—yet direct cuts have generally been avoided, primarily because legislators do not want to risk local stations shutting down, which could politically backfire due to popular shows like “Sesame Street.”
The conversation around public broadcasting and perceived bias has persisted, with critics like Tim Graham of the conservative Media Research Center pointing to perceived liberal biases and asserting that such stations should be funded by their own audiences rather than public money. Nonetheless, officials like CPB’s President Pat Harrison have indicated that efforts to address bias include bolstered investments in fact-based local journalism and newsroom improvements at NPR.
A legal dispute is already underway, with Trump having moved to dismiss several CPB board members, deemed by some as strategic to incapacitate the organization, and the CPB promptly responding with a lawsuit. This saga represents just one aspect of Trump’s broader campaign against organizations that differ from his ideological stance, particularly media-focused bodies. Since returning to office, Trump’s maneuvers have also targeted cultural institutions, research bodies, and educational entities, drawing lines against diversity and inclusion initiatives he opposes.
Efforts to curb major media outlets, including the dismantling of entities like the Voice of America and the Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, intended as beacons of independent journalism across restrictive countries, have also met with legal resistance. Federal courts have occasionally ruled Trump administration’s reallocating funds appropriated to such agencies by Congress to be an overreach.