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Trump signs executive order cutting funding to PBS, NPR
President Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aiming to slash public subsidies to PBS and NPR as he alleged “bias” in the broadcasters’ reporting.
The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS” and further requires that they work to root out indirect sources of public financing for the news organizations. The White House, in a social media post announcing the signing, said the outlets “receive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news.'”
The broadcasters get roughly half-a-billion dollars in public money through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and have been preparing for the possibility of stiff cuts since Mr. Trump’s election, as Republicans have long complained about them.
NPR, which was was established in 1970, released a statement on Friday regarding the funding cuts, saying, “This is not about balancing the federal budget.”
“The President’s order is an affront to the First Amendment rights of NPR and locally owned and operated stations throughout America to produce and air programming that meets the needs of their communities. It is also an affront to the First Amendment rights of station listeners and donors who support independent news and information. Although federal funding is an essential aspect of public media, significant financial support comes from listeners, underwriters, and philanthropic grants,” the statement reads.
Addressing reporters last month, Mr. Trump said he “would love to” cut funding to NPR and PBS.
Paula Kerger, PBS’ CEO and president, said in a statement last month that the Trump administration’s effort to rescind funding for public media would “disrupt the essential service PBS and local member stations provide to the American people.”
“There’s nothing more American than PBS, and our work is only possible because of the bipartisan support we have always received from Congress,” she said. “This public-private partnership allows us to help prepare millions of children for success in school and in life and also supports enriching and inspiring programs of the highest quality.”
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting sued Mr. Trump earlier this week over his move to fire three members of its five-person board, contending that the president was exceeding his authority and that the move would deprive the board of a quorum needed to conduct business.
“Indeed, under the Act, Congress made it clear that it the CPB is a private corporation, over whom the President has no authority save the ability to nominate members of the Board of Directors, with the advice and consent of the Senate,” lawyers wrote in the court filing.
Just two weeks ago, the White House said it would be asking Congress to rescind funding for the CPB as part of a $9.1 billion package of cuts. That package, however, which budget director Russell Vought said would likely be the first of several, has not yet been sent to Capitol Hill.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, formed in 1967, is a private corporation that helps support hundreds of public media organizations, including radio and TV stations.
NPR sues Trump over executive order slashing federal funding
Washington — NPR on Tuesday sued President Trump and administration officials over an executive order signed earlier this month that seeks to cut federal funding to the news organization and PBS.
Filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., the suit was brought by NPR and three Colorado-based public radio stations. It argues that Mr. Trump’s executive order violates the First Amendment and provisions of the Public Broadcasting Act, which was passed by Congress in 1967. The plaintiffs also assert that Mr. Trump did not have the authority to stop federal funding for NPR and PBS.
The order, NPR and the three stations said in their complaint, is “textbook retaliation” and discriminates based on viewpoint, which is a violation of the First Amendment.
“The order’s objectives could not be clearer: the order aims to punish NPR for the content of news and other programming the president dislikes and chill the free exercise of First Amendment rights by NPR and individual public radio stations across the country,” the lawsuit states.
This is a developing story and will be updated
Tiny Desk Radio gives behind-the-scenes look at popular NPR concert series
Twenty million people tune in every month for NPR’s Tiny Desk concert series, which has blossomed to more than 1,200 shows featuring artists like Alicia Keys, Taylor Swift and Doechii.
Now, Tiny Desk has a radio show hosted by Bobby Carter and Anamaria Sayre, airing on public radio stations and online.
“It was a long time coming,” Carter said. “I think that we have such a storied history now. I think there’s such a history of, you know Tiny Desk started as one thing, and it has turned into this cultural phenomenon.”
The radio show, which launched last month, showcases the performances and behind-the-scenes stories of the Tiny Desk concerts.
“If you haven’t seen the show, we’re trying to paint the picture for you, and it’ll lead you to the show … because there’s so much of a backstory. There’s a unique story with every single show,” Carter said about the reason behind the radio show.
Tiny Desk concerts
The series focuses on bringing in diverse artists of different genres, revealing even some major artists are nervous to perform.
“You get to see these massive artists as human beings at the end of the day. Some of the greatest artists in the world, they’re stripped down to their core, which is just being a human,” Carter said.
The two hosts added that it’s the ability to connect people all around the world that has helped to make Tiny Desk concerts and now the radio show successful.
“The way that a singer hit the same note might hit someone in Tennessee and Nigeria and Argentina, you don’t know. So it’s like you’re connecting with the world whether you know it or not, and I think that people can feel that when they watch it in the way artists get intimate,” said Sayre.
While people tune in worldwide, in the small space, the crowd is primarily NPR staff.
“When you hear that crowd noise, there is energy in the room because you’re right there, face to face. The artists, they feel that and they feed off of that. It’s special for them,” Sayre said.
Recently, one of their biggest crowds was for when Bad Bunny performed.
Carter and Sayre credit their impactful shows to their intimate settings.
“Stripping all that stuff away, that’s when you see what they really can do … And we challenge the artist and we present them in a new way,” Carter said.
When asked what’s next, Carter said it’s up to his colleagues, “they’re going to take what I’ve been doing for a long time and a lot of my other colleagues, they’re going to take it to whatever is next.”
Tiny Desk expands to radio as NPR concert series hits 20 million monthly viewers
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