Republicans Push to Defund NPR and PBS Broadcasting

26 Mar at 8:58 pm

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Republicans Push to Defund NPR and PBS Broadcasting \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ House Republicans, backed by Donald Trump, are calling to defund PBS and NPR, citing bias and misuse of taxpayer funds. Public broadcasting leaders defended their mission and programming during a contentious congressional hearing. With federal funding at risk, PBS and NPR face an existential threat not seen in decades.

Republicans Push to Defund NPR and PBS Broadcasting: Quick Looks

GOP lawmakers demand to defund PBS and NPR, citing political bias
Marjorie Taylor Greene says “hate us on your own dime”
Trump supports ending funding, calling it a top priority
PBS and NPR receive around $500 million annually in public funds
Republicans criticize coverage and LGBTQ+ representation in programming
Democrats call the hearing a distraction and political theater
NPR president acknowledges past editorial missteps and bias concerns
Public radio listenership has dropped significantly since 2020
Former NPR editor calls for network to drop public funding
PBS CEO warns cuts could devastate rural stations
CPJ defends NPR and PBS as vital, trusted institutions

Deep Look

PBS and NPR Face Political Firestorm as GOP Pushes for Defunding Amid Accusations of Bias

The future of public broadcasting in the United States is facing one of its most serious threats in decades as House Republicans, emboldened by former President Donald Trump’s stance, move to dismantle and defund PBS and NPR. The storm erupted during a combative congressional hearing on Wednesday where executives from both networks were grilled over their programming, funding, and perceived political bias.

Leading the charge was Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who bluntly stated: “We believe that you all can hate us on your own dime,” as she advocated for stripping the networks of federal funding.

Greene’s comments came just a day after Trump reiterated his desire to eliminate taxpayer support for public broadcasting, calling it a necessary step to end what he views as entrenched media bias.

Together, PBS and NPR receive roughly $500 million annually through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. While previous attempts to defund public media have failed—often due to bipartisan support for local stations—this time feels different. The GOP now appears more organized and aggressive in challenging media institutions across the board.

Accusations of Bias and Culture War Programming

Several Republican lawmakers took aim specifically at NPR, accusing it of turning into a propaganda outlet. Rep. James Comer of Kentucky—once a regular NPR listener—said the station no longer resembled the balanced platform it once was.

“It’s not news. It feels like propaganda,” Comer said. “I don’t even recognize the station anymore.”

Greene, meanwhile, held up a printed image of what she claimed was a “drag queen” featured on a PBS kids’ program, using it as an example of inappropriate content. PBS CEO Paula Kerger responded that the image had been mistakenly posted on a station website and never aired, while defending PBS’s decision to reflect diverse American experiences in its adult programming.

Democrats on the committee pushed back. Rep. Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts blasted the hearing as a distraction, referencing recent revelations about internal Trump administration communications surrounding a military operation in Yemen.

“If shame was still a thing, this hearing would be shameful,” Lynch said.

Rep. Robert Garcia of California took a more humorous approach, asking if Elmo was “now, or has he ever been, a member of the Communist Party.” Kerger responded, “He’s a puppet. But, no.”

NPR Leadership Acknowledges Missteps, Pushes for Reform

Katherine Maher, NPR’s new president, admitted the organization made errors in how it handled coverage in the past, including prematurely dismissing the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop as a non-story. Maher also expressed regret over anti-Trump tweets she posted before taking the role at NPR, while emphasizing that she does not directly oversee editorial decisions.

Despite recent controversies, Maher firmly denied any institutional political bias.

“I do not believe we are politically biased,” she told lawmakers. “We are a non-biased organization.”

She added that NPR has taken steps to diversify its editorial voices and restore balance.

Internal NPR data published by The New York Times shows that weekly listenership fell from 60 million in 2020 to 42 million in 2024. Maher said the numbers are beginning to rebound, but the decline has amplified scrutiny over NPR’s role and relevance.

Former Editor Calls for NPR to Ditch Public Funding

Adding fuel to the fire, former NPR editor Uri Berliner published an op-ed in The Free Press on the same day as the hearing, suggesting that NPR should voluntarily stop accepting public funds and embrace its progressive voice openly.

“Don’t try to conceal what everyone knows already,” Berliner wrote.

Republican lawmakers highlighted that NPR referenced the hearing in fundraising appeals and pressed Maher on whether the network could survive without federal support. Maher warned that pulling funding would severely impact the national radio system’s ability to serve local audiences.

PBS Warns of Crisis for Rural Public Media

PBS CEO Paula Kerger was more direct, calling the situation “an existential moment” for smaller PBS affiliates, especially in rural and underserved communities that depend on federally funded programming for educational resources and local news.

Kerger emphasized the nonpartisan value of PBS’s educational children’s shows, documentary films, and regional programming that fills media gaps left by commercial networks.

“This is about our ability to continue serving the communities that depend on us,” she said.

Wider Context: Attacks on the Press Escalate

The battle over PBS and NPR is part of a broader Trump-era crackdown on the media. Just this week, the former president banned the Associated Press from White House press events, targeted Voice of America with administrative action, and continued attacks on The Atlantic for its reporting on military planning.

Trump’s allies are framing these moves as efforts to “restore accountability,” but critics see them as part of a larger campaign to discredit journalistic institutions ahead of the 2024 election.

Defending Public Media’s Role

After the hearing, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a statement defending PBS and NPR as “essential public services.”

“Casting them as propaganda machines undeserving of taxpayer support is a dangerous mischaracterization that threatens to rob Americans of the vital reporting they need to make decisions about their lives,” said CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg.

With congressional Republicans moving to formalize budget proposals that could slash public broadcasting funding, the next few months could determine the fate of PBS and NPR as taxpayer-supported institutions.