According to the White House, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that intends to reduce funding to NPR and PBS, two news outlets. This initiative represents Trump’s most recent endeavor to leverage federal funding against institutions that he does not approve of.
The text released by the White House on May 1 specifies that the order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes funding to PBS and NPR stations, to “cease direct funding” to them. It designated the news outlets as biased and partisan.
“The CPB Board shall cancel existing direct funding to the fullest extent permitted by law and decline to provide future funding,” the order further stated.
It has been previously stated by both NPR and PBS that Trump’s attempt to reduce their funding would disrupt essential media services and have a “devastating impact” on Americans who depend on them for credible local and national news, including during emergencies.
Multiple institutions in academia and the media industry, including Harvard and Columbia universities, NPR, and PBS, have been identified by the Trump administration as leftist, Marxist, biased, and awakened. Additionally, funding cuts have been threatened. Concerns regarding academic freedom and free speech have been expressed by human rights advocates.
The White House was sued by the CPB on April 28 after Trump attempted to terminate three of its five board members. More than 1,500 public radio and television stations that are locally managed receive funding from the nonprofit corporation, which was established by Congress in 1967.
A number of media outlets have reported that the White House intends to request that Congress revoke $1.1 billion in funding for the CPB. This sum represents two years’ worth of funding.
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