^{Paula Kerger speaks in Pasadena, California, in January 2020. Photograph: Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP}

NPR and PBS CEOs Stand Firm Against Trump’s Move to Cut Public Media Funding

The CEOs of NPR and PBS have announced their intention to challenge the Trump administration following an executive order to eliminate federal funding for public broadcasting — a move they say threatens the future of local journalism, rural access to news, and children’s educational programming.

A Historical First: Media Organizations Under Direct Fiscal Threat

Appearing on CBS’s Face the Nation, NPR CEO Katherine Maher and PBS CEO Paula Kerger did not mince words. Maher noted that they are actively “looking at whatever legal or legislative options are available” to counter the order. While it’s too early for a formal legal plan, both organizations are mobilizing resources and consulting legal counsel in preparation.

“This is an unprecedented attack on free, accessible media,” Kerger said. “We have never encountered anything like this in our history, and we’re going to push back forcefully.”

The executive order, issued earlier this week, aims to halt public media funding through several federal channels, including allocations via the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and the Department of Education, jeopardizing billions of dollars in future programming and infrastructure.

Local Journalism and Rural America at the Greatest Risk

Federal support currently comprises a critical part of NPR and PBS's funding pipelines. While NPR receives a relatively small direct percentage of federal money, its 246 member stations—which span all 50 states—depend on that funding to maintain operations.

“Twenty percent of Americans don’t have access to any other local news source,” Maher emphasized. “These cuts would essentially silence large portions of the country—especially rural communities already facing news deserts.”

A recent Pew Research Center study found that more than 2,500 local news outlets have closed in the U.S. since 2005, leaving many communities without any consistent source of local reporting. NPR’s stations often serve as the final line of access to civic and cultural information in these areas.

Children’s Educational Programs in Jeopardy

Kerger warned that PBS’s children’s programming, which has been a staple of American education for over five decades, faces serious consequences. Though PBS receives about 15% of its overall budget from federal funds, smaller stations in rural areas may depend on it for up to 50% of their operating income.

“Programs like Sesame Street, Arthur, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood were created because half of American kids aren’t enrolled in formal pre-K,” Kerger explained. “This is more than entertainment — this is about developmental learning.”

If funding is halted, ongoing productions and educational outreach projects would grind to a halt, impacting millions of families who rely on public TV as a free learning resource. PBS currently collaborates with thousands of preschool centers and public schools, using federal grants to develop early childhood curricula.

Legal and Legislative Pushback Underway

As of May 2, more than 135 lawsuits have been filed against various Trump-era executive orders — covering issues from mass federal layoffs to immigration reform — according to The New York Times. NPR and PBS could soon join that list.

Maher and Kerger also hinted at lobbying Congress to restore funding, rallying public support and leveraging bipartisan backing for public broadcasting. In past years, even amid budget battles, Congress has often defended the CPB, recognizing the role it plays in national literacy, civic education, and emergency broadcasting.

Public media organizations are now calling on supporters to write to lawmakers, highlighting the long-standing American tradition of non-commercial broadcasting. “This is about access, equity, and education,” Maher said. “Every household, regardless of zip code, deserves trusted information and high-quality content.”

What’s at Stake

The Trump administration’s proposed cuts aren’t just a budgetary adjustment — they represent a fundamental shift in how America views public media. With local news collapsing, educational inequality rising, and digital misinformation on the rise, the stakes are higher than ever.

“If these cuts go through,” Kerger concluded, “we’re not just losing programs. We’re losing a public service that helps define who we are as a country.”

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