Federal Government, under the leadership of President Trump, institutes a new Executive Order to withdraw financial support for National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
In a move that has sparked controversy and concerns about press freedom, former President Donald Trump signed an executive order this week, aiming to cease funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), the organisation responsible for the funding, was established in 1967 as a private, nonprofit corporation by Congress. Its purpose is to protect the "maximum freedom" of public media from "extraneous interference and control."
Trump's order, however, threatens this autonomy. The CPB receives approximately $535 million per fiscal year, a significant portion of which goes towards funding iconic shows like Sesame Street and Between the Lions, as well as public safety services like the PBS Warn System.
The CPB distributes funding through grants to over 1,500 locally owned public radio and television stations, with a focus on funding content for underserved audiences. The CPB's mission is to ensure that all Americans have access to quality, local programming.
The White House claimed that both NPR and PBS "receive tens of millions of dollars in taxpayer funds each year to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as 'news'." However, the CPB's programming is known for its balance and diversity, reflecting the views of the American public.
In response to Trump's attempts to remove three of the CPB's board members, including two Biden appointees, the CPB sued. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression condemned the action as a clear attack on press freedom.
Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, said that Trump's order "threatens our ability to serve the American public with educational programming." Kate Riley, president and CEO of America's Public Television Stations, echoed this sentiment, stating that the order "would devastate the public safety, educational, and local service missions of public media."
The Committee to Protect Journalists released a report on how the Trump administration is "chipping away" at press freedom. Trump's attacks on journalism tie in with other attempts to expand his administration's power, such as plans to silo data from federal agencies into a master database and bringing independent agencies further under control.
The administration is also engaged in a legal battle with Associated Press reporters over White House event coverage due to the AP not using the administration's preferred name for the Gulf of Mexico.
The CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to the President's authority, and its independence is crucial to maintaining the balance and diversity of public media in the United States. The future of this vital organisation remains uncertain, as the legal battle unfolds.
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