President Trump signed an executive order on Thursday with the aim of reducing federal funds for NPR and PBS, to the exits of producing biased coverage and “leftist propaganda.”
Trump instructed the Corporation for Public Transmission, which finances public issuers in the United States, to end federal funds for NPR and PBS, to the extent allowed by law. The points of sale only receive a small portion of their financing congress, with the rest from donors and sponsors.
The immediate impact of the order was the uncle. The Corporation for Public Radiodice, a private entity backed by taxpayers created by a Congress Law, is financed two years in advance to protect it from political maneuvers.
The executive order was the last movement of the Trump administration against what it described as partial public media. The White House published a document that accompanies the order on its website, criticizing the coverage of the two stations of, among other topics, the Covid-19 Pandemia and Hunter Biden, son of former Joseph R. Biden Jr.
Trump ordered the Public Transmission Corporation and all federal agencies that also reduce indirect funds by prohibiting public radio and television that receive federal funds to use that money for PBS or NPR programs.
The executive directors of NPR and PBS testified to Congress in March, a heated audience in which the Republicans attacked them for what they described as a liberal bias.
The White House wants Congress to recover more than $ 1 billion for two years that has been assigned for the Public Transmission Corporation. The order of Mr. Trump on Thursday instructed the Board of the Corporation to “cancel the existing direct funds to the maximum extent allowed by law” and “decline to provide future funds.”
NPR said in a statement early that the editorial practices and decisions of the station are independent and free of external influences, including political parties.
“Eliminating funds for the corporation for public transmission would have a devastating impact on US communities throughout the country depending on the radio for reliable local and national news, emergency alerts that come out lives and holy public safety.” The statement said.
PBS and the Public Transmission Corporation did not immediately respond to requests for comments made outside business hours.
Paula Kerger, executive director of PBS, said in an interview that was issued this week that approximately 15 percent of the general budget for public broadcasters comes from the federal government.
“This is different from many other public broadcasters around the world, which are largely backed by the State,” said PBS Newshour. ” “We are not.”
However, NPR gathered a 36 -page document that detailed exactly what would happen if the Treasury stopped the cuts to the Corporation for Public Transmission, the company backed by the Government that supports NPR and PBS. The document is gloomy. It describes a precarious radio system that will support the coup Porly, with consequences for the listeners of the United States.
Independent member stations obtain most of the money dedicated to public radio. That makes them more vulnerable than NPR, which says it only obtains 1 percent of its Congress budget.
Public television in the United States would probably be worse because PBS receives much more budget, about 15 percent of $ 373 million, of the federal government.
The Public Broadcasting Corporation demanded the Trump administration this week, accusing it to illegally try to fire three members of its Board. The administration had not offered any justification for dismissals.
Benjamin Mullin Contributed reports.
