Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

NPR, PBS Funding Debated [semi-satire]
Semi-News/Semi-Satire ^ | 30 March 2025 | John Semmens

Posted on 03/31/2025 11:09:04 AM PDT by John Semmens

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting which is comprised of the National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) are budgeted to receive $535 million from the federal government for FY2025. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has recommended this funding be cut. Paula Kerger, CEO, of PBS and Katherine Maher, CEO of NPR appeared at the House of Representatives DOGE subcommittee to testify against budget cuts.

Subcommittee Chair Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga) said "folks in my district listen to podcasts and internet based news. At the same time, NPR and PBS have increasingly become radical, left-wing echo chambers for a narrow audience. It seems to me that the abundance of news available on the Internet and from commercial broadcasters would seem to make continued federal funding unnecessary."

Maher pointed out that "in America, conservative commercial talk radio stations out number progressive stations ten to one. It seems uncharitable of you to quibble over what we put out one non-conservative news outlet."

"Well, you've called President Trump a 'fascist,' a 'deranged racist sociopath,' said that America is 'addicted to white supremacy,' and publicly chastised using the phrase 'boy and girl' because it 'erases the language of non-binary people.' Why should taxpayers have to fund such propaganda?"

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) asked "is NPR biased?"

Maher insisted "I have never seen any political bias."

Jordan pointed out that "in the DC area, editorial positions at NPR have 87 registered Democrats and 0 Republicans. Most people would infer bias from this imbalance of viewpoints among your editors."

Maher countered, saying "we are very DEI compliant in our personnel decisions. Minorities are well represented as are the ability challenged, gay, lesbian, and trans-gendered segments of the nation's population. Your fear that NPR's workforce is unbalanced is not supported by the facts."

Kerger hastened to remind everyone "I think our PBS show featuring a drag queen reading a children's' book titled, 'The hips on the drag queen go swish, swish, swish' is a stellar example of how we balance our programs to ensure that non-traditional perspectives are included. I know of no conservative broadcasters that would expose their juvenile audiences to this type of diversity."


TOPICS: Government; Humor; Politics; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: astroturf; balance; bias; billmaher; defundnpr; defundpbs; demagogicparty; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; georgia; greene; jimjordan; jordan; katherinemaher; maher; marjorietaylorgreene; mediawingofthednc; npr; ohio; partisanmediashill; partisanmediashills; paulakerger; pbs; postandrun; satire; selfpromotion

1 posted on 03/31/2025 11:09:04 AM PDT by John Semmens
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: John Semmens

Paula Kerger, CEO, of PBS and Katherine Maher, CEO of NPR appeared at the House of Representatives DOGE subcommittee to testify against budget cuts.

Don’t want their gravy train to derail.


2 posted on 03/31/2025 11:15:21 AM PDT by Vaduz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens

So, we’ve got one Maher who wants them to go and one Maher who wants them to stay.


3 posted on 03/31/2025 11:29:29 AM PDT by ComputerGuy ( )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens

Let them run commercials to support themselves the way other “news” outlets do. Sink or swim.


4 posted on 03/31/2025 11:33:14 AM PDT by Lizavetta
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John Semmens
kill it
5 posted on 03/31/2025 11:41:21 AM PDT by A strike ("My country is fd up. I demand you let us in to fix yours..")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lizavetta

They run commercials, they just don’t call them that!


6 posted on 03/31/2025 11:56:49 AM PDT by Reily (a)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Reily; Lizavetta

They run commercials, they just don’t call them that!


I remember seeing Jamie Farr, from MASH, doing a commercial for double-pane windows on PBS back in the 80s.


7 posted on 03/31/2025 12:02:27 PM PDT by Cold_Red_Steel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson