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NPR and PBS Stations Brace for Funding Battle Under Trump
The New York Times ^ | Dec. 27, 2024, 10:26 a.m. ET | Benjamin Mullin and Kate Conger

Posted on 12/27/2024 1:28:03 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum

Elon Musk is gunning for public media.

In his new role advising President-elect Donald J. Trump, Mr. Musk has floated sweeping cuts to the federal government, including the elimination of entire departments and the firing of agency leaders. One of the most concrete proposals on his list is eliminating hundreds of millions of dollars in annual funding that the government funnels to PBS and NPR stations, home to cultural touchstones like Elmo, Big Bird and “Fresh Air.”

For decades, NPR and PBS have overcome similar threats. But this year, “the attention and intensity” of the calls to defund public media seem greater, said Michael Isip, the president and chief executive of KQED, which operates NPR and PBS stations in the San Francisco Bay Area.

NPR and PBS stations are bracing for the fight. After the election, leaders of NPR’s biggest member stations circulated a report that warned “it would be unwise to assume that events will play out as they have in the past,” with regard to their federal funding. PBS received an update on the situation from political consultants at a board meeting in early December. And station directors in some states are already making their case to legislators.

Internally, NPR is preparing for a variety of funding possibilities, including that government money will be clawed back immediately, according to two people briefed on the network’s planning.

While many Americans know NPR and PBS by popular programs like “Sesame Street” and “All Things Considered,” those national organizations are merely the most visible part of a network of local stations crisscrossing the United States — a network that depends on public funding for local news, educational programming and emergency alerts. More than 98 percent of the U.S. population lives within listening range of at least one of...


(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Humor
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1 posted on 12/27/2024 1:28:03 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Why give NPR and PBS any funding when taxpayers are already funding ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX, NBC, etc.?


2 posted on 12/27/2024 1:30:33 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Defund them. They can survive off donations, and if not, oh well.


3 posted on 12/27/2024 1:37:11 PM PST by dinodino ( Cut it down anyway. )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Start with Planned Parenthood, then go from there to the others (NEA, NPR, PBS, etc.)


4 posted on 12/27/2024 1:37:25 PM PST by traditional2 ("Is it them, again, Yogi?")
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

They are TOTALLY in the black!


5 posted on 12/27/2024 1:37:59 PM PST by SMARTY (In politics, stupidity is not a handicap. Napoleon Bonaparte I)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

there is a working business model for television

they should adopt that


6 posted on 12/27/2024 1:39:01 PM PST by joshua c
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To: joshua c
there is a working business model for television. they should adopt that.

Otherwise known as "Brought to you be Pfizer."

7 posted on 12/27/2024 1:41:03 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████ ████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Gonna be awesome!


8 posted on 12/27/2024 1:41:29 PM PST by DIRTYSECRET
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
NPR and PBS Stations Brace for Funding Battle Under Trump

There should be no "funding battle" - neither NPR nor PBS should get a penny of taxpayer money.
9 posted on 12/27/2024 1:55:58 PM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

NPR always claims they are “listener supported.” Tons of money comes from leftist tax exempt corps, plus they actually have recognition of commercial sponsors that are essentially ads, too.

The Christian radio stations around the nation ARE listener sponsored with no funding from the government.


10 posted on 12/27/2024 1:59:57 PM PST by oldplayer
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

First fund programs that are essential to our nation to function, survive, and prosper as defined by Elon Musk, Donald Trump and his advisors. De fund the rest. Problem solved.

I do realize there are many worthy programs we fund that are non essential to our nation. Embedded in the many programs are those that hurt our nation. Why in the hell are we giving aid to Palestinian terrorists and many other programs that are frankly anti USA? De fund all non essential programs and then select those to fund that are an asset to the USA.

Compassionate aid to those that hate us, as in the citizens of Gaza, Yemen, West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, etc. is insane. The people suffer due to the radical Islamists and that is not our problem. If we give them aid it makes those Islamists stronger.

During WWII we did not give aid to Germany, Japan, Italy etc. until we conquered them. We firebombed Japan, nuked Japan, bombed and firebombed Germany. It worked.

If one is not willing to “Cry Havoc and Let Slip the Dogs of War” you will lose the war. If one is willing to do so and your enemy knows this and you are strong, war will not happen.

It is no difference than the bully in the school yard. If he knows you can hurt him the fight will not happen.


11 posted on 12/27/2024 2:01:53 PM PST by cpdiii (cane cutter, deckhand, oilfield roughneck, drilling fluid tech, geologist, pilot, pharmacist ,MAGA)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
They act like they're above it all for not running commercials. Easy to say when you're subsidized.

Make your money like other radio/TV stations do. If you can't survive on that it's time to admit your viewers aren't that into you.

12 posted on 12/27/2024 2:02:34 PM PST by Lizavetta
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Who besides the employees would miss this? State agriculture agencies?


13 posted on 12/27/2024 2:03:46 PM PST by TornadoAlley3 ( I'm Proud To Be An Okie From Muskogee)
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To: cpdiii
I do realize there are many worthy programs we fund that are non essential to our nation.

Which means they are unconstitutional.

14 posted on 12/27/2024 2:04:57 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (The worst thing about censorship is █████ ██ ████ ████ ████ █ ███████ ████. FJB.)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

This is all about “Control”.
Most people aren’t all that smart
so feeding them BS information is a
way of controlling them.
Unfortunately us smart people have
to live with the “stupid”, they have rights.
I spend a significant amount of effort and money
to isolate myself from the idiots.
I’ve been fairly successful at it, but lots of hits and misses.


15 posted on 12/27/2024 2:06:34 PM PST by rellic (no such thing as a moderate Moslem or Democrat )
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

“There should be no “funding battle” - neither NPR nor PBS should get a penny of taxpayer money.”

Exactly.

And if the GOP cannot agree on that, we might as well pack it up and go home.

This is a no-brainer - along with the National Endowment for the Arts and the nNtional Endowment for the Humanities.


16 posted on 12/27/2024 2:09:44 PM PST by MplsSteve
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

DEFUND


17 posted on 12/27/2024 2:13:19 PM PST by dadgum (Trump 2024)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

NPR and PBS were fronts for Obama and Biden, and, oh yes, Harris. They canonized Hillary.

Drop them both like hot potatoes.


18 posted on 12/27/2024 2:14:19 PM PST by Terry L Smith
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
NPR and PBS Stations Brace for Funding Battle Under Trump

Well, I'm for President Trump cutting off every dime AND their tax exempt status.

Also audit 'em real good for any possible violations of Law and Appearance of Impropriety, or Conflict of Interest.

19 posted on 12/27/2024 2:28:16 PM PST by Navy Patriot (I Voted For President Trump, Celebrate Recivilization!)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Not just refund. I want there to be a way to make sure no future administration resumes funding them. Hell. I want them to repay the public all the money they
have given the Democrat party with all their leftist propaganda.


20 posted on 12/27/2024 2:46:23 PM PST by willk (Local news media. Just as big an enemy to this country as national media)
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