Four Days to Defund NPR and PBS

townhall.com ^ | Jul 15, 2025 | Derek Hunter

[V_TWIN]

The clock is ticking on our tax dollars going to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). They aren’t risking closing, unfortunately, but they are on the verge of facing the exact same pressures as every other television network out there: the ability to pay their own bills by attracting an audience and advertiser or donor dollars. The President’s rescissions package is awaiting passage by Congress to cut a modest $9.4 billion from the federal budget, with most of the funds coming from USAID and the remainder from PBS and NPR. The catch is, it has to pass by Friday.

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat
KEYWORDS: npr; pbs

[V_TWIN]

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Tick....tick.... Tick

[Red Badger]

Why a timeline?

Just don’t fund them and see if they survive!

Do they automatically get funded thru some arcane rule?...............

[Blurb2350]

My local “public” radio station has been running messages warning of their dire need for donations. “Now, more than ever, we need . . . “

[j.havenfarm]

From the article: “The story we’re hearing is that some rural Republicans are worried about their constituents losing their only source for news.”

First, of course, that’s crap. They don’t have satellite or WiFi capability? But second, taking this bs concern as true, let me get this straight: people in the country have a hard time getting news so we should…. Give them government-paid left wing propaganda? Honestly, my dog is a deeper thinker than these people

[Salman]

A good start but defunding is not enough.

Seize and dismantle enemy enterprises.

[V_TWIN]

I read the rest of the article and it was a little confusing to me because of the procedures involved......AND, apparently some Republicans are moonwalking, fearing a backlash from some “rural” constituents using npr for their primary news source......can you imagine?.....sheesh.

[Tell It Right]

Agreed. The real meat to the problem is explained in the article:

With Republicans in charge of the House and Senate, cutting those programs (and that small amount of money) shouldn’t be an issue, but it is. Why? Because many Republicans suck. It really is that simple.

[V_TWIN]

Interesting, considering npr is famous for shooting off their mouth about not needing government funding.

[Red Badger]

Rural New York, Maine and California maybe.......................

[V_TWIN]

And Seattle / SF....the usual suspects.

[Dr. Sivana]

“The story we’re hearing is that some rural Republicans are worried about their constituents losing their only source for news.”

If you are so rural that the only news station you can get is NPR, I suggest they flip to the AM side of things, as 92% of NPR stations are FM. AM signals travel much farther than FM, so there are likely a number of stations all over the political spectrum on the AM dial (Country stations, Christian, Mormon, Latino, Salem Network, FOX, and Legacy stations dominate the AM dial). The music and some sports stations have news at the the half hour. Over the Air stations still have an obligation to provide some public interest programming.

[Pontiac]

I used to watch NPR and listen to PBS in the car.

I liked the minimal advertising breaks.

And they had good programing.

All of this was pre-internet and pre-satellite radio. 1980-90s

But, eventually the PBS/NPR Leftist lean became too stark to tolerate.

It is sad because they did have some content that I did enjoy. Some of the the documentaries that they produced were good.

Back in the 1970s NOVA was must see TV for me.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

If we can’t cut funding from NPR and PBS with a $36 trillion debt, we are doomed.

[Vaduz]

Liberals are in chaos mode seek new propaganda pimps.

[SaxxonWoods]

Even in my conservative (60-40% Trump) area the public station is run by liberals who use it as their play-toy to push their politics. They waste the money they are given and constantly cry for more. Cut the funding!

[V_TWIN]

Yes NOVA was interesting.

Back before the digital age...I’ll always be forever grateful I grew up before computers and cell phones.

Slower yes, but way more peaceful and sanity wasn’t in short supply.

[MplsSteve]

“If we can’t cut funding from NPR and PBS with a $36 trillion debt, we are doomed.”

Exactly. This is seriously as easy of a cut as Congress can make.

[Brian Griffin]

Dear Republican Federal Legislator:

President Trump needs to cut wasteful spending.

If you feel some spending in the recission bill should continue, please inform me with specifics by 12 noon on Wednesday.

Thank You,

Your Majority Leader

[packagingguy]

You might find Republicans hiding under their desks until Friday evening, hoping everything blows over.

[chopperk]

Both networks are Soros mouthpieces.