President Trump Signs Order to Stop Funding for Public Radio
President Donald Trump has decided to stop giving government money to two big groups in public radio and television: the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR). This action was taken because he believes these organizations show news that is biased.
On Thursday night, President Trump said that NPR and PBS do not show news in a fair way. Because of this, he has told the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the group that gives money to these stations, to stop funding them as much as the law allows.
What The Executive Order Says
The new rule from President Trump tells the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to not give money to PBS and NPR anymore. The White House also mentioned that in today's world, paying for these media outlets with taxpayer money is old-fashioned and unnecessary. They think it hurts how independent the news seems.
However, it's important to note that the money for these organizations has already been approved by Congress until the year 2027.
The Impact of the Funding Cut
Every week, over 40 million Americans listen to NPR, and every month, 36 million watch PBS TV stations. Cutting funds can deeply affect these listeners and viewers, especially during emergencies when people need reliable news.
Katherine Maher, a director at NPR, said earlier in March that by 2025, NPR was supposed to get about $120 million from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This amount is less than 5% of their total budget. Both NPR and PBS have said that cutting their funding would have a very bad effect on their ability to provide news to the public.
Reactions to the Funding Cut
After President Trump's decision, many people and groups spoke up. Michael Stipe, a singer from the band REM, supported the journalists and said, "Whether it's music or a free press – censorship anywhere is a threat to the truth everywhere." He talked about this on World Press Freedom Day, showing support for reporters at Radio Free Europe.
A media rights group, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), also expressed concern. They said that press freedom in the United States is getting worse under Trump and that journalists around the world are facing big challenges.
Many believe that stopping funding to NPR and PBS could hurt the public's access to unbiased and detailed news, which is crucial for keeping people informed and supporting democracy.