A U.S. House subcommittee has called upon the chief executives of the nation’s two largest public broadcasters, PBS and NPR, to testify on Capitol Hill with the objective of scrutinizing the federal funding allocated to these organizations. PBS’s CEO, Paula Kerger, and Katherine Maher, the CEO of NPR, are scheduled to present their positions. Kerger, at 68, has an extensive background at New York City’s WNET public television and holds the distinction of being the longest-serving CEO in PBS’s history. Conversely, Maher, aged 41, transitioned from a tech executive role to lead NPR, marking her first experience in journalism. Her leadership began amid controversy involving an essay critical of NPR by a veteran editor and scrutiny over her previous political statements made before joining the network.
Despite the differences in their backgrounds, Kerger and Maher are united in their efforts to preserve bipartisan support for public broadcasting funding. President Trump’s allies have continually criticized PBS and NPR. Kerger emphasized the importance of this moment in making a compelling case for public broadcasting.
The hearing titled “Anti-American Airwaves: Holding the Heads of NPR and PBS Accountable” is perceived as more of a political move than a fact-finding mission. It will be led by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., who has accused the networks of liberal bias. Greene expressed her intention to challenge the networks on what she views as biased coverage, citing specific examples like the handling of reports on Hunter Biden’s laptop and COVID-19 origins.
Elon Musk, who supports defunding NPR, also owns the social media platform X, known as Twitter previously. NPR stopped posting on the platform after being labeled as “state-affiliated” and then “government funded,” which the network disputes.
In interviews, Kerger and Maher have expressed pride in their networks’ content and the public service rendered by media outlets nationwide. PBS and NPR provide diverse programming, and both networks serve critical roles in the emergency broadcasting system. NPR’s Maher highlighted that NPR stations reach 43 million listeners weekly through its more than 1,000 stations.
Among those scheduled to testify alongside Kerger and Maher is Ed Ulman, head of Alaska Public Media, and Michael Gonzalez of The Heritage Foundation, a critic of public media.
Funding for public broadcasters is sourced through Congress’s allocations to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with significant portions designated for television. NPR generates most of its revenue from corporate underwriting and programming fees, with only a small percentage directly from federal funding.
Public broadcasting entities, particularly in rural and economically disadvantaged areas, heavily rely on federal support. Any reduction in this funding could pose an existential crisis for them, according to Kerger.
Public broadcasters have historically faced political scrutiny, with proposed legislation aimed at eliminating their federal funding. Trump’s appointee to the FCC, Brendan Carr, has initiated investigations into NPR and PBS stations, focusing on underwriting spots resembling commercials.
Both networks have stated compliance with legal guidelines for underwriting. Recent judicial actions seek to prevent the Trump administration from dismantling federally funded international broadcasters. Additionally, criticism and calls to end public funding for broadcasters like PBS and NPR continue from conservative figures.
Gonzalez, representing The Heritage Foundation, contends that public broadcasters could thrive without federal funding, relying on other revenue models. This perspective is echoed in past and recent conservative critiques of public broadcasting.
In summary, the article reports the ongoing political debates surrounding federal funding for public broadcasting, highlighting the divergent views and efforts by PBS and NPR leadership to defend the societal value of their networks.
