A fiscal rescission package that cuts $9 billion in previously granted government funds, including $1.1 billion for public media over the next two years, was approved by the U.S. House of Representatives early Friday morning by a vote of 216-213.
The bill, which was approved by the Senate early Thursday morning, is the biggest federal cut to public media financing in decades.
The legislation would eliminate the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's full two-year allocation, which is the main federal funding source for NPR, PBS, and its member stations around the country. Also including $7.9 billion in cuts to other programs, with foreign aid representing a significant portion of the reduced spending.
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NPR CEO Katherine Maher emphasized that "nearly 3-in-4 Americans say they rely on their public radio stations for alerts and news for their public safety."
Kate Riley, president and CEO of America's Public Television Stations, described her organization as "devastated" by the Senate vote, highlighting that local public television stations provide "essential lifesaving public safety services, proven educational services and community connections to their communities every day for free."
Local news organizations have been rapidly decreasing across the US at the same time as the budget withdrawal. Industry analysis indicates that since 2005, over 2,100 newspapers have shut down, limiting local journalism in numerous areas.
In rural and underserved communities, public radio and television stations are frequently the main, and occasionally the only, source of local news and emergency information.
Longtime supporter of public media financing, Senator Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts, said that the decision was motivated by party loyalty, saying, "Republicans who supported public media for their entire careers are voting to kill it, and there is only one reason: Donald Trump."
A dramatic shift from 1967, when President Lyndon Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act with broad bipartisan support in Congress, is represented by the close 216-213 vote.
What was widely accepted is now a topic of contention between the parties. Supporters of the measure argue that eliminating federal funding for public broadcasting represents fiscal responsibility and reduces government involvement in media operations.
As the cuts take effect immediately, this will force public media organizations to rapidly adjust their operations and budgets. Without federal funding, public broadcasting stations will need to rely more heavily on corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and state or local government support.
Industry analysts note that this shift could affect programming choices, with stations potentially prioritizing content that attracts donors over programming that serves specific community needs but may not generate significant revenue.
Local stations across the country are now evaluating which services they can continue to provide and which may need to be eliminated due to the funding shortfall.
This marks the end of an era in American media history, closing a chapter that began in 1967 when Congress established a framework for federally funded public broadcasting as an alternative to commercial media.
