DEI Dies At PBS

PBS, a publicly funded broadcaster, has shut down its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) office after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on his first day in office mandating the elimination of all DEI and similar programs across federal agencies. The order explicitly targeted roles like "Chief Diversity Officer" and initiatives under labels like "environmental justice." 

PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger confirmed the closure in a staff memo, shared on X by a New York Times reporter. She announced the departure of Cecilia Loving, senior VP of DEI, and Gina Leow, director of DEI, stating the move was necessary to comply with the executive order. 

Paula Kerger

Kerger emphasized PBS's ongoing commitment to serving diverse communities and maintaining an inclusive workplace, though without the formal DEI structure.

The decision aligns with similar actions by other federal entities, including Amtrak and the CDC, following the same mandate. PBS had only recently ramped up its DEI efforts, launching the office in 2022 and hiring Loving and Leow as part of a broader push that included employee resource groups and committees. At the time, PBS reported that 44% of its workforce identified as Black, Indigenous, or people of color—a six-year peak.

Last month, Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission who was appointed by Trump, announced an investigation into whether PBS and National Public Radio, also a division of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, violated government regulations with its use of sponsors.

Carr wrote a letter to the news networks announcing the investigation into whether NPR and PBS member stations violated regulations by airing information about financial sponsors, which Carr said could be considered "announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements."