PBS CEO Calls Budget Cuts "Gravest Challenge"

PBS is grappling with a severe financial threat as President Donald Trump pushes to eliminate its federal funding, potentially stripping over $1 billion if Congress approves. In a Tuesday interview on PBS News Hour with Amna Nawaz, PBS CEO Paula Kerger called this the gravest challenge in her public broadcasting tenure.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funnels funds to PBS, NPR, and about 1,500 local stations, is also suing the Trump administration for unlawfully firing three CPB board members, asserting the president lacks such authority.

PBS News faces risks if CPB funding is cut, as it relies on CPB and PBS for 35% of its budget, with the rest from donations, grants, and sponsorships. Kerger emphasized that most CPB funds directly support local stations, not national entities like PBS. “Taking away these resources would have tremendous implications for our stations’ operations,” she said.

Nawaz cited Pew Research showing 57% of Americans are skeptical or opposed to federal funding for public media. Kerger countered that local communities deeply value their stations, saying, “They treasure what they do and want to see them continue.”