NPR's President and CEO, Katherine Maher, is legally challenging President Trump's executive order to cut federal funding for public broadcasters like NPR and PBS, calling it a First Amendment issue.
Speaking on The Wall Street Journal’s “The Journal” podcast, Maher emphasized that the lawsuit, filed by NPR and three local stations, focuses on free speech rather than funding, though federal support is critical for member stations. She described the order and Trump's accusations of NPR’s editorial bias as “viewpoint discrimination” and retaliatory.
NPR’s CEO on the Fight Over Public Media https://t.co/4OxlPo7bjg
— Tom Benson (@Tombenson1) June 2, 2025
Maher also refuted claims of liberal bias, citing data showing NPR’s audience reflects the nation’s political diversity: roughly one-third conservative, one-third independent, and one-third liberal. She highlighted NPR’s role in serving rural communities with limited access to local news.
As far as the money is concernd: Public radio revenue remained nearly stable in 2024, with CPB-supported stations reporting $1.389 billion, slightly down from $1.393 billion in 2023, according to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s State of the System report for Fiscal Year 2024. However, this overall figure masks a growing divide: large stations saw collective revenue increases, while small and mid-sized stations experienced declines. The report also highlights looming threats to future funding due to President Trump’s executive order targeting federal support for public broadcasters.