PBS, NPR Cuts Would Hit Trump States

A new congressional report reveals that proposed federal funding cuts to public television and radio would disproportionately affect stations in states that supported President Trump in 2024. About 60% of the impacted stations are in these states, according to the report obtained by CBS News from Senate Democrats.

The cuts would affect public media outlets in major cities like Houston and Miami, as well as smaller stations in places like Douglas, Wyoming (population 6,000). These reductions are part of a Republican plan to eliminate $9 billion in funding for programs approved before Trump’s second term, including $1.1 billion for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which supports NPR and PBS. The Trump administration and Republicans argue the cuts target “liberal” or biased media.

Public broadcasting advocates call the cuts devastating, arguing they threaten local news access in communities with limited alternatives and reject claims of political bias. The report details significant impacts: stations in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Washington, D.C., could each lose nearly $1 million, while a community radio station in Carbondale, Colorado, which received $145,000 last year, faces similar cuts. Alabama’s public TV stations could lose $3 million, affecting 215 employees, and South Dakota’s 20 media outlets could see funding gutted.

Patricia Harrison, CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, emphasized that federal funding is critical for emergency communications, early learning, and community connectivity, warning of “regrettable and lasting consequences” if cut. PBS and NPR have previously sued the Trump administration over similar cuts, citing First Amendment violations. PBS CEO Paula Kerger noted that while federal funding is 15% of PBS’s budget, smaller stations rely on it for up to 50%, making the cuts potentially “existential.” NPR CEO Katherine Maher said federal dollars account for about 1% of NPR’s budget.

The House is set to vote on the rescissions package Thursday.