NPR and PBS received millions more in taxpayer dollars than they disclosed on their official tax filings for Fiscal Year 2023, according to a new report by government watchdog OpenTheBooks. The revelation has renewed calls from Republican lawmakers and President Donald Trump to defund both media entities over alleged bias and misuse of public funds.
NPR’s tax return claimed it received only $40,000 from the federal government, a figure OpenTheBooks identified as misleading. The funding was attributed solely to a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). However, NPR reportedly took in a total of $98.57 million in grants and held $388.5 million in assets by the end of the fiscal year.
PBS disclosed $22.74 million in taxpayer funding, but OpenTheBooks reported the organization’s total assets soared to $641.23 million—an increase of $52 million over the previous year. PBS CEO Paula Kerger earned over $1 million in salary and other compensation. Three other PBS executives also made more than $500,000 each, according to the report. NPR spent over $5.18 million on payroll for its officers and key employees.
The revelations come amid heightened scrutiny of both outlets. In March, PBS and NPR leadership testified before the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is reviewing taxpayer support for media accused of left-leaning bias. Following the hearing, Republican members stated that the organizations “should not continue to be funded by the broad taxpaying public.”
President Trump has echoed this sentiment, stating he would “love” to defund both NPR and PBS, calling their coverage unfair and politically slanted. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) introduced legislation in February titled the Defund Government Sponsored Propaganda Act, seeking to strip federal funding from both outlets.
A 2024 Pew Research Center poll revealed that 77% of Americans believe news media outlets favor one side, while only 22% think reporting is fair across the board. NPR and PBS have not responded to requests for comment on the discrepancies in their reported funding.
