The PBS budget is taking a major hit after President Donald Trump signed legislation slashing $1.1 billion in federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the main source of money for PBS and NPR. PBS chief executive Paula Kerger confirmed a 21 percent budget cut in a staff memo, according to the New York Times. The board also voted to reduce local station dues by $35 million, further tightening the belt.
NPR, already in financial trouble, announced an $8 million budget reduction following Trump’s move. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting itself will lay off most of its employees by the end of September as part of an “orderly wind-down of its operations.” In May, Trump issued an executive order directing the corporation to cut all direct and indirect federal funding to PBS and NPR. Together, the networks received about $535 million in taxpayer funds this fiscal year alone.
PBS and NPR have long faced criticism for left-wing bias while receiving federal subsidies. The cuts now force the organizations to survive on their own merit rather than taxpayer support. Public media analyst Alex Curley warned that PBS staff will likely face the same fate as NPR. “PBS hasn’t gone through substantial layoffs since 2020, unlike NPR,” he said. “It’s hard to imagine they’ll be able to avoid them with a budget reduction this large.”
