Sat 16 August 2025:
PBS in the US is reducing its budget by 21% due to federal funding cuts, according to CBS News. The PBS board approved the cut on Wednesday, also lowering member station dues by $35 million. This will likely decrease PBS’s revenue from local stations, many of which are grappling with their own financial challenges.
The move follows legislation passed by Congress last month that slashed around $1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a nonprofit that supports public media outlets, including NPR and PBS.
PBS has been more heavily affected by the federal funding cuts than NPR, as it has historically depended more on support from the CPB. It also lost $23 million in funding from the Education Department, previously allocated for children’s programming.
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The potential effect of the budget cuts on PBS’ daily operations remains unclear, but staff layoffs are expected.
Earlier this month, CPB announced that it will cease operations after its funding was eliminated, with most positions ending at the close of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30.
Public media outlets, including NPR and PBS, have long been a target of criticism from some Republican lawmakers and conservative groups, who argue that these outlets exhibit a liberal bias and that taxpayer money should not subsidize media. President Donald Trump has been a vocal proponent of defunding public media, labeling NPR and PBS as biased and pushing for cuts as part of broader efforts to reduce federal spending.
The defunding of public media reflects a broader shift in the Republican Party’s stance, from occasional support to viewing public media as a “hostile force,” influenced by cultural and political battles.
Critics argue that the cuts undermine independent journalism and weaken democratic discourse, especially in areas with limited media access. Supporters, however, see it as a step toward reducing government involvement in media and promoting fiscal responsibility.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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