Congress Approves $535M Cuts Threatening 180 NPR, PBS Local Stations

President Trump has successfully pushed through a $9 billion rescission package that eliminates $535 million annually in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) over fiscal years 2026 and 2027, effectively zeroing out federal support for NPR and PBS for the first time since 1967. While NPR and PBS themselves will continue operating, the cuts are expected to devastate local public media, particularly small rural stations that rely heavily on federal grants, potentially leading to closures of up to 180 local member stations and significant job losses. Public media leaders, including PBS CEO Paula Kerger and NPR CEO Katherine Maher, warn that these cuts will reduce unique local programming and emergency alert services, disproportionately harming rural and low-income communities and widening socio-economic disparities. Critics of public media, including President Trump and supporters, have cited alleged bias and obsolescence in the streaming era as justification for the cuts, despite broad public support for federal funding of public media. The rescission package has drawn bipartisan concern from some lawmakers who value the local services provided by public broadcasting, though most Republicans support the defunding. Media experts emphasize that the loss of federal funds threatens vital civic functions like watchdog journalism and emergency response, potentially exacerbating political corruption and undermining community governance in small towns across America.