President Donald Trump signed the executive order late Thursday, ending public funding for National Public Radio and PBS to stop what is called “biased and partisan news reports.”
The order directs companies for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to the extent permitted by law “suspend federal funds for NPR and PBS.” Orders can be challenged in court.
“Unlike 1967, when the CPB was founded, today the media landscape is filled with rich, diverse and innovative news options,” reads the executive order on Thursday night. “Governmental funding for news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary, but also corrupted by the emergence of journalistic independence.”
Trump and his loyalty, including Elon Musk, have long complained that NPR and PB are biased and promoting left-wing causes. Last month, Trump called for a refund for a true social society, calling them “the radical left “monsters” who seriously hurt our country!” ”
To date, NPR and PBS each have received approximately $5 billion in public funds and have made money from sponsorships. According to NPR, less than 1% of funds come from public resources.
However, Trump said the CPB failed to follow the principles of fairness and equity that underpins its public role.
“The perspectives promoted by NPR and PBS are not important. What’s important is that neither entities present a fair, accurate or impartial portrayal of the current events paying taxes to their citizens,” he said.
PBS and NPR did not immediately respond to NBC News’ requests for comment.
In a statement last month, an NPR spokesman said in response to a draft memo to Congress that outlined the funding cuts, “Eliminating corporate funding for public broadcasting would have a devastating impact on American communities relying on public radio for local and national news, culture, life-saving emergency warnings and public safety information.”
Paula Carger, CEO and president of PBS, said last month that the order to reimburse the organization “disrupts the critical services PBS and local member stations provide to Americans.”
“There’s nothing more than PBS, and our work is possible only for the bipartisan support we’ve always received from Congress,” she added.
The Commission on Protecting Journalists said in a report Wednesday that Trump’s first 100-day inauguration order “may create a calm effect and reduce media freedom.”
Former NPR editor Uli Berliner resigned last month and wrote an essay for the correct magnitude publication that criticizes the network’s liberal position and lack of political diversity. However, he emphasized that he does not support NPR’s repayment.
The Trump administration repeatedly blocked reporters from covering news in their oval offices, banishing journalists from their workspace in the Pentagon, in a series of actions called attacks on efforts to report his administration of independent news organizations.
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