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Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Assault on Good-for-You TV: C-SPAN and PBS Teeter as Trump Attacks
When money flowed more freely in television, public-service programming was seen as a means of giving back. From educational TV and supporting public broadcasting to cable operators providing C-SPAN, spaces existed where ratings weren't the yardstick — instead, this was TV intended to be good for you. On Thursday, Congress took a major step toward undermining all of that, as the House narrowly approved a rescission bill that would claw back $1.1 billion in funding to the Corp. for Public Broadcasting, which helps support PBS stations, in addition to cuts to other programs. The bill passed by the slimmest of margins, 214 to 212, with a few GOP legislators switching their votes to get it through. The funding was part of a larger $9.4 billion allocation that lawmakers had already approved for foreign aid and public broadcasting. Senate still has to weigh in on the matter, and has five weeks to decide. With PBS and NPR besieged by the political right, with C-SPAN's funding via cable and satellite fees strafed by cord cutting, higher-minded alternatives have been hit by hard times. The whole point of PBS and National Public Radio was that they would be unfettered by commercial demands, allowing them to offer programming — from children's programming like Mr. Rogers and 'Sesame Street,' devoid of toy commercials, to lower-key news, documentaries and public affairs — that didn't have to justify its existence on a balance sheet. Ditto for C-SPAN, which cable operators carried for a small licensing fee simply because of the perceived value in allowing subscribers to see what their elected representatives were doing and saying, unfiltered and unedited. Public broadcasting has found itself swept up in the Trump administration's war against the media, with the perception that any unflattering reporting about the president — whether from PBS' 'NewsHour' or 'Frontline' or NPR's 'All Things Considered' — reveals 'invidious' bias and a liberal agenda, to use FCC chairman Brendan Carr's favorite word. Conservatives have long argued that public broadcasting represents an unnecessary expense given the abundance of choices available to most consumers. But in its latest incarnation, 'Defund PBS' overtly translates into being less about fiscal responsibility than leveraging the government's underwriting role to silence otherwise-independent media voices by labeling them progressive propaganda. On the left, the response was unambiguous. The Writers Guild of America East (WGAE) condemned the House vote as 'a radical right-wing ideology that aims to destroy a non-partisan public service despite all evidence of its wide benefits.' The group quickly turned its attention to pleading with the Senate, which holds a GOP majority but has exhibited a bit more restraint than the House in prosecuting the MAGA agenda. The CEO of PBS, Paula Kerger, remained silent in the wake of Thursday's vote, but she has been lobbying intensively to save PBS, warning that Trump's push to defund public broadcasters would spell the end for a number of local stations, and the service they provide to their communities. In a recent interview with Katie Couric, Kerger contemplated the end of public funding for the network, which only relies on the government for a portion of its funds. 'I think we'll figure out a way, through digital, to make sure there is some PBS content,' she said. 'But there won't be anyone in the community creating local content. There won't be a place for people to come together.' Kerger was referring to the fact that the campaign against PBS and NPR disproportionally harms smaller and more rural communities that voted for Trump (even if many listeners and viewers didn't), which lack the same menu of local-media options as major markets. In a sense, Sesame Workshop — the entity behind 'Sesame Street' — has provided an unlikely poster child for the financial pressures on public TV, having undergone layoffs before losing its streaming deal with Warner Bros. Discovery's Max. Netflix has since stepped into the breach, joining with PBS Kids in providing access Elmo and his pals. As for C-SPAN, its challenges stem primarily from evolving technology, which has dramatically undercut the financial model upon which the network was founded in 1979. With viewers shifting to streaming and dropping cable and satellite subscriptions, the number of homes receiving C-SPAN has sharply dropped to a little over 50 million, meaning the nonprofit enterprise — which costs operators just $7.25 a month, a fraction of what they pay for channels like Fox News and CNN — is running at a significant deficit. One proposed solution would be for entities with streaming subscribers, like YouTube or Hulu's live-TV package, to carry C-SPAN. Indeed, YouTube's 8 to 10 million subscribers alone would provide enough income to offset most of the shortfall in its roughly $60 million annual operating expenses. Thus far, however, those companies have balked, prompting a rare bipartisan push in the Senate on C-SPAN's behalf, with Republican Chuck Grassley and Democrat Amy Klobuchar among those joining in a resolution calling upon streaming services to carry the network. 'For tens of millions of Americans who have cut the cord and get their content from streaming services, they should not be cut off from the civic content made available by C-SPAN,' the senators stated. It's a welcome development for C-SPAN CEO Sam Feist, who joined the network a little over a year ago from CNN. Feist noted that 'cord cutting' doesn't accurately characterize what's transpired — since old cable subscribers have generally moved to new delivery systems — meaning the case for carrying the network remains as simple as the public-service ideal that inspired its launch. 'We're the only network that provides what we provide, which is this unfiltered view of American government,' Feist told TheWrap, adding in regard to the streamers, 'It is good for the country for their customers to have access to our product.' The campaign regarding C-SPAN carriage has seemingly gained some momentum over the last year, with former Federal Communications Commission chairman Tom Wheeler and the Washington Post's Karen Tumulty among those joining the aforementioned senators in taking up the cause. Wheeler called YouTube's decision not to carry C-SPAN 'baffling and anti-democratic,' writing in The Hill that the company is depriving viewers of 'an unfiltered window into the goings-on in Congress, the White House and other parts of the government.' As Sen. Ron Wyden told Tumulty, carrying the network would only cost YouTube about $6 million a year — 'crumbs,' he suggested, for a streamer that rakes in billions in ad revenue. YouTube has stated that its subscribers 'have not shown sufficient interest in adding C-SPAN to the YouTube TV lineup to justify the increased cost' to their monthly bills, although as Wyden noted, that would amount to a relative pittance of 87 cents a year per household. The two situations aren't completely analogous, especially with the fate of PBS and NPR having become embroiled in politics, as opposed to corporate stubbornness. More fundamentally, though, both situations speak to the question of civic responsibility, and whether the government and private interests acknowledge such obligations. Because even if C-SPAN and PBS reach smaller audiences in a fragmented world, certain things are worth keeping around not because everybody watches them, but rather for what they offer, symbolically as well as tangibly, thanks to the staid sobriety they provide by being available to the people that do. The post The Assault on Good-for-You TV: C-SPAN and PBS Teeter as Trump Attacks appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
South Florida Public Media Group announces plans to purchase and operate a new NPR station in West Palm Beach.
MIAMI, June 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- South Florida Public Media Group (SFPMG), the public media management company for WLRN – South Florida's flagship NPR station, is proud to announce its strategic expansion into Palm Beach and Martin Counties with the acquisition of "The Flame" 104.7, a full-powered FM radio station licensed to serve the growing and diverse communities in this region. Upon closing, SFPMG plans to convert the current commercial FCC license for 104.7FM to a non-commercial license which will offer public radio programming including NPR. This bold move marks a significant milestone in SFPMG's mission to ensure that high-quality journalism and trusted NPR programming are accessible to all South Floridians. Once approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), this acquisition will bring vital news and information to an unduplicated audience of more than 800,000 residents—many of whom are currently unserved by robust public media coverage. The station will operate as a community licensee, with a strong focus on public service and civic engagement. The station will provide in-depth local news, investigative reporting, and national programming from NPR, offering a reliable source of information to the residents of Palm Beach and Martin Counties. "This acquisition is more than just an expansion—it's a commitment to public trust, to community, and to closing the radio news gap that currently exists in Palm Beach and Martin Counties," said John LaBonia, CEO of South Florida Public Media Group. "We are making sure that no corner of South Florida remains a news desert." The transaction is contingent upon regulatory approval from the FCC, which is expected in the coming months. Once finalized, 104.7 FM will be integrated into SFPMG's broader network, ensuring consistent, high-quality public service journalism throughout South Florida. This development is part of SFPMG's long-term strategic plan to strengthen the footprint of public media across the region and safeguard its future in a rapidly evolving media landscape. According to Richard Rampell, Chairman of SFPMG, "in an era where reliable local news is more essential than ever, along with emergency communications and valued NPR programming like "All Things Considered", "Morning Edition" and "Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me!", this acquisition underscores SFPMG's unwavering commitment and dedication to being a trusted voice for the communities it serves." About South Florida Public Media GroupSouth Florida Public Media Group is a nonprofit public media organization committed to providing high-quality journalism, educational programming, and cultural content to the diverse communities of South Florida. As the public media manager for WLRN, SFPMG is a pillar of trusted news and storytelling across radio, digital, and community platforms. About WLRN Public MediaWLRN Public Media is South Florida's trusted source for news, entertainment, and educational programming. Operating both radio and television stations, WLRN delivers a wide array of content, including NPR news, classical music, and locally produced shows that capture the essence of the region. Committed to community engagement and storytelling, WLRN serves as a vital resource for audiences from Palm Beach to Key West For media inquiries, please contact:Giselle ReidVP of Marketing and Communications954.881.4112greid@ View original content: SOURCE WLRN Public Media Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Axios
30-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
NPR cuts could weigh on North Carolina's largest public radio stations
North Carolina's largest public radio stations — WFAE and WUNC, which serve Charlotte and the Triangle, respectively — get hundreds of thousands of dollars a year from the federal government. Absent those funds, the stations may have to scale back their offerings. Why it matters: A federal halt of funding for public radio stations, as the Trump administration has proposed, could affect how some communities access local news and information — from what their state lawmakers are doing to alerts from the emergency broadcast system. Catch up quick: Earlier this month, President Trump issued an executive order to halt federal support for NPR and PBS, calling the two biggest public broadcasters in the U.S. "biased." The latest: NPR and several affiliates on Tuesday announced they're suing the Trump administration over the executive order to curtail their funding. By the numbers: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting allocates about $535 million in federal funding annually to NPR and PBS, including to local stations. Zoom in: WFAE and WUNC each get about $800,000 annually from the federal government, according to station leaders. These funds are both direct, meaning they're matching funds based on how much revenue the stations generate; and indirect, which refers to shared public radio infrastructure and support like music licensing. These funds represent about 5% of the stations' budgets. Between the lines: The biggest expenses for these stations are personnel and programming. NPR affiliates are required to carry expensive programs such as Morning Edition and All Things Considered, but other smaller programs are ones that stations can elect to pay for and broadcast. "When those [federal] dollars go away it means we're cutting into those core offerings we have in some way," WFAE president and CEO Ju-Don Marshall tells Axios. "We're certainly concerned." Context: Station heads say a cut in federal funding would prompt them to turn to their communities to help make up for the shortfall. Fund drives are the top sources of dollars for the station, says WUNC president and general Paul Hunton. Given uncertainties in the broader economy, it's not a guarantee that they'd be able to make up the entire shortfall, however. "Everybody's a bit tentative now in how they spend their dollars," Hunton added. Zoom out: WFAE's signal reaches 32 counties across the Carolinas, and WUNC can be heard from the Triad to the Outer Banks. Many of the communities they serve are considered news deserts, meaning they lack reliable local news and information from sources like a newspapers. In many rural areas, public radio is the only source of reliable information. Case in point: During Hurricane Helene when communities in western North Carolina lost power and Internet, many relied on just public radio for updates like when the water was coming back on, Hunton says. "It truly was a lifeline for many people in North Carolina," he tells Axios.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Letters to the Editor: Good for NPR for fighting back against Trump's funding cuts
To the editor: I'm thrilled National Public Radio has legally challenged the Trump administration's misguided executive order targeting its appropriately sourced federal funds and relationships with local stations ('NPR and public radio stations sue Trump White House over funding cuts,' May 27). I've grown accustomed to the measured objectivity and factual analysis of the reporting through daily programs like "All Things Considered" and "Morning Edition." We financially support NPR's frequent funding drives not only because its revenues significantly rely on voluntary contributions from listeners, but also due to its prize-winning journalism that opens our eyes to hard-hitting domestic and international news analysis. The president's bizarre claims that NPR fails to provide "fair, accurate or unbiased" programming can be summarily rejected by those who actually listen to the variety of viewpoints included. NPR routinely covers important events like it did with the president's speech to a joint session of Congress in March and even rare audio of Supreme Court oral arguments about the birthright citizenship case, followed by riveting independent coverage. Cutting this funding is more than just a violation of free speech. America should refrain from emulating autocratic leaders in other societies that deliberately silence views they do not like. Anthony Arnaud, Laguna Niguel This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Letters to the Editor: Good for NPR for fighting back against Trump's funding cuts
To the editor: I'm thrilled National Public Radio has legally challenged the Trump administration's misguided executive order targeting its appropriately sourced federal funds and relationships with local stations ('NPR and public radio stations sue Trump White House over funding cuts,' May 27). I've grown accustomed to the measured objectivity and factual analysis of the reporting through daily programs like 'All Things Considered' and 'Morning Edition.' We financially support NPR's frequent funding drives not only because its revenues significantly rely on voluntary contributions from listeners, but also due to its prize-winning journalism that opens our eyes to hard-hitting domestic and international news analysis. The president's bizarre claims that NPR fails to provide 'fair, accurate or unbiased' programming can be summarily rejected by those who actually listen to the variety of viewpoints included. NPR routinely covers important events like it did with the president's speech to a joint session of Congress in March and even rare audio of Supreme Court oral arguments about the birthright citizenship case, followed by riveting independent coverage. Cutting this funding is more than just a violation of free speech. America should refrain from emulating autocratic leaders in other societies that deliberately silence views they do not like. Anthony Arnaud, Laguna Niguel
