Big Bird sad: US funding cuts hit public broadcasting
CPB told employees on Friday most staff positions will end on September. 30. A small transition team will stay until January to finish any remaining work.
The private, nonprofit corporation was founded in 1968 shortly after Congress authorised its formation.
It now ends nearly six decades of fuelling the production of renowned educational programming, cultural content and emergency alerts about natural disasters.
President Donald Trump signed a bill on July 24 cancelling about $US1.1 billion ($A1.7 billion) that had been approved for public broadcasting.
The White House says the public media system is politically biased and an unnecessary expense and conservatives have particularly directed their ire at NPR and PBS.
Lawmakers with large rural constituencies voiced concern about what the cuts could mean for some local public stations in their state, warning some stations will have to close.
Congress passed legislation creating the body in 1967, several years after then-Federal Communications Commission Chairman Newton Minow described commercial television a "vast wasteland" and called for programming in the public interest.
The corporation doesn't produce programming and it doesn't own, operate or control any public broadcasting stations. The corporation, PBS, NPR are independent of each other as are local public television and radio stations.
The cuts are expected to weigh most heavily on smaller public media outlets away from big cities, and it's likely some won't survive. NPR's president estimated as many as 80 NPR stations may close in the next year.
Mississippi Public Broadcasting has already decided to eliminate a streaming channel that airs children's programming.
In Kodiak, Alaska, KMXT estimated the cuts would slice 22 per cent from its budget. Public radio stations in the sprawling, heavily rural state often provide not just news but alerts about natural disasters like tsunamis, landslides and volcanic eruptions.
The first episode of Sesame Street aired in 1969 and over the decades, characters from Big Bird to Cookie Monster and Elmo have become household favourites.
Sesame Street was designed by education professionals and child psychologists to help low-income and minority students aged two to five overcome some of the deficiencies they had when entering school.
Sesame Street said in May it would also get some help from a Netflix streaming deal.
Grant money from the nonprofit has also funded lesser-known food, history, music and other shows created by stations across the country.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SBS Australia
3 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
Trump says 'great progress' made in US envoy Witkoff's meeting with Putin
United States President Donald Trump said his special envoy Steve Witkoff had made "great progress" in his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, as Washington continued its preparations to impose secondary sanctions. The meeting came two days before a deadline set by Trump for Russia to agree to peace in Ukraine or face new sanctions. Trump has been increasingly frustrated with Putin over the lack of progress towards peace and has threatened to impose heavy tariffs on countries that buy Russian exports. A White House official said while the meeting had gone well, secondary sanctions that Trump has threatened against countries doing business with Russia were still expected to be implemented later this week. "My Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff, just had a highly productive meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Great progress was made!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social. "Everyone agrees this war must come to a close, and we will work towards that in the days and weeks to come," he added. Kremlin foreign policy aide Yuri Ushakov, who was present, told Russian news outlet Zvezda: "We had a very useful and constructive conversation". He said the two sides had exchanged "signals" on the Ukraine issue and discussed the possibility of developing strategic cooperation between Moscow and Washington, but declined to give more details. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he believed Moscow was now more amenable to a ceasefire. "It seems that Russia is now more inclined to a ceasefire. The pressure on them works. But the main thing is that they do not deceive us in the details — neither us nor the US, " Zelenskyy said in his nightly address. Writing separately on the X social media platform, Zelenskyy said he had discussed Witkoff's visit to Russia with Trump, adding that he had reiterated Ukraine's support for a just peace and its continued determination to defend itself. "Ukraine will definitely defend its independence. We all need a lasting and reliable peace. Russia must end the war that it itself started," Zelenskyy said, adding that European leaders had joined the call with Trump. Trump on Truth Social said he had updated some of Washington's European allies following Witkoff's meeting. Since the two sides resumed direct peace talks in May, Russia has carried out its heaviest air attacks of the war, killing at least 72 people in the capital Kyiv alone. Trump last week called the Russian attacks "disgusting". Ukraine continues to strike Russian refineries and oil depots, which it has hit many times. Pressure on India Meanwhile, Trump took a key step toward punitive measures when he imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on imports from India, citing New Delhi's continued imports of Russian oil. No similar order was signed for China, which also imports Russian oil. The new measure raises tariffs on some Indian goods to as high as 50% — among the steepest faced by any US trading partner. The Kremlin says threats to penalise countries that trade with Russia are illegal.
SBS Australia
21 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
'Severe setback': Trump imposes extra 25 per cent tariff on India for buying Russian oil
United States President Donald Trump has imposed an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, citing New Delhi's continued imports of Russian oil in a move that sharply escalated tensions between the two nations after trade talks reached a deadlock. The new import tax, effective 21 days after 7 August, will raise duties on some Indian exports to as high as 50 per cent — among the highest levied on any US trading partner. Trump's executive order imposing the extra tariff on Thursday AEST did not mention China, which also imports Russian oil. A White House official had no immediate comment on whether an additional order covering those purchases would be forthcoming. Analysts said Trump's move marks the most serious downturn in US-India relations since his return to office in January. The tariffs threaten to disrupt India's access to its largest export market, where shipments totalled nearly $134 billion (US $87 billion) in 2024, hitting sectors like textiles, footwear, gems and jewellery. It also marks a shift from the warm ties seen during Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's February meeting, they said, pointing out Trump's recent remarks calling India's economy "dead", its trade barriers "obnoxious" and accusing the country of profiting from cheap Russian oil while ignoring the killings of Ukrainians in Russia's three-and-a-half-year-old invasion of its neighbour. 'Extremely unfortunate' India's external affairs ministry called the decision 'extremely unfortunate,' noting that many other countries are also importing Russian oil in their national economic interest. "India will take all necessary steps to protect its national interests," it said, adding that purchases were driven by market factors and the energy needs of India's 1.4 billion people. The development comes as Modi prepares for his first visit to China in over seven years, suggesting a potential realignment in alliances as relations with the US fray. Oil prices edged up about 1 per cent on Thursday after falling to a five-week low in the prior session after Trump penalised India for buying Russian oil and in light of a larger-than-expected US crude storage draw last week. Last week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent warned China that continued Russian oil purchases could trigger new tariffs, as Washington prepares for the expiry of a US-China tariff ceasefire on 12 August. Disruption to Indian exports Exporters and trade analysts warn that the tariffs — which Trump casts as a driver to reduce U.S. trade deficits and reinvigorate domestic manufacturing — could severely disrupt Indian exports. "This is a severe setback. Nearly 55 per cent of our shipments to the US will be affected,' said SC Ralhan, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations. The increased duties place Indian exporters at a 30 — 35 per cent disadvantage versus trade rivals in Vietnam, Bangladesh and Japan. 'With such obnoxious tariff rates, trade between the two nations would be practically dead,' said Madhavi Arora, economist at Emkay Global. LISTEN TO Indian officials acknowledged pressure to return to negotiations with the Trump administration. A phased cut in Russian oil imports and diversification could be a part of the compromise. "We still have a window," said a senior Indian official, requesting anonymity. 'The fact that the new tariffs take effect in 21 days signals the White House is open to talks.' Another official said there were no immediate plans for Modi or senior leaders to travel to Washington, nor were any retaliatory measures being considered. Instead, the government is weighing relief for exporters, including interest subsidies and loan guarantees. Trump's move follows five rounds of inconclusive trade talks, which stalled over US demands for wider access to Indian agriculture and dairy markets. India's refusal to cut Russian oil imports — which hit a record $80 billion (US $52 billion) last year — ultimately triggered the tariff escalation.
Sydney Morning Herald
33 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Australia news LIVE: Trump envoy meets Putin in Moscow; Indian tariffs doubled amid US push for Ukraine ceasefire
Latest posts Latest posts 6.55am A super-sized GST – with a $3300 cheque in the mail By Shane Wright, Paul Sakkal and Olivia Ireland All Australians would receive $3300 a year in exchange for accepting a higher and broader GST under a plan which proponents claim would boost the budget by $28 billion a year while driving up the nation's living standards. Before this month's economic roundtable, independent MP Kate Chaney has backed an idea first floated by leading Australian economist Richard Holden to lift the GST to 15 per cent and extend the tax on food, education, health and childcare services and water and sewerage. This would raise an additional $92.5 billion in its first full year of operation, but would be offset by a $3300 rebate to every person over the age of 18 that would effectively erase the impact of the higher GST on the first $22,000 of an individual's annual purchases. 6.52am US Army sergeant shoots five Soldiers at Georgia base An Army sergeant using a personal handgun opened fire on his unit at Fort Stewart-Hunter Army Airfield in Georgia on Wednesday, the base's commander said. Five soldiers were wounded in the attack, which ended when soldiers tackled the gunman. None of the injuries were life-threatening, base commander John W. Lubas said in a news conference. He said the victims would not be identified publicly until their families had been contacted. 'All are expected to recover,' he said. Army officials identified the suspect in custody as Sergeant Quornelius Radford, 28, an automated logistics sergeant assigned to 2nd Brigade Combat Team. They said they were not sure of his motivations or how he had concealed the weapon he used. About 8,800 people live at Fort Stewart, about 40 miles southwest of Savannah. The Army Criminal Investigation Division was leading the investigation of the shooting. President Donald Trump was briefed, said Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, and the FBI's Savannah office was assisting the investigation. The New York Times 6.45am What's making news today By Daniel Lo Surdo Hello and welcome to the national news live blog. My name is Daniel Lo Surdo, and I'll be helming our live coverage this morning. Here's what is making news today: White House special envoy Steve Witkoff met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow hours ago, in an almost three-hour meeting that canvassed Donald Trump's threat to intensify sanctions and tariffs on Russia if an urgent move towards a ceasefire with Ukraine wasn't achieved. Trump described the meeting as 'highly productive', noting that 'great progress was made' towards ending Russia's war in Ukraine. A proposal that would see all Australians receive $3300 a year in exchange for accepting a higher and broader GST has been proposed ahead of this month's economic reform roundtable. The plan would lift the GST to 15 per cent and extend the tax on food, education, health and childcare services, and water and sewerage, with proponents arguing it would boost the budget by $28 billion a year and drive up national living standards. Trump has signed an executive order to double tariffs on Indian exports to 50 per cent within three weeks, days after the Indian government warned against new trade penalties. The move is designed to penalise India for its purchasing of Russian oil, as Trump continues work to negotiate an end to Russia's war in Ukraine.
