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New York Post
22-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
NPR's top editor Edith Chapin resigns days after Congress yanks federal funding
NPR's top editor and acting chief content officer is leaving the organization later this year — just days after Congress axed its federal funding. Edith Chapin told staffers Tuesday that she is stepping down and that she gave her notice to NPR Chief Executive Officer Katherine Maher two weeks ago, according to a report from NPR. The move comes at a difficult time for public broadcasters like PBS and NPR— home to flagship shows 'Morning Edition' and 'All Things Considered.' Advertisement 3 NPR's top editor Edith Chapin has resigned amid federal funding cuts that will impact the public broadcaster. Getty Images for IWMF Last week, Congress slashed all $500 million in annual federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which backs NPR and PBS. NPR receives about 1% of its funds from federal sources annually, and about 3% indirectly from stations, the company has reported. The bulk of NPR's funding comes from member station fees, corporate sponsorships and individual donations, but the cut in funding could have a major impact on its member stations. Advertisement 'I have had two big executive jobs for two years and I want to take a break. I want to make sure my performance is always top-notch for the company,' Chapin said in an interview with NPR. She said she expects to stay at the company until September or October. In a note to staffers on Tuesday, Maher thanked Chapin for her work. Advertisement 'Edith has been an indispensable partner during my first year at NPR, a steady leader for a large part of this organization, and a fantastic collaborator as a member of the executive team,' she wrote. The CEO didn't provide any details about transition planning and interim leadership yet. Chapin's departure means Maher will need to fill two top roles at the company. Chapin oversaw NPR's news report, as well as its podcasting business. 3 NPR CEO Katherine Maher thanked Chapin for her service and said she will update staffers on transition planning soon. Anadolu via Getty Images Advertisement The veteran journalist joined NPR from CNN in 2012 as chief international editor and has held different roles during her time there, including senior vice president of news and editor in chief. In 2023, she became NPR's top editor and added the role of interim chief content officer a few months later. Around that time, NPR had been gripped by budget cuts and laid off 10% of its staff and halted the production of several podcasts. 3 Legislation to claw back federal funding from public broadcasters, including NPR and PBS, is expected to hit President Trump's desk. Corbis via Getty Images A year later, one of its senior editors, Uri Berliner, penned an essay for The Free Press that accused NPR of having liberal bias. Chapin sent a memo to staff shortly after, defending the 'exceptional work' of NPR journalists as the company took steps to increase editor scrutiny on its stories. Berliner, who had been suspended without pay, resigned soon after. The House of Representatives' vote to claw back federal funding last week has shaken up staffers at NPR. Maher spoke to employees last week, telling staffers that the company will face 'a tremendous amount of change.' The legislation will head to President Trump's desk for his signature.
Winnipeg Free Press
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Fringe reviews #7: You misread the venue number. The door locks behind you.
THE BEST (?) NON-DENOMINATIONAL HOLIDAY CONCERT EVER! Rem Lezar Theatre Tom Hendry Warehouse (Venue 6), to Saturday, July 26 ⭐⭐⭐ ½ A well-rehearsed kid-friendly gem that gently pokes fun at the current predilection to rebrand Christmas with terms that don't necessarily mean anything. While the subject matter may seem odd at this time of year — Christmas in July, anyone? — at heart this is an hour-long ode to the teaching profession, and the teachers who take on the thankless task of corralling sometimes recalcitrant kids and engaging them long enough to put on performance for their families. It's a shrewd act, this: putting on a play about the trials of putting on a play — and the resulting shambolic affair — at fringe. Is the audience witnessing an actual disaster of a show or are we watching a comedy of errors played with aplomb by the cast of seven who tackle their parts with gusto? With plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, and a soft centre espousing the values of the holiday season, here's a show that lives up to its name. — AV Kitching CONTROL: A PSYCHOLOGICAL MAGIC SHOW Gregoire Entertainment CCFM — Antoine Garborieau Hall (Venue 19), to Sunday, July 27 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½ The audience arrives to a purple-lit screen, displaying a selection of sinister verse: 'Eyes Wide open/But they're not Yours/Walking paths through Unseen Doors.' Winnipeg magician and mentalist Patrick Gregoire strolls onstage with a wry, confident grin as he surveys his victims — er, audience — and asks the crowd how many believe they're in control of their thoughts. As many hands raise, he murmurs, 'Oh, that's cute.' What follows is a string of perplexing but entertaining tricks: holding up a magazine so the audience can see the words on the page, but the onstage volunteer sees something different; compelling spectators to see a randomly selected playing card in an old photograph; and hear specific names in backwards recordings made live onstage. While similar tricks can be seen in any mind-reading show, Gregoire's rapport and fun/sinister vibe truly elevates this example of the genre. — Janice Sawka EMIL AMOK, 69: EVERYTHING'S FLIPPED Emil Amok Guillermo MTC Up the Alley (Venue 2), to Sunday, July 27 ⭐⭐⭐ ½ We're living in a topsy-turvy time, that's for sure. In his Winnipeg fringe debut, Filipino-American journalist Emil Amok Guillermo, a former host of NPR's All Things Considered, unleashes a stream of consciousness about current events, personal history and … laugh yoga? The top of the hour is frantic. The cheesy localized jokes (poutine-based and otherwise) don't always land, and the frenetic delivery of the day's headlines (the Epstein files) is hard to follow — although perhaps a good analogy for the chaotic daily U.S. news cycle under the Trump administration. The one-man show works best when the host settles into a quieter rhythm of personal storytelling. By invoking the ghosts of his immigrant parents and sharing about his transgender daughter, Amok underscores what it's like to live in the crosshairs of American politics, past and present. There are smart, discomforting punchlines throughout, but the ending feels forced. Literally. — Eva Wasney THE FUNNY THING ABOUT MEN Olive Productions Rachel Browne Theatre (Venue 8), to Saturday, July 26 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ ½ British-born Mandy Williams loves her husband — even though sometimes he really gets on her nerves. Deploying a healthy dose of witty sarcasm and knowing glances, Williams explores a list of topics including household chores, mental loads and relationship dynamics in this 50-minute musical comedy. The emphasis is on the musical side, with a raft of catchy songs that pack a punch, musically and message-wise — think Glennon Doyle with a ukulele. Standout singles like Things I Know Against My Will earned a healthy dose of laughs, mostly at the expense of men. It's a good-natured ribbing against traditional gender norms, but Williams interjects more enough humour to keep everyone in on the joke. Although many of the jokes are at the expense of the patriarchy and the sometimes-inept men it enables (we deserve it, fellas!), the content is relatable for anyone who has ever been in a long-term relationship. Certainly, it seemed to resonate with the audience, who were quoting back some of the lines post-performance. — Matt Schaubroeck LAST DAY AT WHOOPEE KINGDOM MTYP's Summer Studio MTYP Main Stage (Venue 21), to Sunday, July 27 ⭐⭐ ½ The 13-strong local cast of teenagers tackling playwright Alan Haehnel's script about a show at amusement park Whoopee Kingdom — yes, a play about a play — make a valiant effort to vitalize the rather lacklustre material they've been saddled with, and at first it seems as if they will succeed. Engaging at the start, the action falters quickly as hefty swathes of unnecessary dialogue get the better of the young thespians. At times it feels as if there are just too many people onstage hanging about doing nothing when the focus shifts to scenes involving just one or two actors. No shade to the cast; all of them are really acting their socks off during this long, rambling mess, which could have been saved with a tighter edit. Things really only get going again in the last 15 minutes, which leads one to the conclusion this could have all been done in a snappy half-hour instead of 60 minutes. — AV Kitching MULTIPLE NEUROSIS Karin Fekko Productions Son of Warehouse (Venue 5), to Sunday, July 27 ⭐⭐⭐½ Toronto's Karin Fekko tackles a deeply personal topic in her solo fringe debut — her own decades-long experience with multiple sclerosis. Her navigation over hurdles, from career barriers to self-coping mechanisms, are the focal points of this 60-minute journey, as she does her best to come to terms with, and accept, her new reality. The storytelling format effectively allows Fekko to deploy dark humour and no small level of vulnerability. For so personal a topic, it feels relatable and accessible for any body or mind. It's also cathartic for the narrator, who spent 17 years trying to hide her reality from everyone around her — quite a switch to performing on a public stage in front of strangers. As the curtain falls, the audience may feel they better understand not only this one lived experience, but anyone else who may be struggling with their physical abilities. As Fekko herself says: the only thing that separates the healthy and the sick is time. — Matt Schaubroeck PAPA UBU Theatre Incarnate Theatre Cercle Moliere (Venue 3), to Saturday, July 25 ⭐⭐ ½ Papa Ubu is an adaptation by local artist Eric Bossé of French playwright Alfred Jarry's Ubu Roi, a seminal play of modern theatre. Local company Theatre Incarnate's 65-minute production, directed by Brenda McLean and Christopher Sobczak, is energetic enough, but the glaring problem is that Bossé's reworking of the text tries to turn Ubu, a cowardly, vulgar, boorish fascist, into a Shakespearean tragic figure like the Macbeth that inspired Jarry's original. The text is riddled with lines from Hamlet, King Lear, Richard III, and more. Shakespeare's words stand out not to enlighten the original but overwhelm it. The show is a messy conflation of absurdist comedy and the latest trendy Shakespeare offering. A few things work well when they highlight the play's symbolist roots — using pop cans as soldiers, for example. The three-member cast presents the text well but unfortunately this adaptation annoys more than it entertains. — Rory Runnells RANDY & ELIZABETH: A SAVAGE LOVE STORY Macho MANitoban One88 (Venue 23), to Sunday, July 27 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This storytelling piece takes the form of a 45-minute 'promo,' as pro-wrestlers call it, focusing on the love story between Randy Poffo and Elizabeth Hulette, better known as Macho Man Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth, the First Lady of Wrestling. The story is told by Geoffrey Owen Hughes, a.k.a the Macho Manitoban, in a one-man show. His earnestness, passion, and love for professional wrestling shine through, captivating the audience with the high highs and devastating low blows of Randy and Elizabeth's tumultuous TV and real-life marriage. Seeing under the Macho Manitoban's sunglasses is the real highlight of the show, particularly his expressed adoration not only for Miss Elizabeth but Sherri Martell and their contributions to pro-wrestling, especially since those contributions are often forgotten or belittled because of their gender. Even if you are not a wrestling fan, this unique show is not to be missed. — Sonya Ballantyne A SPOONFUL OF MAGIC Krol Entertainment Tom Hendry Warehouse (Venue 6), to Saturday, July 26 ⭐⭐ Mary Poppins pops back into the now-grown-up Micheal Banks' life to help him face the adversities of adulthood with her sleight-of-hand magic tricks and wholesome homilies. A Spoonful of Magic (Supplied) This magic parody of the Julie Andrews classic raises one question: why? There is no need for such a conceit when the magic tricks themselves aren't half bad. It could've all been so good, but instead we get stilted dialogue and clunky amateur dramatics from the cast — Canadian Lisa Krol and Jordan Rooks from Las Vegas — who display neither charm nor chemistry. More magic tricks and less inane chat would've made this far more enjoyable. As it is, it's likely we will all need more than a spoonful of sugar to make this medicine go down. These magicians should stick to tricks and leave the acting to professionals. — AV Kitching TYCHO FREAKING BRAHE! Kiss the Giraffe Productions John Hirsch Mainstage (Venue 1), to Sunday, July 27 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tycho Freaking Brahe! (Supplied) Taking as its subject the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe, this 75-minute musical's reach for the stars slightly exceeds the grasp of a huge cast, mostly owing to the muddy, tone-shifting material, and music and lyrics so derivative they could have been created by AI. (But then, so is most Broadway fare, to this reviewer's ears.) Written by fringe regulars Joseph Aragon and Heather Madill (Bloodsuckers!), it's a modern riff on the politics of late 16th-century astronomy — and that's as exciting as it sounds. The good news: This local company has assembled sets and costumes and choreography as top-shelf as any touring company; this laboratory for young talent should be enthusiastically supported. Major mixing and pitch issues should settle through the run. Warning: A dozen-plus Madonna microphones in a concrete bunker can be a strain on the eardrums. — Lara Rae
USA Today
18-07-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
PBS, NPR push liberal propaganda. Trump is right to cut their funding.
Why do conservatives have so much disdain for NPR and PBS? Since both are taxpayer funded, they are supposed to serve all the public. But both push leftist propaganda to a progressive audience. NPR and PBS were once one-stop shops for news and wholesome programs for families. The kids could watch "Sesame Street" while their parents listened to "All Things Considered." But now NPR and, to a lesser extent, PBS have become a cesspool of liberal bias that taxpayers have been forced to fund. From my perspective, President Donald Trump can't cut funding for these two liberal fortresses fast enough. Does that make me heartless or financially prudent? I say the latter. Trump is right to cut funding for public broadcasting At Trump's behest, the Senate voted July 17 to cut $9 billion in federal funds from public broadcasting and foreign aid programs. House Republicans are expected to concur and send the legislation to Trump for his signature. Opinion: Liberals claimed Trump would end democracy. They were wrong again. The executives who run NPR say that the public broadcaster gets only 1% of its funding directly from the federal government and member stations receive around 10% of their budgets from Washington. Yet, the progressives who love PBS and NPR can't stop screaming that the budget cuts will mean the end of public broadcasting as we know it. To which I say: Now, tell me the bad news. NPR pushes liberal propaganda Why do so many conservatives have so much disdain for NPR and PBS? Since both are taxpayer funded, they are supposed to, at least in theory, serve all the public. But both outfits push leftist propaganda and partisan talking points to a targeted audience of progressives. Even worse, executives like NPR CEO Katherine Maher refuse to admit the obvious. On CNN, Maher seemed befuddled about the suggestion of liberal bias. "As far as the accusations that we're biased, I'd stand up and say, 'Please show me a story that concerns you,'' she said. Hey, no problem. Here are a few headlines from NPR: Let's review: Republicans and their presidential nominee are racist and sexist. The Democratic nominee is the victim of that racism and sexism. Even "nice" White people are racist as is American society as a whole. And by the way, before you ask, none of those "news" stories were labeled as opinion. Yes, no bias here. Just keep those tax dollars flowing. The bias starts with executives like Maher, who in 2020 posted on social media that "America begins in black plunder and white democracy." NPR often frames its news coverage in ways that make Trump's conservative policies seem harmful, rather than simply reporting the facts. A progressive point of view is fine when presented as commentary, but NPR purports to be a neutral news source that serves all Americans. Opinion: Our schools are struggling because teachers unions don't put kids first Don't believe me? AllSides, a media literacy organization that rates news organization's biases, has repeatedly found that NPR's online content "leans left." And the calls about NPR's leftist bias have even come from inside the house. Longtime business editor Uri Berliner famously resigned last year after being suspended for publicly detailing his employer's history of newsroom bias. Taxpayers shouldn't be forced to financially support a news source that's so blatantly partisan. Trump's cuts can't happen soon enough. Hear that sound? It's liberals screaming into the void without NPR as their mouthpiece. Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.
New York Post
17-07-2025
- Business
- New York Post
PBS, NPR face ‘tremendous changes' as funding cut looms
PBS and NPR face an uncertain future after the Senate voted to slash funding to the public broadcasters — leading the heads of both companies to make dire warnings about looming changes. NPR CEO Katherine Maher gathered rattled staffers Thursday for a closed-door meeting at their Washington DC, office, shortly after the early-morning vote by the GOP-controlled Senate clawed back roughly $9 billion in spending for foreign aid, NPR and PBS. The House has until Friday to seal their fate and send it to President Trump's desk, who is expected to sign the legislation. Advertisement Roughly $1.1 billion of the targeted cut would defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the nonprofit that funds NPR — home to flagship shows 'Morning Edition' and 'All Things Considered' — and PBS, the decades-long carrier of 'Sesame Street' and Ken Burns documentaries. 4 NPR CEO Katherine Maher led a 30-minute meeting Thursday, addressing network staffers ahead of Friday's critical House vote. Getty Images About 70% of that goes directly to the 330 local PBS outlets and 246 NPR stations. Advertisement On average, PBS says 15% of its stations' budgets come from public funding. But there are wide variations. Stations in larger markets usually get more money through philanthropy and fund drives, while smaller stations depend much more on the government. NPR receives about 1% of its funds from federal sources annually, and about 3% indirectly from stations, the company has reported. The bulk of NPR's funding comes from member station fees, corporate sponsorships and individual donations. 4 The funding cuts will hit PBS, home of 'Sesame Street' and 'PBS NewsHour.' REUTERS Maher predicted 'a tremendous amount of change' if federal funding goes away, according to NPR media reporter David Folkenflik, who posted her comments from the meeting on X. Advertisement PBS CEO Paula Kerger expressed the same gloomy sentiment in an interview with CNN, saying that public TV stations will be 'forced to make hard decisions in the weeks and months ahead.' Neither exec adressed whether federal spending cuts would result in layoffs or force them to slash programming. 4 PBS' 'Sesame Street' should be safe after the popular childrens' show inked a deal with Netflix in May. AP PBS and NPR did not return requests for comment. Advertisement One PBS show that should be safe is 'Sesame Street.' The home of Elmo and Big Bird signed a deal with Netflix in May to stream the upcoming 56th season and 90 hours of previous episodes of the popular kids show. Terms of the Netflix deal weren't released. The streaming giant swooped in after Warner Bros. Discovery decided against renewing a deal that reportedly paid Sesame Workshop between $30 million and $35 million a year. 4 NPR execs did not address whether federal spending cuts would result in layoffs or a scaleback in programming. Getty Images Trump and other conservative critics have accused NPR and PBS of being politically biased towards Democrats. Earlier this week, Maher denied claims of bias, saying they 'serve all Americans.' 'The intent [of the legislation] is to make CPB no longer function,' NPR's chief government affairs executive Marta McLellan Ross told staffers, Folkenflik wrote. In an effort to rally the troops, Maher said public media is fighting and are 'taking this one all the way to the end,' according to Folkenflik. Both PBS and NPR sued President Trump and other administration officials in May to block his executive order stripping federal funding.
New York Times
16-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
A Founding Father of NPR Worries About Its Fate
Perhaps no one has played a bigger role in shaping public radio in the United States than Bill Siemering. He came up with NPR's mission statement, 'National Public Radio Purposes,' more than a half-century ago. He co-founded 'All Things Considered,' its flagship show, and created the program that would eventually become 'Fresh Air.' He has also testified before Congress — the same body that is weighing a proposal, known as a rescission request, to strip more than $500 million in annual funding from public media. Voting on the cuts could happen as soon as Wednesday. Over the course of three interviews, including one at his home near Philadelphia, Mr. Siemering, 91, said that cutting that money would put a 'unique, invaluable cultural resource' at risk. 'Imagine the silence without it,' he said. Here is what else he said about the looming threats to a system he helped create. This is edited for length and clarity. Over the decades, public media has defended itself many times from defunding attempts using the values, principles and vision that you helped establish. It feels now that defense is faltering. I'm wondering what you think has changed. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
