Latest news with #SesameStreet
Leader Live
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
PBS sues Trump administration over defunding
In the claim, PBS relies on similar arguments, saying Mr Trump was overstepping his authority and engaging in 'viewpoint discrimination' because of his claim that PBS' news coverage is biased against conservatives. 'PBS disputes those charged assertions in the strongest possible terms,' lawyer Z W Julius Chen wrote in the case, filed in a US court in Washington. 'But regardless of any policy disagreements over the role of public television, our constitution and laws forbid the president from serving as the arbiter of the content of PBS's programming, including by attempting to defund PBS.' It was the latest of many legal actions taken against the administration for its moves, including several by media organisations impacted by Mr Trump's orders. A PBS spokesman said that 'after careful deliberation, PBS reached the conclusion that it was necessary to take legal action to safeguard public television's editorial independence, and to protect the autonomy of PBS member stations'. Mr Trump's order 'would have profound impacts on the ability of PBS and PBS member stations to provide a rich tapestry of programming to all Americans,' Mr Chen wrote. PBS said the US Department of Education has cancelled a 78 million dollar grant to the system for educational programming, used to make children's shows like Sesame Street, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Reading Rainbow. Besides Mr Trump, the claim names other administration officials as defendants, including US education secretary Linda McMahon, treasury secretary Scott Bessent and homeland security secretary Kristi Noem. PBS says its technology is used as a backup for the nationwide wireless emergency alert system. The administration has fought with several media organisations. Government-run news services like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are also struggling, The Associated Press has battled with the White House over press access and the Federal Communications Commission is investigating television news divisions.
South Wales Guardian
8 hours ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
PBS sues Trump administration over defunding
In the claim, PBS relies on similar arguments, saying Mr Trump was overstepping his authority and engaging in 'viewpoint discrimination' because of his claim that PBS' news coverage is biased against conservatives. 'PBS disputes those charged assertions in the strongest possible terms,' lawyer Z W Julius Chen wrote in the case, filed in a US court in Washington. 'But regardless of any policy disagreements over the role of public television, our constitution and laws forbid the president from serving as the arbiter of the content of PBS's programming, including by attempting to defund PBS.' It was the latest of many legal actions taken against the administration for its moves, including several by media organisations impacted by Mr Trump's orders. A PBS spokesman said that 'after careful deliberation, PBS reached the conclusion that it was necessary to take legal action to safeguard public television's editorial independence, and to protect the autonomy of PBS member stations'. Mr Trump's order 'would have profound impacts on the ability of PBS and PBS member stations to provide a rich tapestry of programming to all Americans,' Mr Chen wrote. PBS said the US Department of Education has cancelled a 78 million dollar grant to the system for educational programming, used to make children's shows like Sesame Street, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Reading Rainbow. Besides Mr Trump, the claim names other administration officials as defendants, including US education secretary Linda McMahon, treasury secretary Scott Bessent and homeland security secretary Kristi Noem. PBS says its technology is used as a backup for the nationwide wireless emergency alert system. The administration has fought with several media organisations. Government-run news services like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are also struggling, The Associated Press has battled with the White House over press access and the Federal Communications Commission is investigating television news divisions.
North Wales Chronicle
15 hours ago
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
PBS sues Trump administration over defunding
In the claim, PBS relies on similar arguments, saying Mr Trump was overstepping his authority and engaging in 'viewpoint discrimination' because of his claim that PBS' news coverage is biased against conservatives. 'PBS disputes those charged assertions in the strongest possible terms,' lawyer Z W Julius Chen wrote in the case, filed in a US court in Washington. 'But regardless of any policy disagreements over the role of public television, our constitution and laws forbid the president from serving as the arbiter of the content of PBS's programming, including by attempting to defund PBS.' It was the latest of many legal actions taken against the administration for its moves, including several by media organisations impacted by Mr Trump's orders. A PBS spokesman said that 'after careful deliberation, PBS reached the conclusion that it was necessary to take legal action to safeguard public television's editorial independence, and to protect the autonomy of PBS member stations'. Mr Trump's order 'would have profound impacts on the ability of PBS and PBS member stations to provide a rich tapestry of programming to all Americans,' Mr Chen wrote. PBS said the US Department of Education has cancelled a 78 million dollar grant to the system for educational programming, used to make children's shows like Sesame Street, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Reading Rainbow. Besides Mr Trump, the claim names other administration officials as defendants, including US education secretary Linda McMahon, treasury secretary Scott Bessent and homeland security secretary Kristi Noem. PBS says its technology is used as a backup for the nationwide wireless emergency alert system. The administration has fought with several media organisations. Government-run news services like Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are also struggling, The Associated Press has battled with the White House over press access and the Federal Communications Commission is investigating television news divisions.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Netflix Saves ‘Sesame Street' From Trump's Reign of Terror
There are still sunny days ahead for Elmo, Cookie Monster, and Abby Cadabby, who have all survived Trump's recent assassination attempt, thanks to the rescue efforts of Netflix. The streamer just announced that beloved children's program Sesame Street will move to its service, after the Trump administration cut funding for its decades-long home, PBS. The news comes following a tough few months for Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, which lost its contract with HBO after the network sought to shift away from children's programming. Then, another financial blow came from the current administration, after President Donald Trump cut federal funding to PBS, the free public broadcasting service that's been airing Sesame Street for over 50 years. These issues caused what executives described as a 'perfect storm' of problems for the program. Under the new Netflix agreement, new episodes will premiere on Netflix and PBS on the same day, ensuring the educational program stays accessible for millions of children across the country. That in itself is a gesture of good will between the streamer and the public broadcaster that could be construed as a political gesture amid Trump's cuts. 'This unique public-private partnership will enable Sesame Workshop to bring our research-based curriculum to young children around the world with Netflix's global reach, while ensuring children in communities across the U.S. continue to have free access on public television to the Sesame Street they love,' Sesame Workshop CEO Sherri Westin said in a statement. The Netflix deal will begin with the 56th season of Sesame Street later this year and will feature new formatting changes, dropping the magazine-style format in favor of 11-minute story sequences. The show will also take a more character-driven focus as is typical of other popular children's shows like Bluey. As soon as the news dropped about Sesame Street finding a new home, people took to social media to celebrate, expressing their relief that the program can continue despite Trump's funding cuts. Thanks to the new deal, Elmo and his friends will get continue to do what they've always done best: teach kids how to read and count, all while making sure they feel like they will always have a friend to guide them in this chaotic world.
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Elmo Hits Trump in Lawsuit Alleging ‘Blatant' Discrimination
President Donald Trump has become persona non grata on Sesame Street as PBS launched a lawsuit to block his federal funding cuts to the broadcaster. PBS and a public TV station in Minnesota filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Washington on Friday, accusing the MAGA president of 'blatant viewpoint discrimination,' the New York Times reported. The suit comes after Trump signed a May 1 executive order axing all funding for PBS and NPR, alleging 'bias' in their reporting. PBS lawyers hit back against Trump in the filing, arguing that the proposed cuts violate laws forbidding the president from serving as the 'arbiter' of its content, which included kids-focused learning shows such as Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, Elmo's World, and Sesame Street, which has since found a new home on Netflix. According to the lawyers, those laws also cover 'attempting to defund PBS.' 'The executive order makes no attempt to hide the fact that it is cutting off the flow of funds to PBS because of the content of PBS programming and out of a desire to alter the content of speech,' the complaint read. 'That is blatant viewpoint discrimination.' NYT reported that around 16 percent of PBS' $373.4 million annual budget comes in the form of grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The nonprofit organization spends over $500 million annually on public media and receives its funding from Congress. According to PBS lawyers, Trump's executive cut would destabilize around 61 percent of the budget it receives from local station dues for its programming. PBS CEO Paula Kerger called Trump's order 'blatantly unlawful.' In a statement, PBS News reported that a spokesman for the broadcaster said it was 'necessary to take legal action to safeguard public television's editorial independence, and to protect the autonomy of PBS member stations.' Similarly, NPR also sued this week to block Trump's executive order, NYT reported.
