Latest news with #fundingcuts
The Guardian
8 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
NPR's editor-in-chief to step down days after Congress cuts $1.1bn in funding
The editor-in-chief of the US public radio network NPR has told colleagues that she is stepping down later this year. Edith Chapin's announcement comes just days after federal lawmakers voted in support of Donald Trump's plan to claw back $1.1bn from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the umbrella organization that funds both NPR and the non-commercial TV network PBS. Chapin informed Katherine Maher, NPR's chief executive, of her intention to step down before lawmakers approved the cuts but will stay on to help with the transition, according to what she told the outlet. Chapin has been with NPR since 2012 after spending 25 years at CNN. She has been NPR's top editor – along with chief content officer – since 2023. In an interview with NPR's media reporter, David Folkenflik, Chapin said she had informed Maher two weeks ago of her decision to leave. '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 told NPR. Nonetheless, Chapin's departure is bound to be seen in the context of an aggressive push by the Trump administration to cut government support of public radio, including NPR and Voice of America. Trump has described PBS and NPR as 'radical left monsters' that have a bias against conservatives. In an executive order in May, the president called for the end of taxpayer subsidization of the organizations. 'Unlike in 1967, when the [Corporation for Public Broadcasting] was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse and innovative news options,' Trump's order said. 'Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.' Trump later called on Congress to cancel public broadcaster funding over the next two years via a rescission, or cancellation, request. That was approved by both houses of Congress on Friday, taking back $1.1bn. PBS's president and chief executive officer, Paula Kerger, said that the Senate's approval of the package 'goes against the will of the American people'. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion 'These cuts will significantly impact all of our stations but will be especially devastating to smaller stations and those serving large rural areas,' Kerger said. 'Many of our stations which provide access to free unique local programming and emergency alerts will now be forced to make hard decisions in the weeks and months ahead.' Maher said: 'Nearly three in four Americans say they rely on their public radio stations for alerts and news for their public safety.' Loris Taylor, head of Native Public Media, said the decision 'poses an immediate threat to the survival of small, rural, and Tribal stations across the country'. 'These hyperlocal stations, many of which are the only source of local news, emergency alerts, educational programming, and cultural preservation, operate with limited resources and rely on [the Corporation for Public Broadcasting] funding to stay on the air,' Taylor said. In an essay published by the Columbia Journalism Review on Tuesday, the Guardian writer Hamilton Nolan said that while NPR and PBS will survive, 'the existence of small broadcasters in rural, red-state news deserts is now endangered'.
The Guardian
a day ago
- Business
- The Guardian
NPR's editor-in-chief to step down days after Congress cuts $1.1bn in funding
The editor-in-chief of the US public radio network NPR has told colleagues that she is stepping down later this year. Edith Chapin's announcement comes just days after federal lawmakers voted in support of Donald Trump's plan to claw back $1.1bn from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the umbrella organization that funds both NPR and the non-commercial TV network PBS. Chapin informed Katherine Maher, NPR's chief executive, of her intention to step down before lawmakers approved the cuts but will stay on to help with the transition, according to what she told the outlet. Chapin has been with NPR since 2012 after spending 25 years at CNN. She has been NPR's top editor – along with chief content officer – since 2023. In an interview with NPR's media reporter, David Folkenflik, Chapin said she had informed Maher two weeks ago of her decision to leave. '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 told NPR. Nonetheless, Chapin's departure is bound to be seen in the context of an aggressive push by the Trump administration to cut government support of public radio, including NPR and Voice of America. Trump has described PBS and NPR as 'radical left monsters' that have a bias against conservatives. In an executive order in May, the president called for the end of taxpayer subsidization of the organizations. 'Unlike in 1967, when the [Corporation for Public Broadcasting] was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse and innovative news options,' Trump's order said. 'Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.' Trump later called on Congress to cancel public broadcaster funding over the next two years via a rescission, or cancellation, request. That was approved by both houses of Congress on Friday, taking back $1.1bn. PBS's president and chief executive officer, Paula Kerger, said that the Senate's approval of the package 'goes against the will of the American people'. skip past newsletter promotion Sign up to This Week in Trumpland Free newsletter A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration Enter your email address Sign up Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy . We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. after newsletter promotion 'These cuts will significantly impact all of our stations but will be especially devastating to smaller stations and those serving large rural areas,' Kerger said. 'Many of our stations which provide access to free unique local programming and emergency alerts will now be forced to make hard decisions in the weeks and months ahead.' Maher said: 'Nearly three in four Americans say they rely on their public radio stations for alerts and news for their public safety.' Loris Taylor, head of Native Public Media, said the decision 'poses an immediate threat to the survival of small, rural, and Tribal stations across the country'. 'These hyperlocal stations, many of which are the only source of local news, emergency alerts, educational programming, and cultural preservation, operate with limited resources and rely on [the Corporation for Public Broadcasting] funding to stay on the air,' Taylor said. In an essay published by the Columbia Journalism Review on Tuesday, the Guardian writer Hamilton Nolan said that while NPR and PBS will survive, 'the existence of small broadcasters in rural, red-state news deserts is now endangered'.
Fox News
a day ago
- Business
- Fox News
Top NPR editor to leave organization amid Trump's federal funding cuts
NPR's top editor, Edith Chapin, is leaving the company later this year. Chapin, who is serving as acting Chief Content Officer along with being a senior vice president and NPR's editor-in-chief, is walking away from NPR on the heels of the Trump administration's rescissions package pulling federal funding from public media. Republicans in the Senate and House narrowly passed the rescissions package last week that yanked over $1 billion in federal broadcast funding for the fiscal year. "Edith Chapin is a leader in journalistic integrity, a champion for the newsroom, calm in the storm — and an indispensable partner during my first year at NPR," CEO of NPR Katherine Maher said in a statement. "Edith laid the foundation for a stronger public radio, and set us on a solid path with her expert navigation. She has led with conviction, clarity, and compassion — always putting the public's interest first," Maher continued. According to the New York Times, she notified leadership of her decision to leave before the funding cuts were official. NPR will begin a national search for new editorial leadership. Chapin will remain head of newsroom operations until she officially exits later this year. "It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve NPR's listeners and readers, and work alongside some of the most dedicated journalists in the world. I will leave deeply proud of what we've accomplished and confident in the strength and integrity of NPR's newsroom going forward," Chapin said. Chapin has "overseen some of the most consequential and ambitious coverage in the organization's history — from global conflicts and U.S. elections to the COVID-19 pandemic and a rapidly changing media landscape," NPR noted in a press release. Trump's multibillion-dollar clawback package teed up cuts to "woke" spending on foreign aid programs and NPR and PBS, as Republicans finally yanked federal money from public news outlets in a move advocates said was long overdue. Maher has vowed that NPR will continue to operate despite the loss of federal funding, while warning of local station layoffs. Chapin spent 25 years at CNN prior to joining NPR in 2012.
Washington Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Tracking Trump: Harvard's lawsuit against; MLK Jr. files released; Trump wants the Commanders renamed; and more
Harvard criticized Trump's funding cuts in court. Thousands of files on MLK Jr.'s assassination were released. Trump officials have been accused of defying a third of court orders. Texas convened a special legislative session for redistricting. Trump called for a football team to return to an offensive name. Senators pressed CBS's incoming owner on Trump's claims of an ad deal.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Frustration and fear ripple through NPR and PBS affiliates after Congress approves clawbacks
Staffers at local NPR and PBS stations around the country were devastated by the news that Congress approved $1.1 billion in federal funding cuts to public media last week, a move that could jeopardize the futures of dozens of stations. Small, as well as rural, public media stations that heavily rely on federal funding to operate are now bracing for possible staff cuts after Congress approved a package on Thursday that will claw back Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding. Some stations say they're being punished over a fight between President Donald Trump and the national public broadcasting organizations that have little relationship to the service smaller outlets offer their communities. 'I think [lawmakers'] decisions were not informed,' said Don Dunlap, president and general manager of KEDT-TV/FM, a public radio and TV station in Corpus Christi, Texas. 'We're there to help people. There are 10 public TV stations in Texas, and we're thinking probably six of them will close down within a year.' In April, Trump asked Congress to roll back funding for NPR and PBS, which he has long accused of bias against him and other Republicans — a claim both outlets have denied. The public media cuts are one aspect of the Trump administration's aggressive campaign against media outlets it deems as partisan. Trump has taken legal action against several news organizations, including CBS, ABC, The Wall Street Journal and other outlets over unfavorable coverage. Several station heads told POLITICO they've been preparing for potential cuts since the Trump administration first floated the idea earlier this year. But in the wake of the bill's passage, they've had to put those plans into action. 'We're disappointed, but not surprised, and we've been planning for this scenario for a while,' said Judy Diaz, head of Delmarva Public Media, a group of three NPR stations that serve Maryland's Delmarva Peninsula. 'But yeah, it's a hit.' For hundreds of stations, federal money makes up a significant portion of their total funding. According to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, about 45 percent of all public media stations that received their grants are in rural areas, and nearly half of those rely on CPB for 25 percent or more of their annual budget. Without federal funding, those stations may be forced into layoffs and programming cuts, if they're able to survive at all. According to data obtained by POLITICO, 34 public radio and TV stations receive at least 50 percent of their funding from federal grants. Twelve of those stations are in Alaska. 'We can't fundraise our way out of this. We have to make other decisions,' said Mollie Kabler, executive director of CoastAlaska, which oversees six public radio stations in southern Alaska. 'We have to consider 'what services are we going to give up? What people are we going to let go of? And how can we find a way to collaborate and retain service for Alaskans?'' KRZA-FM, a public radio station based in Alamosa, Colorado, that broadcasts across southern Colorado and northern New Mexico, relies on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for 50 percent of its yearly budget. Besides general manager Gerald Rodriguez, the station has one other full-time employee, two part-time workers and a handful of volunteers. 'It's gonna be a huge cut for us,' Rodriguez said. 'It's gonna affect us quite a bit, to the point where it could be, like a one-man show at some point where I'm doing everything by myself.' Public media stations have received CPB grants through the end of the current fiscal year, which ends in September. Many stations are calculating how long they'll be able to survive once their federal grant funds dry up. For some, it may only be a matter of months. 'The station has built up a war chest that should get us through the next few months,' said Mark Johnson, general manager of KSRQ-FM in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. 'Right now, we are making a push on-air and through social media for listener contributions to help us cover the cost of powering our transmitter through December.' Public media staffers from local affiliates to the national networks have been lobbying Republicans in Congress for weeks in hopes of staving off the cuts. In the end, only four Republicans in both chambers voted against the final version of the package, which also included cuts to foreign aid: Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Reps. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.). Representatives for Senate Majority Leader John Thune did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A House leadership aide deflected blame for impacts to local public media stations, and said in a statement that the NPR and PBS national organizations should "manage funds wisely and root out waste so rural stations can succeed." An Office of Management and Budget spokesperson refuted claims that local NPR and PBS affiliates had remained nonpartisan, saying in a statement they had 'politicized their own coverage by relying on syndicated programming from their national org.' 'Democratic paper-pushers masquerading as reporters don't deserve taxpayer subsidies, and NPR and PBS will have to learn to survive on their own,' said White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields. 'Unfortunately for them, their only lifeline was taxpayer dollars, and that ended when President Trump was sworn in.' Scott Smith, general manager of Alleghany Public Radio which broadcasts to three counties on either side of the border of Virginia and West Virginia, said he reached out to Republican lawmakers from both states to try to preserve the 60 percent of his funding that comes from federal grants. Now, he blames Congress for targeting local stations to spite the national NPR and PBS networks. 'They do know that what they were doing was going to hurt us more than it's going to hurt NPR and PBS as a whole. Yet it was still done,' Smith said. 'So what conclusion does that bring you to, without any other data to the contrary, that this is political and personal in nature.' Kabler, who oversees the stations in Alaska, said she meets with Murkowski 'a couple times per year.' The senator attempted to introduce an amendment to the Senate bill that would protect funding for local public broadcasting while stripping it from NPR's and PBS' national operations, citing employees at KUCB — one of Kabler's stations — who she said earlier that afternoon had coordinated with local public officials to warn the community of an impending tsunami. The amendment failed. The public broadcasting audience in Alaska is 'mostly Republicans,' Kabler said. 'But our services are not about partisan politics, and the discussion of what people believe about PBS and NPR on the national level, that's not what we do. We're about local news and information.' Some public media staffers are hoping to take advantage of the grassroots networks used to rally support against the federal cuts to organize political opposition to Republicans who backed the bill. Kurt Mische, president of the PBS station based in Reno, Nevada, said he hopes the impact of gutting local NPR and PBS stations will be a motivating issue for voters in the 2026 midterms. 'I hope that everyone who believes in and supports the mission and vision and values of public broadcasting will keep this in mind when the next congressional election comes up,' Mische said. 'And we will help them connect the dots.' Solve the daily Crossword
