Latest news with #PBS
Buzz Feed
29 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
"Sesame Street's" Response To Trump's PBS Cuts Is Going Viral
We've talk about this before, but Congress has passed a bill that will cut $1.1 billion in federal funding for PBS and NPR. Trump loved it, saying, "THIS IS BIG!!!" That had people wondering about Sesame Street's fate. In case you didn't know, PBS and Sesame Street have had a very, very long relationship dating back to the show's premiere in 1969. While new episodes now premiere first on Netflix, PBS continues to broadcast them, essentially providing free access to millions of families. Sesame Street moved to Netflix earlier this year after Trump announced the cuts, which some people are saying "saves" it. Sooo, after Trump's official budget cuts passed, Sesame Street posted on X. "For more than 50 years, Sesame Workshop has been proud to partner with PBS to bring learning and joy to children across America. Generations of children have benefitted from the public investment that has enabled PBS to do such important work, and the need remains. PBS, we're so proud to be your neighbor." People in the replies are sad: "Bye. Curling up in a ball crying this is too pure." Other people are angry: "HOW THE HELL CAN YOU BE MAD AT SESAME STREET seriously loved these guys they need all the help they can get." And this person compared supporting Sesame Street to being a form of "the resistance:" "Who ever thought that reposting @sesamestreet would be a political act of resistance?" Then you have a bunch of people sharing personal stories about how the show impacted them: "Sesame Street educated children all over the world, including me, with public funds." "I learned how to speak English and read because of Sesame Street," another person shared. This person described their own personal experience: "I grew up really poor. We obviously couldn't afford cable. But Mr Rogers, reading rainbow, square one, and some interesting nature documentaries provided some great entertainment to a lonely kid." And this person simply said: "I learned my ABCs by 18 months from these guys. Defunding PBS is a crime against children."
New York Post
an hour ago
- 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.
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
GBH to lay off 13 employees from PBS history program American Experience due to federal funding cuts
'The media business is changing, and we are on a path to go from a linear television and terrestrial radio company, which is where we began, to become a digital news and information company,' Goldberg said. She said Congress's recent move to cut public media funding had hurt, but she is looking to the future. 'For all the terrible things I will say about it, one of the good things is that it will really spur us to have more even more urgency around this reinvention for our future.' The layoffs at GBH are among the first immediate cuts in public media after Congress last week approved President Trump's $9 billion rescissions package, $1.1 billion of which hit public broadcasting. GBH Advertisement The latest layoffs will begin in September and continue through the end of the calendar year, Goldberg added. Advertisement While the canceled funds will have an outsized impact on smaller and more rural public radio and television stations — some of which are One of the largest producers of PBS programming in the country, GBH also operates an NPR station and creates educational content. GBH receives about $18 million in federal funding in total, amounting to roughly 8 percent of its annual revenue. But because other stations across the country pay to license programs such as Frontline and NOVA and may no longer be able to afford them, GBH's funding losses are Like other public media organizations, GBH will now have to find additional revenue to offset the loss of federal funding. After Congress approved the rescissions package last week, Goldberg sent a email to GBH supporters asking for donations. 'As the producer of iconic PBS shows like NOVA, FRONTLINE, and Arthur, GBH likely helped shape your world if you grew up watching public media,' Goldberg wrote. 'Now we're asking you to help shape our future.' Even before the cuts to federal funding, the business model for public media organizations had come under immense pressure. Both GBH and 'GBH is not going anywhere. We are going to fight for our future,' Goldberg said Tuesday. 'We've been in business for 75 years, and that is a lifetime, and what we are going to do is figure out how we can serve the public for another lifetime to come and beyond. Advertisement But in her own letter to supporters last week, WBUR chief executive Margaret Low said that the station will have to rely more on its donors going forward. 'This won't be a one-time fix. You've already stepped up and we're very grateful,' Low said. 'Please know that we'll be counting on your ongoing support to help keep WBUR strong.' Aidan Ryan can be reached at
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Devastating': US public broadcasters condemn Trump cuts to key programs
Public broadcast station leaders are condemning Donald Trump's latest victory after Congress approved a bill to cancel all federal funding for public broadcasting programs including PBS and NPR. The House signed off on the bill early on Friday morning, after Wednesday's key decision in the Senate to pass $9bn in spending cuts, slashing public broadcasting as well as foreign aid. The PBS president and CEO, Paula Kerger, said that the Senate's approval of the package 'goes against the will of the American people'. 'These cuts will significantly impact all of our stations, but will be especially devastating to smaller stations and those serving large rural areas. 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,' Kerger said. 'Despite today's setback, we are determined to keep fighting to preserve the essential services we provide to the American public.' Related: US House passes Trump plan to cut $9bn from foreign aid, public broadcasting Similarly, NPR's CEO, Katherine Maher, said: 'Nearly three in four Americans say they rely on their public radio stations for alerts and news for their public safety. Kate Riley, the president and CEO of the advocacy group America's Public Television Stations, said the organization was 'devastated that the Senate voted to eliminate federal funding to the local public television stations throughout this country that provide essential lifesaving public safety services, proven educational services and community connections to their communities every day for free'. The head of Native Public Media, Loris Taylor, called the Senate's decision 'deeply troubling'. Taylor, who heads a network of 57 Native radio stations and four T stations, had privately implored the South Dakota Republican senator Mike Rounds to reject the package, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. Following the Senate's passage of the bill, which Rounds ultimately endorsed, Taylor said: 'It 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. 'Without this federal support, Native and rural communities stand to lose critical lifelines that connect them to the rest of the nation.' Echoing similar sentiments, Tom Abbott, the general manager of the KFSK community radio in Petersburg, Alaska, said: 'This destructive rescission of CPB funding – the substantial majority of which goes to local stations per statutory formula – will result in immediate and serious cuts to stations' local services and in some cases the total closure of stations, particularly in rural communities.' Abbott said: 'KFSK is about to lose 30% of our budget for this fiscal year, which began on July 1. We have a staff of five with an additional two part-time high school students and a Columbia University School of Journalism graduate student employed as our summer news intern. We will be forced to reduce our staff and therefore reduce our local service.' He added: 'Our broadcast day is nearly 60% locally produced content, ironically this revenue cut will likely result in more NPR-produced content in the event we can continue to raise enough donations locally to remain relevant and on the air.' LaFontaine Oliver, the president and executive chair of New York Public radio, shared similar concerns over the cuts' impacts on smaller stations. 'While CPB funding represents a relatively modest percentage of New York Public Radio's revenue, approximately 4%, the loss of CPB funding will still have a notable impact on our ability to serve audiences in our city and region with local news, community conversation, and cultural and classical music programming,' Oliver said. 'But we know that federal funding accounts for a much more significant amount of the budget for stations in smaller markets and rural areas, places that often lack commercial broadcast options, and those communities will feel the impact most swiftly and deeply,' he added. As part of NYPR's response to the threats from the Trump administration over public broadcasting, the station created a new role for LaFontaine – executive chair – this week. The station said this new role was created to allow LaFontaine 'to focus on the long-term sustainability of NYPR and the broader public radio system'. 'He'll be focusing on fundraising from foundations, members and other public sources, forging new collaborations and finding ways to support smaller stations,' NYPR added. Related: Why is the media paying millions to Trump? – podcast Other stations have also begun making internal changes. Earlier this week, the San Francisco-based TV and radio station KQED announced that it was making a 15% reduction to its workforce, citing 'a number of concurrent attempts to eliminate or impair federal funding for public media.' KQED's president, Michael Isip, said: 'We are deeply troubled that the Senate voted to eliminate congressionally approved federal funding for public media … If enacted, this bill poses serious financial challenges to NPR, PBS, and all local stations like KQED. 'Ultimately, the greatest impact will be on the communities we serve who rely on us for emergency communications, educational programming and services for our youngest learners, and trustworthy local news and information. This will be especially devastating in rural areas where their local public media station is their only local source for critical media services.' Solve the daily Crossword
San Francisco Chronicle
7 hours ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
This Northern California PBS station will lose half its budget to Trump cuts
KEET-TV transmitted its first lineup of fledgling programming from inside a garage before moving atop what locals call 'Humboldt Hill' in 1975. The hilltop station overlooking Eureka has, for decades, broadcast a mix of national and local programming. Its lean staff has produced documentaries chronicling suicide prevention and drug addiction across Humboldt County. It has carried classics like 'Mr. Rogers' and 'Sesame Street.' Now, the station is at risk of becoming a casualty of President Donald Trump's plans to claw back $9 billion in funds for public broadcasting and foreign aid. The cuts will hurt all public broadcasters, but for smaller stations the sudden loss of funding could be catastrophic. Northern California's rural public TV stations will lose the largest shares of their budgets in the region, putting them at the greatest risk of shuttering. Smaller stations nationwide are facing similar crises. 'We've been watching this in slow motion,' said Robert Stein, KEET's interim director of development. Nearly half of KEET's budget — about $700,000 — has historically come from federal funds, making it one of the state's most vulnerable stations under the recently passed Rescissions Act. In an open letter to the community Friday, KEET's Executive Director David Gordon told viewers the station would be forced to 'make painful cuts to both staff and programming in the days ahead.' California's rural TV stations are awaiting a Wednesday meeting with the PBS national office to learn more about what the broadcaster may be able to offer them. If nothing were to change regarding how PBS bills rural stations, most — if not all — would no longer be able to afford remaining affiliated stations, Stein said. 'The immediate impact on this is existential,' he said. 'Junk spending' On Friday, the House gave the Rescissions Act final approval, making what KEET and others in public broadcasting feared a reality. The Republican-led House passed the bill by a 216-213 vote along party lines. Trump has called tax dollars to local broadcasting wasteful spending. His May executive order directing federal agencies to cut off funding argued NPR and PBS both don't present 'fair, accurate or unbiased portrayal of current events' — something the broadcasters have adamantly refuted. 'We're cutting junk spending, foreign aid giveaways, woke public broadcasting, and other bloated programs that do nothing for the average American,' Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Redding, posted to X following the House vote. LaMalfa's district includes another at-risk PBS affiliate, KIXE. The station has historically received about 37% of its budget from the federal funds, said General Manager Rob Keenan. LaMalfa told the Chronicle on Monday he is sympathetic to rural stations such as KIXE, but said it isn't taxpayers' place to prop them up. 'We're looking at every place to try and save tax dollars and narrow that $2 trillion deficit down to something more responsible,' he said. Under the prior system, PBS stations would receive about half their annual funding in early October. The allocation is timed with when broadcasters are supposed to pay their bill to carry national PBS programming. KIXE joined the Public Broadcasting Service network in 1969. In 2020, it began broadcasting online. 'We are the system we have,' said Keenan, the KIXE manager. 'Especially in rural areas, especially in smaller markets, you don't have public media without an infusion of federal money.' There isn't the same concentration of wealthy donors in rural California as there is in the Bay Area, he said. 'Some of the bigger stations are going to fare it better, but not necessarily,' Keenan said. 'Story of a community' San Francisco's two NPR affiliate stations are already campaigning for donors to help make up the shortfall. For KQED, that's a staggering $8 million per year — about 8% of its $100 million budget for both TV and radio. For KALW, a smaller FM station, the funding cuts represent about $400,000, or about 7%, of its budget. 'I don't think we would stop streaming NPR,' Kass said. 'For us, like most stations, it will affect our ability to do local programming.' Before the cuts were finalized on the Hill, KQED — San Francisco's leading NPR affiliate — had already announced plans to cut 15% of its staff, or 45 positions. 'The defunding of public media poses grave financial challenges for NPR, PBS, and all local stations like KQED,' CEO Michael Isip said in a statement. 'This cut will be especially devastating for smaller stations and some will shut down in the coming months or years.' Because so much of the NPR system is linked, the cuts will likely mean fewer opportunities for stories originating in smaller cities across the country to make their way to California listeners.
