| From | Tom Jones | Poynter <[email protected]> |
| Subject | The U.S. government is one step closer to defunding NPR, PBS |
| Date | June 13, 2025 11:30 AM |
Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
Links have been removed from this email. Learn more in the FAQ.
Email not displaying correctly?
View it in your browser ([link removed]) .
[link removed]
[link removed]
** OPINION
------------------------------------------------------------
** The U.S. government is one step closer to defunding NPR, PBS
------------------------------------------------------------
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., at the Capitol in Washington on Thursday. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Good morning. Wow, what a week in media. Journalists being targeted at the protests in Los Angeles. The ouster of longtime correspondent Terry Moran at ABC News, in part, because of the now-deleted tweet about President Donald Trump and his advisor Stephen Miller.
And on Thursday, even more big media news as the House voted to back Trump’s request to cut funding for NPR and PBS.
That’s where we’ll start today. For this item, I turn it over to my Poynter colleague Angela Fu, who has all the details on this latest development. Here’s her report:
The House of Representatives voted Thursday to approve President Donald Trump’s request to take back more than $1 billion in funding for public broadcasting.
The request — which also includes the revocation of more than $8 billion in foreign aid — now goes to the Senate, which has until July 18 to approve it by a majority vote. The House passed the measure 214-212 with four Republicans joining 208 Democrats in voting against it. Two Republicans switched their votes from “no” to “yes” near the end of the voting period.
Known formally as a rescissions package, the request targets the $1.07 billion Congress previously approved to fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting through September 2027. CPB, a private nonprofit, in turn distributes the money it receives to NPR, PBS and more than 1,500 local radio and television stations via grants. While CPB funding makes up a relatively small portion of NPR and PBS’ budgets, some local broadcast stations — especially those in rural areas — are heavily dependent on the funds.
It is unclear whether the Senate will approve Trump’s request. Though Republicans hold the majority in the Senate, several have spoken out against cutting certain programs included in the rescission package. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, for example, has been vocal ([link removed]) about her support for public broadcasting, writing last month that the elimination of federal funding for local stations would be “devastating.”
“Not only would a large portion of Alaska communities lose their local programming, but warning systems for natural disasters, power outages, boil water advisories, and other alerts would be severely hampered,” Murkowski wrote. “What may seem like a frivolous expense to some has proven to be an invaluable resource that saves lives in Alaska.”
The Senate could amend the rescissions package. Majority leader John Thune of South Dakota said ([link removed]) Thursday that he expects the Senate to consider the request in July.
During Trump’s first term, he sent a rescission package to Congress in 2018 that was passed by the House but struck down by the Senate. If his request is approved this time, Trump may send Congress more rescission packages to further cut spending and codify the reductions made by the Department of Government Efficiency.
The rescission package is part of a multi-pronged attack Trump and Republicans have launched against public broadcasting. In April, the White House told three of CPB’s five board members that they were being fired, and a DOGE official asked to meet with the two remaining board members.
A few days later, Trump signed an executive order ([link removed]) instructing CPB to stop funding NPR and PBS. In response to his actions, CPB, NPR and PBS have all filed separate lawsuits against Trump, accusing him of interfering with a private organization and violating the First Amendment.
Separately, Congress is debating whether to cut off future funding for CPB. Though public broadcasting has faced attacks from Republicans for decades — perhaps most notably in 1969 when Fred Rogers gave his famous testimony ([link removed]) in defense of PBS — CPB has managed to hold onto its funding.
That could change soon. Many Republicans have attacked NPR and PBS as having a liberal bias. They also argue that times have changed, and Americans no longer rely on public media for news and information since most people have cell phone and internet access.
Supporters of public media, however, point out that many people living in rural areas rely on programming from local broadcast stations. Even more Americans rely on the emergency alert systems that CPB funds. Last year, for example, Hurricane Helene took down communications infrastructure in western North Carolina, including internet and cell service. Residents there turned to local radio ([link removed]) for information.
To preserve their federal funding, NPR, PBS and local stations have lobbied lawmakers and ramped up awareness campaigns around the issue. A pop-up on NPR’s website Thursday mentioned the House vote and urged readers to take action. In bold letters, it warned, “If enacted, this will be the greatest blow to the NPR Network in history."
My thanks to Angela Fu. Now onto the rest of the newsletter …
A MESSAGE FROM POYNTER
** New reporter? Get tools and training to succeed
------------------------------------------------------------
New reporter? Get tools and training to succeed
Master the fundamentals with Building Blocks: Critical Skills for New Reporters. Learn essential reporting techniques, storytelling methods, and newsroom navigation skills through live virtual sessions led by seasoned journalists. Get personalized mentorship, develop compelling story ideas, and build ethical interviewing skills while connecting with a supportive journalism community. Registration deadline: June 30.
Register today ([link removed]) .
** Interesting read of the day
------------------------------------------------------------
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand writes about Pat McAfee ([link removed]) , who is one of the most notable people in sports media these days. McAfee’s show was picked up by ESPN, he appears on ESPN’s “College GameDay” during football season and he is an announcer for the WWE. He is hugely popular, and certainly has figured out the sports media landscape.
There are a few juicy nuggets in Marchand’s piece, including that ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter was apparently banned from the show for a spell, and that McAfee cares deeply about his image.
Marchard wrote, “During a GameDay stop in Norman, Oklahoma, last fall, McAfee grew upset about being shown swinging and missing during a segment in which he faced a University of Oklahoma softball pitcher. McAfee, according to sources briefed on the incident, demanded to know the name of the GameDay staff member who put it on the air, but he was denied the information.”
Meanwhile, Marchand writes that Schefter was “essentially banned” from McAfee’s show. The reason is that McAfee wanted Schefter to come on during NFL free agency back in March, but Schefter’s busy schedule made it impossible. Interestingly, Schefter did make a return appearance to McAfee’s show on Thursday.
But during the time between Schefter past two appearances, one of Schefter’s competitors, the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, has appeared on McAfee’s show 17 times.
Did Marchand’s story come up on McAfee's show on Thursday? Well, maybe. At one point, McAfee’s on-air crew asked him what came across his desk. A smiling McAfee first said, “Let’s not worry about it.”
When pressed a bit more about it, McAfee said, “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
Again, it’s not for sure they were talking about Marchand’s story.
ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus said in a statement to Marchand, “Pat and his show are thriving on ESPN. We are very pleased with the partnership. That said, in the nearly three years since Pat has brought his show to our platforms, we’ve continuously seen those out there that are seemingly obsessed with wanting to see Pat fail on ESPN. This rumor is just the latest example of that. Pat and his show continue to break the mold and reach new audiences, and we look forward to the continued success together.”
There’s much more to Marchand’s story about McAfee, including what McAfee might have in store for the future. And while McAfee and ESPN likely get frustrated that long stories get whittled down to a nugget or two such as this, you have to admit it’s juicy stuff.
** Media news, tidbits and interesting links for your weekend review
------------------------------------------------------------
* My colleague Rick Edmonds, Poynter’s media business analyst, with “Inside the 5-year strategy to create a paid CNN.” ([link removed])
* The Wall Street Journal’s Isabella Simonetti and Joe Flint write about ABC News’ Terry Moran in “Inside ABC News’s Decision to Oust a Longtime Correspondent.” ([link removed])
* The Los Angeles Times’ Libor Jany with “L.A. law enforcement’s treatment of journalists during protests is once again under scrutiny.” ([link removed])
* The Washington Post’s Matt Viser and Travis M. Andrews with “Trump brings red-carpet vibe, and boos, to Kennedy Center’s ‘Les Mis.’” ([link removed])
* For Nieman Lab, Jennifer Hoewe with “Americans still have faith in local news — but few are willing to pay for it.” ([link removed])
* Make some time for this story. The Washington Post’s Ariana Eunjung Cha, Drea Cornejo, Jahi Chikwendiu, Dan Keating and Julia Wall with “He’s dying. She’s pregnant. His one last wish is to fight his cancer long enough to see his baby.” ([link removed])
* Associated Press national media writer David Bauder, who has written extensively about music in the past, with a thoughtful, must-read piece: “Musical revolutionaries Sly Stone and Brian Wilson leave life’s stage nearly simultaneously.” ([link removed])
* GQ columnist and podcaster Chris Black with “Saluting Marc Maron, a Podcast Pioneer Who Unlocked the Gates.” ([link removed])
* Carrie Budoff Brown, one of the founders of Politico, is returning to Politico after a four-year stint at NBC News. Brown has been the senior vice president of politics at NBC News. Politico Global Editor-In-Chief, John Harris, announced Brown will take the helm in Brussels as Executive Editor and Executive Vice President. Here’s the note ([link removed]) from Harris.
** More resources for journalists
------------------------------------------------------------
* Join Poynter leaders and Pulitzer winners on June 16 for a webinar navigating sourcing challenges in journalism. Enroll today ([link removed]) .
* Access ([link removed]) Poynter’s comprehensive mental health reporting resources.
* Learn how to “lead your leaders” in this virtual intensive for journalism managers handling big responsibilities without direct reports. Apply today ([link removed]) .
* Refine your immigration policy expertise with Poynter's Beat Academy. Enroll now ([link removed]) .
New reporters: Get essential reporting techniques, effective storytelling methods, and newsroom navigation skills. Register today ([link removed]) .
Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
The Poynter Report is your daily dive into the world of media, packed with the latest news and insights. Get it delivered to your inbox Monday through Friday by signing up here ([link removed]) . And don’t forget to tune into our biweekly podcast ([link removed]) for even more.
[link removed]
Help Poynter strengthen journalism, truth and democracy ([link removed])
GIVE NOW ([link removed])
ADVERTISE ([link removed]) // DONATE ([link removed]) // LEARN ([link removed]) // JOBS ([link removed])
Did someone forward you this email? Sign up here. ([link removed])
[link removed] [link removed] [link removed] [link removed] mailto:[email protected]?subject=Feedback%20for%20Poynter
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
© All rights reserved Poynter Institute 2025
801 Third Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
If you don't want to receive email updates from Poynter, we understand.
You can change your subscription preferences ([link removed]) or unsubscribe from all Poynter emails ([link removed]) .
View it in your browser ([link removed]) .
[link removed]
[link removed]
** OPINION
------------------------------------------------------------
** The U.S. government is one step closer to defunding NPR, PBS
------------------------------------------------------------
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., at the Capitol in Washington on Thursday. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Good morning. Wow, what a week in media. Journalists being targeted at the protests in Los Angeles. The ouster of longtime correspondent Terry Moran at ABC News, in part, because of the now-deleted tweet about President Donald Trump and his advisor Stephen Miller.
And on Thursday, even more big media news as the House voted to back Trump’s request to cut funding for NPR and PBS.
That’s where we’ll start today. For this item, I turn it over to my Poynter colleague Angela Fu, who has all the details on this latest development. Here’s her report:
The House of Representatives voted Thursday to approve President Donald Trump’s request to take back more than $1 billion in funding for public broadcasting.
The request — which also includes the revocation of more than $8 billion in foreign aid — now goes to the Senate, which has until July 18 to approve it by a majority vote. The House passed the measure 214-212 with four Republicans joining 208 Democrats in voting against it. Two Republicans switched their votes from “no” to “yes” near the end of the voting period.
Known formally as a rescissions package, the request targets the $1.07 billion Congress previously approved to fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting through September 2027. CPB, a private nonprofit, in turn distributes the money it receives to NPR, PBS and more than 1,500 local radio and television stations via grants. While CPB funding makes up a relatively small portion of NPR and PBS’ budgets, some local broadcast stations — especially those in rural areas — are heavily dependent on the funds.
It is unclear whether the Senate will approve Trump’s request. Though Republicans hold the majority in the Senate, several have spoken out against cutting certain programs included in the rescission package. Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, for example, has been vocal ([link removed]) about her support for public broadcasting, writing last month that the elimination of federal funding for local stations would be “devastating.”
“Not only would a large portion of Alaska communities lose their local programming, but warning systems for natural disasters, power outages, boil water advisories, and other alerts would be severely hampered,” Murkowski wrote. “What may seem like a frivolous expense to some has proven to be an invaluable resource that saves lives in Alaska.”
The Senate could amend the rescissions package. Majority leader John Thune of South Dakota said ([link removed]) Thursday that he expects the Senate to consider the request in July.
During Trump’s first term, he sent a rescission package to Congress in 2018 that was passed by the House but struck down by the Senate. If his request is approved this time, Trump may send Congress more rescission packages to further cut spending and codify the reductions made by the Department of Government Efficiency.
The rescission package is part of a multi-pronged attack Trump and Republicans have launched against public broadcasting. In April, the White House told three of CPB’s five board members that they were being fired, and a DOGE official asked to meet with the two remaining board members.
A few days later, Trump signed an executive order ([link removed]) instructing CPB to stop funding NPR and PBS. In response to his actions, CPB, NPR and PBS have all filed separate lawsuits against Trump, accusing him of interfering with a private organization and violating the First Amendment.
Separately, Congress is debating whether to cut off future funding for CPB. Though public broadcasting has faced attacks from Republicans for decades — perhaps most notably in 1969 when Fred Rogers gave his famous testimony ([link removed]) in defense of PBS — CPB has managed to hold onto its funding.
That could change soon. Many Republicans have attacked NPR and PBS as having a liberal bias. They also argue that times have changed, and Americans no longer rely on public media for news and information since most people have cell phone and internet access.
Supporters of public media, however, point out that many people living in rural areas rely on programming from local broadcast stations. Even more Americans rely on the emergency alert systems that CPB funds. Last year, for example, Hurricane Helene took down communications infrastructure in western North Carolina, including internet and cell service. Residents there turned to local radio ([link removed]) for information.
To preserve their federal funding, NPR, PBS and local stations have lobbied lawmakers and ramped up awareness campaigns around the issue. A pop-up on NPR’s website Thursday mentioned the House vote and urged readers to take action. In bold letters, it warned, “If enacted, this will be the greatest blow to the NPR Network in history."
My thanks to Angela Fu. Now onto the rest of the newsletter …
A MESSAGE FROM POYNTER
** New reporter? Get tools and training to succeed
------------------------------------------------------------
New reporter? Get tools and training to succeed
Master the fundamentals with Building Blocks: Critical Skills for New Reporters. Learn essential reporting techniques, storytelling methods, and newsroom navigation skills through live virtual sessions led by seasoned journalists. Get personalized mentorship, develop compelling story ideas, and build ethical interviewing skills while connecting with a supportive journalism community. Registration deadline: June 30.
Register today ([link removed]) .
** Interesting read of the day
------------------------------------------------------------
The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand writes about Pat McAfee ([link removed]) , who is one of the most notable people in sports media these days. McAfee’s show was picked up by ESPN, he appears on ESPN’s “College GameDay” during football season and he is an announcer for the WWE. He is hugely popular, and certainly has figured out the sports media landscape.
There are a few juicy nuggets in Marchand’s piece, including that ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter was apparently banned from the show for a spell, and that McAfee cares deeply about his image.
Marchard wrote, “During a GameDay stop in Norman, Oklahoma, last fall, McAfee grew upset about being shown swinging and missing during a segment in which he faced a University of Oklahoma softball pitcher. McAfee, according to sources briefed on the incident, demanded to know the name of the GameDay staff member who put it on the air, but he was denied the information.”
Meanwhile, Marchand writes that Schefter was “essentially banned” from McAfee’s show. The reason is that McAfee wanted Schefter to come on during NFL free agency back in March, but Schefter’s busy schedule made it impossible. Interestingly, Schefter did make a return appearance to McAfee’s show on Thursday.
But during the time between Schefter past two appearances, one of Schefter’s competitors, the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, has appeared on McAfee’s show 17 times.
Did Marchand’s story come up on McAfee's show on Thursday? Well, maybe. At one point, McAfee’s on-air crew asked him what came across his desk. A smiling McAfee first said, “Let’s not worry about it.”
When pressed a bit more about it, McAfee said, “We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”
Again, it’s not for sure they were talking about Marchand’s story.
ESPN President of Content Burke Magnus said in a statement to Marchand, “Pat and his show are thriving on ESPN. We are very pleased with the partnership. That said, in the nearly three years since Pat has brought his show to our platforms, we’ve continuously seen those out there that are seemingly obsessed with wanting to see Pat fail on ESPN. This rumor is just the latest example of that. Pat and his show continue to break the mold and reach new audiences, and we look forward to the continued success together.”
There’s much more to Marchand’s story about McAfee, including what McAfee might have in store for the future. And while McAfee and ESPN likely get frustrated that long stories get whittled down to a nugget or two such as this, you have to admit it’s juicy stuff.
** Media news, tidbits and interesting links for your weekend review
------------------------------------------------------------
* My colleague Rick Edmonds, Poynter’s media business analyst, with “Inside the 5-year strategy to create a paid CNN.” ([link removed])
* The Wall Street Journal’s Isabella Simonetti and Joe Flint write about ABC News’ Terry Moran in “Inside ABC News’s Decision to Oust a Longtime Correspondent.” ([link removed])
* The Los Angeles Times’ Libor Jany with “L.A. law enforcement’s treatment of journalists during protests is once again under scrutiny.” ([link removed])
* The Washington Post’s Matt Viser and Travis M. Andrews with “Trump brings red-carpet vibe, and boos, to Kennedy Center’s ‘Les Mis.’” ([link removed])
* For Nieman Lab, Jennifer Hoewe with “Americans still have faith in local news — but few are willing to pay for it.” ([link removed])
* Make some time for this story. The Washington Post’s Ariana Eunjung Cha, Drea Cornejo, Jahi Chikwendiu, Dan Keating and Julia Wall with “He’s dying. She’s pregnant. His one last wish is to fight his cancer long enough to see his baby.” ([link removed])
* Associated Press national media writer David Bauder, who has written extensively about music in the past, with a thoughtful, must-read piece: “Musical revolutionaries Sly Stone and Brian Wilson leave life’s stage nearly simultaneously.” ([link removed])
* GQ columnist and podcaster Chris Black with “Saluting Marc Maron, a Podcast Pioneer Who Unlocked the Gates.” ([link removed])
* Carrie Budoff Brown, one of the founders of Politico, is returning to Politico after a four-year stint at NBC News. Brown has been the senior vice president of politics at NBC News. Politico Global Editor-In-Chief, John Harris, announced Brown will take the helm in Brussels as Executive Editor and Executive Vice President. Here’s the note ([link removed]) from Harris.
** More resources for journalists
------------------------------------------------------------
* Join Poynter leaders and Pulitzer winners on June 16 for a webinar navigating sourcing challenges in journalism. Enroll today ([link removed]) .
* Access ([link removed]) Poynter’s comprehensive mental health reporting resources.
* Learn how to “lead your leaders” in this virtual intensive for journalism managers handling big responsibilities without direct reports. Apply today ([link removed]) .
* Refine your immigration policy expertise with Poynter's Beat Academy. Enroll now ([link removed]) .
New reporters: Get essential reporting techniques, effective storytelling methods, and newsroom navigation skills. Register today ([link removed]) .
Have feedback or a tip? Email Poynter senior media writer Tom Jones at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
The Poynter Report is your daily dive into the world of media, packed with the latest news and insights. Get it delivered to your inbox Monday through Friday by signing up here ([link removed]) . And don’t forget to tune into our biweekly podcast ([link removed]) for even more.
[link removed]
Help Poynter strengthen journalism, truth and democracy ([link removed])
GIVE NOW ([link removed])
ADVERTISE ([link removed]) // DONATE ([link removed]) // LEARN ([link removed]) // JOBS ([link removed])
Did someone forward you this email? Sign up here. ([link removed])
[link removed] [link removed] [link removed] [link removed] mailto:[email protected]?subject=Feedback%20for%20Poynter
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
[link removed]
© All rights reserved Poynter Institute 2025
801 Third Street South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
If you don't want to receive email updates from Poynter, we understand.
You can change your subscription preferences ([link removed]) or unsubscribe from all Poynter emails ([link removed]) .
Message Analysis
- Sender: Poynter Institute
- Political Party: n/a
- Country: United States
- State/Locality: n/a
- Office: n/a
-
Email Providers:
- MailChimp