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The Metro: An update on proposed federal funding cuts to NPR, PBS

25 June 2025 at 17:11

Federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is the focus of a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on Wednesday. 

The publicly-funded nonprofit, which provides funding to PBS, NPR and its affiliates like WDET, would lose $1.1 billion — two years’ worth of funding that has already been approved by Congress — if the bill passed by the House earlier this month gets Senate approval. It would also rescind more than $8 billion in funding for foreign aid programs addressing global public health, international disaster assistance and hunger relief.

That bill passed in the House by a margin of 214 to 212, with four Republicans crossing the aisle to vote against the package. There were also four Democrats and two Republicans who did not vote on the bill at all.

President Donald Trump has already signed an executive order to eliminate CPB funding, claiming all public media is biased, but the Rescissions Act of 2025 would go beyond that, revoking funding already approved by Congress.

Today on The Metro, we break down what it would mean for public media organizations like WDET if the legislation gets Congressional approval.

Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming on-demand.

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

Donate today »

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The post The Metro: An update on proposed federal funding cuts to NPR, PBS appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

The Metro: How Trump’s attack on public media threatens democracy and access to information

10 June 2025 at 16:00

President Trump is taking direct aim at NPR and PBS—threatening to cut a billion-dollar lifeline from America’s public airwaves. He claims public media is biased and is pushing Congress to eliminate $1.1 billion in federal funding, with a vote expected this week.

Free speech advocates warn the stakes are high. Without this funding, millions could lose access to trusted news, emergency alerts, and a platform for civic engagement. Experts say this move echoes the slow erosion of press freedom seen in countries like Hungary, Turkey, and Venezuela.

Victor Pickard, a media scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, joins The Metro today to explain why weakening public media weakens democracy.

Listen to The Metro weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon ET on 101.9 FM and streaming  on demand.

Trusted, accurate, up-to-date.

WDET strives to make our journalism accessible to everyone. As a public media institution, we maintain our journalistic integrity through independent support from readers like you. If you value WDET as your source of news, music and conversation, please make a gift today.

Donate today »

More stories from The Metro

The post The Metro: How Trump’s attack on public media threatens democracy and access to information appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

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