CURRENT THREATS TO PUBLIC MEDIA

AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

It’s time to stand up for independent journalism, vital storytelling, and vibrant cultural programming.

As threats to funding for public media have been in the news, many of you—our audiences, supporters, and community partners—have been asking how to stay informed and support public media. We will be updating this page regularly as this unsettling situation continues to unfold. 

The actions coming out of Washington right now signal a broader effort to not only take away critical funding, but to destabilize the very foundation of public broadcasting. These new challenges are unfolding against the backdrop of a decades-long crisis in local journalism, and a rapidly changing media landscape that has fractured the news and information landscape—leading to an increase in partisan platforms, rampant mis- and disinformation, and financial challenges for media outlets nationwide, including New York Public Radio. Now is a moment when public media has never been more valuable. It’s also a moment when public media has never been more vulnerable, and when we need to stand together to protect it. 

What’s been happening?

• Funding rescission, or “clawback” proposal (pending): Recent news reports indicate the White House will send a proposal for Congress to vote on rescinding roughly $1.1 billion in federal funding to public broadcasting that has already been approved, once Congress returns from spring recess on April 28. Approval of the rescission request would take only a simple majority in the House and Senate.
  
• Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) subcommittee hearing: On March 26, the heads of NPR and PBS, Katherine Maher and Paula Kerger, were called to testify. They were joined by Alaska Public Media President Ed Ulman and other advocates. At the end of the hearing, committee chair Marjorie Taylor Greene said “After listening to what we’ve heard today, we will be calling for the complete and total defund and dismantling of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.”
  
• Legislative challenges to federal funding through the CPB: Lawmakers have introduced House and Senate versions of the “No Propaganda Act,” to prohibit federal funding for NPR and PBS. Another bill was put forward after the DOGE subcommittee hearing, known as the “No NPR and PBS Act” for short. Public funding for public broadcasting has enjoyed bipartisan support for over 50 years.
  
• Investigation by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC): In January 2025, the FCC launched an investigation into the underwriting practices of NPR and PBS, and member stations. FCC chair Brendan Carr has noted that his investigation could inform Congressional debate about federal funding, and stated that he does “not see a reason why Congress should continue sending taxpayer dollars to NPR and PBS.”
  

• Support from state lawmakers: Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal has proposed an additional $8 million allocation for public radio stations across the state in the NYS budget, noting that “public media is a vital resource that is already underfunded and is now facing significant cuts from the federal govt.”

How can I stand with NYPR (WNYC, WQXR, New Jersey Public Radio, and Gothamist) and public broadcasters nationwide?

• Protect My Public Media: Visit Protect My Public Media, a one-stop shop for action, advocacy, and information—and encourage others in your life to do the same! With a few clicks, you can reach out directly to urge your public officials to safeguard this essential public resource, and sign up for email updates.
• Donate now to safeguard our future: Your gift, at any level, will help us build a financial firewall to defend against current attacks and increase preparedness for the future. If you are interested in making a major philanthropic gift ($25,000 or greater), please consider reaching out to giving@nypublicradio.org.
• Sign up for our newsletters: Subscribe to any or all of our newsletters, across New York Public Radio, to get updates as they unfold.

Why is New York Public Radio so essential?

The commercial model for local news has long been broken. The US has lost one third of its print newspapers over the last 20 years, and 80% of those that remain are weeklies, not dailies. Even New York City—the largest media market in the country—has seen drastic cuts, leaving the city without enough journalists to cover key beats and issues. Amidst that growing void, New York Public Radio and peers in public media have become increasingly essential sources for rigorous journalism, civil conversation, and lively cultural and music programming.  New York Public Radio is home to the largest public radio station group in the country (WNYC, WQXR, and New Jersey Public Radio), as well as local NYC news site Gothamist, pioneering podcast producer WNYC Studios, and event venue The Jerome L. Greene Performance Space. Together, these mission-driven entities form an essential community asset that provides incomparable service to our city and region:

• WNYC’s broadcast signals reach the five boroughs of New York City, the surrounding New York suburbs, and approximately 75% of the New Jersey population. 
• WNYC is the nation’s #1 public radio station, and home to one of the most diverse legacy newsrooms in the country.
• WNYC is the only Emergency Alert System on the FM dial in NYC—producing vital and even life-saving updates in times of crisis, from 9/11 to Hurricane Sandy to recent events like last year’s earthquake and the wildfire smoke crisis the year before. 
• WNYC’s first-of-its-kind local daily news podcast NYC NOW has filled the gap for on-demand local news in NYC.
• On his daily call-in show, Brian Lehrer serves as the town square of our New York City, bringing listeners, thinkers, experts, and lawmakers together in direct conversation.
• A recent CPB grant allowed us to bring on a new Capitol reporter as part of the New York Public News Collaborative, through which our statehouse reporting from Albany is shared with public media outlets all across the state.  
• On-air for almost 90 years, WQXR is the city’s only all-classical radio station, and the most accessible platform for audiences to experience the joy of classical music. 
• WQXR broadcasts live concerts from Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and other iconic music and cultural institutions, magnifying their reach by an order of magnitude and opening their doors to those for whom a concert ticket may not be in the family budget.
• WNYC Studios is home to beloved industry-leading podcasts and national radio shows, including Radiolab, The New Yorker Radio Hour, On The Media, and Terrestrials—an educational kids’ science podcast produced with free online learning materials and used by educators nationwide.

How does federal funding for public media work? What is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)?

Congress appropriates money biannually to support the CPB—an independent nonprofit organization authorized by Congress to manage the government’s investment in public media. CPB was established following the Public Broadcasting Act (1967), with a mission of ensuring universal access to noncommercial, high-quality telecommunications services, and has seen bipartisan support ever since. Public broadcasting is a source of local news, civic conversation, and critical emergency broadcast services for Americans in all 50 states and in every type of community: urban, suburban, rural, and remote. It is a highly successful example of a private-public partnership, and federal funding for public media amounts to about 0.01% of federal spending—only about $1.60 per person per year. 

The public media system is also unique within the American media landscape. Independent, nonprofit public radio stations (including WNYC) combine original, locally produced content with programming licensed from NPR, the BBC, and other public media producers—curating a unique offering that meets the needs of their local communities. Stations often collaborate on shared programs, to bring in the perspectives of people across the nation. Collectively, stations rely on pooled resources from the CPB, including satellite interconnection, emergency alert systems, music licensing, and the development of educational programs.

How much funding for NYPR is at risk?

Direct funding from the CPB is a relatively modest, but still very meaningful, revenue source, accounting for about 4% of New York Public Radio’s annual budget. The loss of government funding would significantly impact our ability to serve our city and state.

For stations serving smaller markets and rural and remote areas, CPB funding can account for a significantly greater percentage of their revenue base. Additionally, in many of these communities, public media is the only remaining source for local news and critical emergency alerts. Eliminating CPB funding would create additional news deserts and exacerbate existing ones. It would also leave fewer stations left to bear the shared costs of nationally syndicated programming, harming NYPR, NPR, and all stations nationwide.

What is the FCC investigation? What’s at stake?

In January, the FCC launched an investigation into the on-air underwriting practices of NPR, PBS, and their member stations. The FCC prohibits public radio stations from running commercials, but permits the airing of sponsorship announcements, acknowledging financial support received. WNYC and WQXR adhere to the guidelines set forth for non-commercial radio stations.

Sponsorship is one of the three revenue sources that make up New York Public Radio’s longstanding nonprofit business model, and a disruption in that funding would have a significant impact on our fiscal standing.

Additional information:

• PBS News Hour ran an informative 5-minute segment on the White House’s pending proposal for Congress to rescind all of public media’s funding. 
• After the DOGE Subcommittee Hearing, NPR correspondents Scott Neuman and David Folkenflik shared 4 Takeaways.
• LaFontaine Oliver, NYPR President and CEO, recently went on The Brian Lehrer Show to talk with Brian about the threats facing the public media system.
• In a recent newsletter, NPR’s Public Editor, Kelly McBride, dives into audience questions about federal funding of public media.