PBS reduces its budget in response to the Trump war on the public media

In an email message sent to PBS managers on Wednesday, the PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger announced that the organization plans to reduce its budget by 21 percent to compensate for some financial damage caused by the Trump administration campaign to Preventing public media from receiving federal financing It was originally distributed by CPB. Because of the recently passed bill, PBS and NPR and all two companies affiliated with both organizations will not get $ 1.1 billion that have been allocated to be used over the next two years.

In addition to budget discounts, the PBS board also voted in favor of reducing the total amount of dues it collects from member stations throughout the country by 35 million dollars – by reducing about 15 percent of $ 227 million originally in the budget in June. In addition, PBS gives its member stations more time to plan how to collect the money needed to pay their dues, which is The formula is determined This explains the amount of non -federal financing they receive.

The transition to low dues aims to facilitate the matter on the stations of the PBS – similar to air programming Sesame Streetand PBS News HourAnd Find your roots – To deal with some of their financial burdens. But Kirger was also clear in her memoirs that a TV program as a whole was fighting a difficult battle to stay on his feet.

“We realize that even with the reduction of dues, the modified payment schedule and the efforts made to raise funds for initial financial stability, we all face difficult options about the future,” said Kirger. “We are stronger together, and we will continue to focus on our mission.”

Although the CPB is scheduled to start strengthening its operations down At the end of SeptemberPBS and NPR – which historically depends on federal financing to help funding programming and paying employees – will not disappear, at least, not yet. Earlier this month, NPR said it reduced its budget by $ 8 million and Using this money to create a “dilution of fees” box To help smaller members stations meet their needs. But the dismantling of CPB will put great pressure on the largest broadcaster of the United States’ public media, especially for The smaller members stations in more rural areas throughout the country. In the case of PBS, it is also possible that the new budget reduction will lead to the demobilization of workers.