Pres. Trump’s relationship with the majority of the news media has been tense, at best. So it might not come as a surprise to find out that his administration has once again proposed to cut federal funding for public media.
Needless to say, PBS is not pleased about this possibility.
PBS president and chief executive Paula Kerger released the following statement earlier today in opposition to such a proposal:
PBS and our member stations have earned bipartisan Congressional support because of the vital role that public television plays in homes and communities across the country. For 50 years, PBS has served as a trusted source for educational and thought-provoking programming, including school readiness initiatives for children, support for teachers and caregivers, public safety communications and lifelong learning across broadcast and digital platforms.
“For the 17th year in a row, Americans have named PBS and our member stations #1 in public trust among nationally known institutions. In addition, Americans rank PBS second only to the country’s military defense in terms of value for taxpayer dollars. We are grateful to have the support of the public, and we will continue to keep our focus on providing services that change lives and strengthen communities.”
A move such as this could mean the elimination of the legendary PBS NewsHour, public television’s nightly newscast founded by the late Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil in 1975, and currently anchored by Judy Woodruff.