In a charged session before the House Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee, NPR CEO Katherine Maher and PBS President Paula Kerger address allegations of political bias and justify the necessity of continued federal funding for public broadcasting. The hearing, titled “Anti-American Airwaves: Holding the Heads of NPR and PBS Accountable,” is led by Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who accuses both organizations of operating as “radical leftwing echo chambers.”
Greene alleges that hardworking Americans are being forced to subsidize media that do not reflect their values, calling NPR and PBS “liberal propaganda for wealthy white Americans.” In her remarks, she points to NPR’s coverage decisions—including its initial reluctance to report on the Hunter Biden laptop story—and a report showing that 87 of NPR’s DC-based employees are registered Democrats, with no registered Republicans.
NPR President Katherine Maher acknowledges the report as “concerning,” but reaffirms that NPR operates under high journalistic standards and does not cater to any single viewpoint. PBS President Paula Kerger defends her organization as well, stating, “There’s nothing more American than PBS,” and emphasizing the network’s essential role in providing educational and cultural programming, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Democratic lawmakers push back against the GOP-led hearing. Representative Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts criticizes the hearing as a distraction from urgent national security issues, referencing the Trump administration’s handling of classified materials leaked through a Signal chat. California Democrat Robert Garcia defends PBS’s children’s programming, mocking Republican proposals to defund “Sesame Street” and emphasizing that Americans across party lines trust public media.
The debate comes amid renewed Republican efforts to eliminate or reduce funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which receives over $500 million annually from Congress to support NPR, PBS, and their local affiliates. These funds are supplemented by corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and listener donations. Greene has called for the complete defunding and dismantling of the CPB.
The broader political context includes ongoing investigations by the Federal Communications Commission, initiated in January under Commissioner Brendan Carr, to determine whether NPR and PBS have complied with regulations concerning commercial influence and political neutrality. Additionally, former President Donald Trump has publicly stated he would support cutting off federal funding to both organizations, aligning with efforts led by his advisor Elon Musk to reassess government spending on public services.
Despite these attacks, public support for NPR and PBS remains robust. A poll commissioned by PBS and conducted by YouGov finds that 65% of Trump voters believe PBS is either appropriately funded or underfunded, revealing strong bipartisan appreciation for its content.
As tensions flare over the future of public broadcasting, the House DOGE Committee’s hearing marks the latest chapter in a decades-long battle over the value and impartiality of federally supported media.
Sources:
- https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/26/npr-pbs-mtg-hearing-doge
- https://nypost.com/2025/03/26/us-news/trump-says-he-would-be-honored-to-see-npr-and-pbs-end
- https://apnews.com/article/6d20d591421f6b63dafd68c4bbac9018
- https://www.theverge.com/news/603532/fcc-npr-pbs-investigations-brendan-carr
- https://www.axios.com/2025/02/04/pbs-on-the-offense
- https://youtu.be/m-N4QUlSWjg
- https://youtu.be/HtJ2JS8Rrgw
