Trump shortens funds for public radio and TV channels- Diepresse.com

Most media are US President Donald Trump a thorn in the side. The White House restricted the access of the established news agency AP, for example, it allowed right -wing extremist bloggers. Trump wants to close the official state abroad « Voice of America » ​​- a judge has stopped this for the time being. Now public broadcasting is on the collar: the president issued a decree to finish the financing of the two non-commercial institutions National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). NPR includes around 800 non -commercial local radio transmitters, to public broadcasting service (PBS) around 350 television channels.

Specifically, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which is responsible for public funds for NPR and PBS, was instructed to set the direct financing of both transmitters to the largest possible extent. Trump and his supporters accuse the NPR and PBS to be partisan and biased.

Trump’s decree is part of a number of advances by the President to take unpleasant institutions with the withdrawal of federal funds. NPR and PBS had previously warned that a reduction in the funds would have devastating effects on the supply of Americans with reliable information in emergency situations. CPB was launched by the congress in 1967 and finances more than 1,500 local radio and television channels. There are no broadcasting fees like in most European countries in the United States.

Around 40th million listeners, 36th million seer

Most recently, Republican MP Marjorie Taylor Greene attacked the state financing of public service broadcasters. « We will demand the complete and total deletion and dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), » she said at the end of March at a hearing in the congress.

CPB already has a budget approved by the congress until 2027. In this, funds of over $ 500 million (465 million euros) are planned for financing. According to the broadcasting facilities, around 40 million US citizens hear NPR at least once a week, around 36 million US citizens turn their local PBS channels every month. (APA/dpa/editor)