In early December, a conservative nonprofit law firm filed comments at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) urging the FCC to investigate and potentially revoke the broadcast licenses of NPR and PBS stations across the country. In its filing, the Center for American Rights (CAR) wrote: “In the wake of the wind-down of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the end of federal funding for NPR and PBS, the Center respectfully suggests that the Commission open an inquiry that looks at the future of ‘public’ broadcasting in that new environment.”
Some media observers have speculated that defunding public broadcasting was merely a first step by the Trump Administration toward the real long-term goal of dismantling the entire institution.
Funding for independently licensed public radio and television stations through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) was eliminated in July following a vote by Congress to approve President Trump’s request to rescind all funding. With no funding to distribute, CPB announced plans to cease its operations.
CAR’s FCC filing further states: “If PBS and NPR cannot prove a viable long-term business model as national networks—and if their individual affiliates cannot show long-term business models in each market—then this Commission needs to consider whether those channels (i.e., that spectrum) will become available in the near future for other potential licensees or uses.”
While the FCC has never considered long-term financial viability to be an element of its criteria for renewing broadcast station licenses, it’s conceivable that it could in the future. That said, most public stations across the country have made a strong recovery from the loss of federal support, buoyed by the generous support of local listeners and viewers. Here at JPR, listener support is up an amazing 127% through November and we have now successfully replaced the federal support we lost during our current fiscal year.
As a singular datapoint, the CAR filing is just one comment among thousands the FCC receives about a wide range of topics. But, considered in context with other conservative media-related policy positions, like the call to revoke the noncommercial status of NPR and PBS affiliated stations contained in the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, it’s a warning sign that should not be ignored.
Some media observers have speculated that defunding public broadcasting was merely a first step by the Trump Administration toward the real long-term goal of dismantling the entire institution. These observers suggest that after defunding CPB, threats to station licenses and perhaps even their non-profit status could be next.
As we look ahead to the challenges and opportunities of a new year, it’s becoming clear that our work to preserve independent public broadcasting stations, along with NPR and PBS, as vital institutions of our democracy and our culture has only just begun.
