President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at overthrowing public subsidies to PBS and NPR while allegedly “bias” in reporting broadcasters.
The order teaches the Corporation for public broadcasting and other federal agencies that “stop federal funds for NPR and PBS” and are more demanding that they work to root indirect sources of public financing for news organizations. The White House, in a social media post that expresses the signing, said the outlets that “receive millions from taxpayers to spread the radical, the propaganda that is known as' News' awakens. '”
This is Trump's latest move and his administration to exercise federal powers to control or hamstring institutions with actions or insights he does not agree with. Ever since the office, Trump released the leaders, put staff on administrative leave and cut off hundreds of millions of dollars funding artists, libraries, museums, movie theaters and more, through takeovers ofJohn F. Kennedy Center for Performing Artsand the National Endowment for Humanities. Trump also pushed to prevent federal research and education funds from universities and punish law companies unless they agreed to eliminate difference programs and other measures Trump found.
The broadcastersGet about half a billion dollarsIn public currency by the Corporation for public broadcasting, and prepares for the possibility of hard cuts from Trump's election, as Republicans have long complained about them.
Paula Kerger, CEO of PBS 'and President, said in a statement last month that the Trump administration's efforts to save funding for public media would “interfere with the important PBS services of PBS and local member stations provided to Americans.”
“There is no more American than PBS, and our work is only possible because of the support of the bipartisan we have always received from Congress,” he said. “This public-private cooperation enables us to help prepare millions of children for school and life success and also support enrichment and inspiring high quality programs.”
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting filed with Trump earlier this week in his transfer to the fire of three members of its five-year board, focusing that the President had exceeded his authority and that the move would remove the board of a quorum needed to conduct a business.
Just two weeks ago, the White House said it would ask Congress to rescue funds for the CPB as part of a $ 9.1 billion deduction package. That package, however, in which budget director Russell Vought said it was likely that the first of the wilderness, had not been sent to Capitol Hill.
Moving against PBS and NPR came as his administration was working to abolish the US agency for global media, including Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, designed to model independent news gathering worldwide in societies that restrict the press. Those efforts have faced pushing from federal courts, which decides in some cases that the Trump administration may overstepped its authority into preventing funds being awarded to the Congress outlets.
This story was originally featured on Fortune.com
