Late on Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to cut funds for the nation’s public media stations. The cuts would impact NPR, PBS and the more than 1,300 local public media stations across the country, including STLPR.
The order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) board to cease federal funding for NPR and PBS. That would prevent the CPB from disbursing funds it has not already allocated to NPR and PBS stations.
The elimination of these funds represents an immediate existential crisis to independent public radio and television stations operating around the country, and in St. Louis.
Here’s what you need to know about attempts to defund public media thus far, and what comes next for the CPB and STLPR.
How did we get here?
On March 14th, 2025, in a promising sign, Congress passed a continuing resolution that included CPB funding through fiscal year 2027.
On March 26, NPR and PBS CEOs were asked to testify before Congress at a hearing hostile to the concept of CPB funding. Watch that hearing here.
On April 14, the White House announced plans to submit a formal rescission proposal to Congress to eliminate previously appropriated funds for the CPB. That rescission request was presumed to be forthcoming.
Late on Thursday, May 1, the President instead issued an executive order instructing the CPB’s board to terminate direct funding for NPR and PBS to the “maximum extent allowed by law” and to cease all future funding. It also orders the board to take steps to minimize or eliminate any indirect funding.
What happens now
Thursday’s executive order will likely be challenged in court. The order does not defund public media as a whole and does not rescind funds that have already been given to stations, but the potential for defunding or rescission remains. Federal officials could still push for a rescission request to claw back funds at any time.
For fiscal year 2026, starting this July, the CPB was scheduled to provide $575,172 to STLPR, 6.2% of our projected revenue. The majority of our revenue comes from support from individual donors. About 22% comes from sponsorship messaging. STLPR will need to immediately seek to raise this $575,000+ in missing CPB funds from our donors and corporate sponsors. This funding will need to be replaced annually.
Although STLPR is strong, NPR CEO Katerine Maher has already suggested that these cuts will cause many rural and remote stations, including most of the 26 NPR stations in Alaska, to cease operations in the fall.
STLPR, NPR, PBS, and local stations across the country are now facing a direct and immediate threat to our ability to serve the public. Your voice — right now — can help stop it.
What can I do to help? How can I advocate for continued support of public media?
If you value the journalism, cultural programming, events, and community service that STLPR provides, we urge you to take action today.
Donations from our local community are our largest and most stable source of funding, and no matter what happens, continuing STLPR's mission will require your ongoing, generous financial contribution. We need our listeners’ help now more than ever.
You can also be an ambassador for public media by letting your friends know what’s happening, why public media is important to you, and what we stand to lose. Share this piece. You can find messages to share on STLPR social media including Instagram, Facebook, BlueSky, X and LinkedIn in the coming days. You can also share access to Protect My Public Media and ask them to join you in signing the pledge to protect public media.
A reminder of what you can do now:
- Donate or increase your gift of support to STLPR. This funding is not expected to return, so consider a monthly sustaining donation.
- Stay informed on the CPB's role in public media funding. You can help answer questions and share how these cuts will impact STLPR and neighboring stations.
- Tell a friend in person or on social media.
- Send a message to Congress at ProtectMyPublicMedia.org.
