Well, every bird has his time and this bird can’t sing anymore, at least not on airwaves paid for by taxpayers.  It looks like the days of NPR and PBS as “public stations” are coming to an end.  And I couldn’t be happier.

This is the story:

Katherine Maher, chief executive officer and president of NPR (National Public Radio), and Paula Kerger, chief executive officer and president of PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), are slated to testify on why ‘the demonstrably biased news coverage they produce for an increasingly narrow and elitist audience should continue to be funded by the broad taxpaying public,’ according to a press release from the DOGE Subcommittee.

Maher and Kerger are expected to push back and justify their news organizations and why they merit receiving public funding. Less than 1% of NPR's funding comes directly from the federal government, though other funding comes indirectly from grants and dollars allocated to local member stations who then pay fees back to NPR.

PBS reportedly receives 16% of their funding from the government. Its website states it receives funding in part from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which receives roughly $500 million a year approved by Congress, saying ‘CPB allocates the appropriation mostly to public television and radio stations, with some assigned to NPR and PBS to support national programming.’

Trump believes the federal money received by the mainstream outlets is not being put to good use.

Whether it’s good use or bad use is an opinion.  Some of the PBS programming is good, but it should operate as a private channel running commercials, or whatever they do to pay the bills.  NPR is the same.

No matter what, it should not receive a dime from public funds.  There are lots of radio and TV options these days.  Most young people don’t even listen to the radio anymore, and those Sunday night British TV shows should sell commercial time if they want to survive in the real world.

Not long ago, NPR Editor Uri Berliner shared his concerns about the bias at the network.   He said that their audience does not reflect America.  Who does it reflect?  And why should America pay for it?

Let me add this: my office radio was once tuned to our local NPR station.  Why?  Because I loved their coverage of congressional hearings and shows like “Morning Edition”.  It’s not that way anymore.  All that they want to talk about these days at NPR is climate change and “institutional racism.”  I listen to talk radio these days instead.  At least they love the country on those shows.

So goodbye Big Bird and enjoy your next flight.  You’ll be OK.

P.S.  Check out my blog for posts, podcasts, and videos.

Image: Public domain.