On May 1, President Donald Trump issued an executive order instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a publicly funded nonprofit that supports public broadcasting, to cease federal funding for National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service due to the networks not presenting a “fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens,” the order reads.
The CPB distributes taxpayer money to member stations of PBS and NPR, according to its website. This includes Albuquerque-based PBS member station KNME, as well as NPR affiliate KUNM.
Over the next two years, KUNM has the potential to lose $500,000, and NMPBS has the potential to lose $3,400,000, according to a May 1 statement to KUNM listeners from General Manager Richard Towne.
KNME, the local PBS member station, has not received any communication about the funding cuts other than PBS and CPB advising on the fact that there is an executive order, according to New Mexico PBS General Manager and CEO Franz Joachim.
The executive order did not cite a specific instance of a biased portrayal of current events, despite claiming that the reporting has a biased and partisan nature.
In an April 2024 essay published by The Free Press, former NPR senior business editor Uri Berliner claimed that NPR has always had “a liberal bent,” but has become increasingly so, resulting in losing “America’s trust.”
The essay led NPR leaders to announce monthly internal reviews of the newsrooms' coverage, according to NPR.
Towne wrote that the month of May will be “dangerous” for KUNM, NMPBS, “all public radio and television stations in New Mexico” and the country.
The CPB is suing the Trump Administration over the executive order, which intends to fire five CPB board members, according to NPR.
This funding isn’t replaceable in any other way for NMPBS, Joachim said.
”An increase in donations, while we expect and are grateful for, it does not solve all the problems,” Joachim said.
Towne said KUNM receives $270,000 from the CPB, which gives it broadcasting rights to the NPR program. This includes shows such as “Morning Edition” and “All things Considered,” along with local news.
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The executive order would prevent KUNM from spending on NPR programming, according to Towne’s statement.
Towne wrote that KUNM does not receive money from the University of New Mexico or the state. KUNM receives other funding from contributing listeners and fundraising.
Unlike commercial television stations, PBS stations operate under the Universal Service Mandate, which mandates that PBS provide free public communication to all Americans regardless of location or income.
In Harding County, for example, there are only a few hundred residents, and NMPBS is available to them, Joachim said.
“It isn't a matter of: ‘Do we have members there? Can we sell a commercial there?’” Joachim said. “There are people there who need access to a free over the air broadcast service, and that's why public television was created.”
Joachim said public television also carries the emergency alerts that people receive on their cell phones.
“I think it is absolutely an appropriate use of federal funds,” Joachim said. “What is the government for, if not to help distribute lifesaving and changing information?”
Joachim said if public television goes away, several emergency services and emergency alerts around the nation will go away.
Both NMPBS and KUNM are directing listeners and viewers to visit the Protect my Public Media website, a platform for people to voice their concerns to Congress about public media.
“Our job, our mission, our reason for being is to be in places in New Mexico because there are people there, not because there's a return on investment or a profit to be made,” Joachim said.
Leila Chapa is the social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06
Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on X @paloma_chapa88
Leila Chapa is the social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06
Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @paloma_chapa88
