A week ago, President Donald Trump’s Office of Communications issued a news release titled “The NPR, PBS Grift Has Ripped Us Off for Too Long.” The missive went on to criticize the use of taxpayer money to support National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, which, according to the Trump administration, “spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news.’”

It was soon reported that the administration had drafted a memo to Congress stating that it intended to end almost all federal funding for public media. The loss of funding for both organizations could very well cripple or eliminate local radio and television member stations, even if their parent companies survive.

A funding drop would be a loss for the arts and arts-loving TV viewers.

“PBS and our member stations are America’s largest classroom, the nation’s largest stage for the arts and a trusted window to the world. In addition, PBS’s educational media helps prepare children for success in school and opens up the world to them in an age-appropriate way,” reads the “About” page on the PBS website.

Some of PBS’ most popular shows deal directly with the arts. “Great Performances” has been around since the early 1970s and dubs itself as TV’s longest-running performing arts anthology. It has presented live shows from stages across the world, including opera, plays, ballets, musicals, classical music concerts and more in an easily digestible format for those unable to catch the shows in person.

“American Masters” since 1986 has detailed the life and times of some of the world’s most noteworthy and accomplished artists and performers, including Charlie Chaplin, Andy Warhol, James Baldwin, Leonard Bernstein, Harlem Renaissance sculptor Augusta Savage, Liza Minnelli, Art Spiegelman and George Plimpton.

Most of Trump’s grievances with PBS — as outlined in his news release — center around the non-commercial broadcaster’s airing of shows that deal with racial identity and LGBTQ+ issues.

The administration plans to send its memo to Congress on April 28, at which point a 45-day window opens for the House and Senate to cut off the money, or allow it to be restored.

________

©2025 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.