Brian Stelter Notes That Donations to PBS and NPR Stations Have Exploded, But Still Fall Short

It was the great paradox. Whenever anyone complained about taxpayer money going to PBS and NPR, they'd claim that only a tiny fraction of their budgets came from taxpayer dollars. But when it came down to actually defunding PBS and NPR, members of Congress clutched their Tickle Me Elmo dolls and claimed Republicans were trying to kill Big Bird. It was an issue that hounded Mitt Romney during his 2012 run for president, as activists in some really sketchy-looking homemade Big Bird costumes protested outside his rallies.

President Donald Trump's recission bill recently passed, clawing back more than a billion dollars from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Ben Mullin reports for the New York Times that this has spurred an "explosion" of donations to NPR and PBS stations.

scoop: donations to NPR and PBS stations have exploded, with donors across the country giving in unprecedented numbers since Congress cut federal funding https://t.co/FbfzTTfBqF

— Ben Mullin (@BenMullin) July 24, 2025

You do realize that this was always an option, right?

— Mike Coté (@ratlpolicy) July 24, 2025

You’re saying they could’ve done this all along, and their fake "we’ll crumble" speeches were just acting. Awesome, thanks.

— Sack Head Shaun (@2againsttyranny) July 24, 2025

What wonderful news! This is EXACTLY the way @NPR and @PBS *should* be supported - by the consumers who value their products and services enough to pay for them.

Bravo!

— Tea Party Barbie (@laurahollis61) July 24, 2025

That was the point.

— Chris (@ChrisJ_Vet) July 24, 2025

Time for a couple more changes: They shouldn't get to use the word "public" in their names.

— Vance (@1RedPen) July 24, 2025

Just replace "Public" with "Propaganda."

Excellent. The people who want it are funding it. That's how the marketplace works.

— Aaron Shook (@AaronShook) July 24, 2025

The tote bags are flying off the shelves!

CNN's Brian Stelter notes from the Times report that the numbers are "far from enough to make up for the federal cuts."

"The numbers are encouraging" for the stations, "but far from enough to make up for the federal cuts" https://t.co/dHAQGSSfRG

— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 24, 2025

Again, do they need taxpayer money or not?

Not to mention they are one time donations to make white liberals feel less guilty.

— Benjamin Franklin's Friendly Ghost (@Johnny_881388) July 24, 2025

That's a good point. These donations are just being made now to stick it to the man. Let's check back in a year and see if white liberals are still willing to pay for DNC talking points.

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