# Executive Order: Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media
Executive Order 14290 establishes a policy to eliminate federal funding for National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The order frames this action within a context of what it characterizes as an outdated model of government-funded media, arguing that the modern media landscape offers 'abundant, diverse, and innovative news options' that render such subsidies unnecessary. The order claims that government funding of news media is 'corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence' and asserts that NPR and PBS fail to present 'fair, accurate, or unbiased' news coverage. It cites the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's (CPB) statutory obligations to maintain impartiality and avoid supporting political parties as justification for the funding cuts.
The order directs comprehensive action through multiple mechanisms to cut off federal support to NPR and PBS. It instructs the CPB Board to cease both direct funding and indirect funding to these organizations 'to the maximum extent allowed by law.' Specifically, the Board must revise the 2025 Television and Radio Community Service Grants General Provisions and Eligibility Criteria before June 30, 2025, to prohibit funding recipients from supporting NPR and PBS. Additionally, the order requires all executive departments and agencies to identify and terminate any direct or indirect funding they provide to these media organizations and to review any remaining grants or contracts for compliance with their terms.
Implementation responsibility falls primarily to the CPB Board and the heads of executive agencies. The order also specifically tasks the Secretary of Health and Human Services with determining whether NPR and PBS comply with statutory anti-discrimination requirements in employment, with instructions to take 'appropriate corrective action' if non-compliance is found. While the order contains standard language that it should be implemented consistent with applicable law and available appropriations, it establishes a comprehensive approach to removing federal support from these media entities. The order does not specify the total funding amount affected, but presents the action as necessary to ensure taxpayer dollars do not support what it characterizes as biased reporting, potentially signaling a significant shift in public media funding policy.