After a judge on June 8 affirmed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s independence, a funding fight with President Donald Trump is now beginning in the Senate, where $1.1 billion in broadcasting appropriations are on the line.
Because Wyoming Public Media is funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the organization’s supporters are urging Wyoming’s congressional delegation to vote against an effort to claw back funds.
The Senate Appropriations Committee is preparing to debate the administration’s plan to take back CPB money and another $8.2 billion in already appropriated funds, perhaps as soon as Wednesday. Congress funded CPB, which distributes grants to independent public broadcasters and National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, with $1.1 billion through the end of September 2027.
Republican U.S. Rep. Harriet Hageman has voted for a rescissions bill to take back the money. Wyoming Public Media backers recently urged U.S. Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both Republicans, to vote against the rescission and preserve federal funding for public radio and television broadcasting in Wyoming and nationwide.
“[Listeners] deserve strong public broadcasting that is free from political influence.”
Christina Kuzmych
“We recognize that you and others may not agree with some National Public Radio programming,” Casper’s Maggi Murdock, chair of the Wyoming Public Media Public Advisory Council, wrote to the senators. “[B]ut we hope you will have the foresight and thoughtful care for the many Wyoming residents who rely on Wyoming Public Media as one of their vital sources of information and as a foundation for a statewide community.”
Murdock’s fellow board members also signed the letter. Barrasso and Lummis appear unmoved.
“I am troubled by the recent trend of publicly funded media promoting political agendas,” Lummis wrote in response Wednesday, according to a copy of her letter posted by Wyoming Public Media. Lummis added that she was “working with my colleagues on ways that we can hold public media accountable.”
“Hard-earned taxpayer dollars should not be spent promoting far-left climate policies or woke agendas,” Barrasso replied.
Respect for listeners
General Manager Christina Kuzmych said 50,000 people listen to Wyoming Public Media each week. The radio station, like more than 1,500 locally owned public radio and television stations across the country, receives CPB support. It also subscribes to NPR, another recipient of the corporation’s grants, for news programs.
“WPM respects the work our legislators perform as they serve the many interests of Wyoming voters,” she said in a statement. Yet listeners deserve respect too, she said.
“They bring many diverse viewpoints to their listening experience, and they deserve strong public broadcasting that is free from political influence,” Kuzmych wrote.
A judge affirmed that independence after the CPB board, chaired by Ruby Calvert, a retired 35-plus-year veteran of Wyoming Public Broadcasting in Riverton, sued Trump and his administration in April. The administration had emailed three CPB board members saying they were fired, leading the congressionally funded, independent organization to defend itself in court.
Trump himself characterized federally funded public media as “trash,” “madness,” “biased,” “radical” and “woke propaganda disguised as news.”
CPB sought a preliminary injunction to prevent Trump from dismantling the organization, which Congress designed to be free from political meddling. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss on June 8 denied the corporation’s request for a preliminary injunction, saying in essence that it could continue to operate despite the administration’s attacks. But Moss certified CPB’s independence.
“Congress intended to preclude the President (or any subordinate officials acting at his direction) from directing, supervising, or controlling the Corporation,” Moss wrote. The judge was open to CPB “renewing their motion should Defendants [Trump and those acting in concert with him] take steps to interfere in the independence of the Corporation.”
With that decision, Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the corporation, affirmed that the three targeted board members are still governing.
“Laura G. Ross, Thomas E. Rothman, and Diane Kaplan, are, remain, and shall continue to be directors of the Board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting,” according to a CPB statement.
Please exercise your 1st Amendment rights to engage in free, truthful, and thoughtful discourse by making a generous donation to support the news outlet of your choosing today. Tag your contributions: Best wishes, courtesy of John, Cynthia, and Harriet — and don’t forget to reach out to each one of them personally and let them know exactly how and why you have chosen to spend their re-election money the way you have this year.
Wyoming Public Media comes across as liberal and unprofessional. Some of that may be that it is part of UW. That’s OK. But NPR takes the cake. NPR’s Katherine Maher admitted that it’s concerning that 100% of her editorial board—87 members—are registered Democrats, with zero Republicans. That’s a den of bias.
Just one example of many: If you lived on Mars, you’d be excused for thinking that 99% of Americans are LGBTQ+ and 1% heterosexual. NPR just can’t help themselves. From pronouns to Latinx, they’re obsessed with sexual identity and endlessly talking about it. Across many programs, almost daily.
It’s fine to cover LGBTQ+ issues, and I love to hear alternative viewpoints but NPR’s coverage of issues and people needs an overhaul with more depth and diversity. Of course, it’s all media. But NPR gets taxpayer dollars.
I couldn’t disagree more Beth.
What do you find so unprofessional and liberal about Wyoming Public Media other than it being affiliated with the University of Wyoming? You mention NPR’s editorial board consisting of nothing but democrats. How many democrats do you suppose work for Fox News?
I have never heard anything offensive or mean spirited coming from any public media source, either locally or nationally. Fox News on the other hand, and I fully realize it’s not publicly funded, spews fabricated MAGA venom daily.
Although I don’t agree with your assesment of NPR and PBS preaching LGBTQ+ issues, they can at times get a little “touchy feely” with some subjects, this being one of them. You want more depth and deversity, this is a part of that Fox News wouldn’t touch. If they linger on a subject that I don’t find interesting, or am not comfortable with (which might be your case…or not), I simply turn it off.
Public media has so much more to offer other than the cultural issues that you’ve focused on in your opinion piece. Take for instance music that you may not otherwise be exposed to, in depth interviews covering a broad range of topics (unrelated to politics or culture war issues), in depth news that attempts to get to the truth both at the state and national level. (This news aspect appeals to me the most. With the Trump administration and the MAGA movement bulldozing their way though what used to be normal life, someone needs to uncover and present the facts and I firmly believe PBS and NPR does the best job of it.) This RINO will gladly pay more to keep public media alive if our worthless representatives won’t protect it.
PBS is the most honest media out there. It’s where I get the truth. The REPOS would love it if everyone had to watch faux news. That way they can brain wash you.
Barrasso, Lummis, Hageman, and other MAGA minions have always had trouble with any organization that publicizes scientific data and truthfulness. Dismantling public broadcasting is a key component of the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. We, the people, cannot let this happen.
Since our congressional delegation is hell bent eliminating waste, fraud and abuse from our society, let’s look at eliminating their ‘franking’ priveleges. That’s nothing but taxpayer funded propaganda mail for them.
It appears that perhaps our representatives do not know how much positive coverage PBS and NPR provided about Wyoming. How about the Al Simpson legacy and funeral and how Al did not feel obligated to support any political ideology which was not in the best interest of Wyoming or citizens
Funny: Wyoming Public Media held debates in which they participated , and they never claimed it was unfair.
If you correspond with Barrasso, Lummis, and Hageman’s offices (or more likely their AI response bots) on this issue as I have done , you quickly realize our troika of Washington congresspeople spend little to no personal time within earshot or eyeshot of anything the Corporation for Public Broadcasting produces. They loudly say CPB programming is liberal and leftist , but I seriously doubt NPR ” All Things Considered ” ever speaks to them and they are blind to whatever PBS Newshour and Frontline could show them … by choice. They don’t know what they don’t know about anything public broadcasting produces. Do they appreciate how important Wyoming Public Radio and Wyoming Public Television are to the residents of the Cowboy State ? Not in the least. If they did, they would advocate for MORE public investment in WPR/WPT , not less.
I will steer the concerned citizen towards this. The Project 2025 conservative blueprint for deconstructing America has a LOT to say about what should be done with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting . It is found on pages 246 through 249 on the document. Defund and dissemble CPB. Barrasso Lummis and Hagemen must’ve read it— they are following it to the letter. See for yourself .
Wyoming should not allow three misguided MAGA representatives determine what over 100,000 Wyoming citizens choose to see and hear from vital broadcast services, whether they be public or private channels. This is not about funding , or controlling any waste fraud and abuse. It is entirely about keeping people away from news and facts they don’t like.The fact that Barrasso Lummis and Hageman do not like what shows up on PBS and WPR is all the more reason to secure more of it. They really don’t want their constituents to be fully informed. It monkeywrenches their autocratic business model.
Here’s a fun fact: look at the latest chart of Media Bias that ranks over 150 news and information sources by accuracy and ideological bias. Way down in the far right lowest corner is where you see the Most Extremely Biased – Least Accurate information source. It’s ‘ Loomer Unleashed ‘ the internet channel for Trump’s most trusted advisor Laura Loomer. Her relentless disinformation is ranked worst of the worst, and it goes straight into Trump’s cranium before anything else. Also trending on that vector are all of Trump’s other favorite news channels : NewsMax , OAN , Fox & Friends , Hannity , Tucker , Epoch Times, Fox News… the usual suspects. That is where critics of bias in news and information should cast their gaze .
Bottom Line : the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is is the antidote , not the affliction. Make sure our delegation sees and hears that on all available frequencies and streams.
Well stated.
I wish I’d saved a reply to me from Dr Barrasso a few years ago where he stated his strong support for public broadcasting and how important it is for our rural state. He said he was a long time listener and financial contributor. And then along comes his King in waiting and he flips and says he plans to screw us out of the best unbiased real news outlet we have.
I’m sick of our delegation pandering to this crook and authoritarian. When will Wyoming start voting in congressional reps to serve the people rather than the party?
Thank you Mr. Vanderhoff for educating us.
the chrump sycophants won’t be happy until we have all news reporting like sputnik or north korea’s kctv.
NPR/PBS shouldn’t receive any tax payer funding, all the other propaganda outlets don’t.
Sure, let’s quit funding oil companies, farmers, and ranchers, etc…. Let’s also insist that people like Trump pay taxes, and let’s take away the government grants for Elon Musk.
There’s a part of me that says, suck up, buck up and live with it. Maybe it’s time for for NPR and PBS, along with all the various public media outlets thru out the US to cut the strings with the Federal Government, so they can in fact be free of undo influence in reporting and scheduling . There are plenty of deep pocket foundations out there that can be tapped, as well as viewers and listeners that need to pony up if they truly want this service to continue. Time to think outside the box and get some ideas for creative financing.
I’ve received the same canned response from Lummis, Barrasso, and Hageman that you’ve listed above. All three use the same MAGA talking points about NPR and PBS being radically left in their broadcasting and that they are watching out for our hard earned tax dollars being misspent. Nothing could be farther from the truth unless reporting the truth is now considered radical and leftist.
I have come to the conclusion that Wyoming’s three representatives don’t represent anything other than Donald Trump and his misguided and dangerous agenda. They don’t want to hear from any of their constituents unless they are wearing red hats and waving dollar bills in front of them.
The only way this state is going to get out of the hole it’s dug for itself by electing people with such low moral character in the first place is my removing these three, along with anyone else associated with MAGA or the Freedom Caucus, from office at the ballot box.
If this congress is successful in defunding Public Media I will certainly be increasing my support of it and I hope everyone who relies on NPR and PBS for fair and “honest” news will join me.
AMEN