Trump Gutted CPB Funding, But What’s That Mean For NPR’s Tiny Desk?
The saddest part of watching a democracy become an authoritarian state is the people who haven’t realized and still believe that their voice matters.
When it was announced that President Trump was considering halting $1.1 billion of federal funding to the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB) millions of Americans wrote, petitioned, and called to try and keep the private nonprofit organization that provides funds for PBS and NPR alive.
On Friday, CPB announced that they would be shutting down as Congress approved the president’s push to eliminate their funding, which means that the 1,500 public radio and television stations that depended on that money are now on life support. The death march has begun as most staff are set to leave their positions by Sept. 30, Vibe reports.
But there is a bright light in the rubble that remains: the wildly popular Tiny Desk series isn’t going anywhere. Bobby Carter, producer of NPR’s Tiny Desk, took to Instagram to note that despite budget constraints, the beloved show will go on.
“I’ve heard from many friends, family and audience members who are worried that NPR/Tiny Desk is shutting down. It is not,” Carter wrote. “Unfortunately, CPB is shutting down. I encourage everyone to support Public Media and donate. I appreciate all the calls, texts, and messages. They have been overwhelming and heartwarming.”
“Despite the extraordinary efforts of millions of Americans who called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for CPB, we now face the difficult reality of closing our operations,” CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison said in a statement. “CPB remains committed to fulfilling its fiduciary responsibilities and supporting our partners through this transition with transparency and care.”
