WASHINGTON—The Federal Communications Commission has submitted budgetary estimates to Congress for fiscal year 2027 that call for $398.3 million in budget authority from regulatory fee revenue, down 4.3% from $416.1 million in FY 2026. It is also expecting total spending on salaries and expenses to fall to $531.0 million, down from $548.8 million in FY 2026.

The agency reported that the number of “full-time equivalent" employees will drop to 1,294 in FY 2027, down from 1,404 in FY 2026. The FCC said it plans to achieve the reductions through “planned and early retirements and other attrition.”

In addition, the Commission requested $132,681,000 in budget authority for the Spectrum Auctions Program (Auctions Program). This is at the same level as the FY 2026 enacted level.

In making the request, the agency reminded congress that the Commission’s Spectrum Auctions Program has generated over $233.5 billion for government use and that the total cost of the Spectrum Auctions Program has been less than $2.8 billion or 1.2 percent of the total auctions’ revenue.

The agency did not provide a detailed breakdown of regulatory fees or how the decline in revenue might impact the fees levied on TV and radio broadcasters. Those specifics are typically released mid-year.

More details are available here.

President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to defund PBS and NPR, claiming that today’s media landscape has changed enough to warrant ending public funding for broadcasting. In addition, he used the executive order to criticize the broadcasters (established in 1967 when Congress created the CPB) over what he claims is “biased” reporting.

Congress has the final say on funding CPB but, as has been the case since his inauguration, Trump is attempting to sidestep Congress via executive order. The CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation established by federal law and governed by an independent board.

For decades, Republicans have attempted to defund CPB over what they perceive as political bias but, in recent years, they have added the “evolving media landscape” as further justification for their arguments, claiming that programming via public broadcasting is replicated elsewhere.

But critics of the administration say Trump has sought to quash media voices selectively and use the power of his office to strike at his critics as well as a free press. One month earlier Trump posted on the Truth Social site, in all caps, “Republicans must defund and totally disassociate themselves from NPR & PBS, the radical left ‘monsters’ that so badly hurt our country!”

According to news coverage by the BBC, more than 40 million Americans listen to NPR public radio each week, and 36 million watch a local television station from the PBS network each month, according to their estimates.

The order reads in part:

“Unlike in 1967, when the CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options. Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.

“At the very least, Americans have the right to expect that if their tax dollars fund public broadcasting at all, they fund only fair, accurate, unbiased, and nonpartisan news coverage. No media outlet has a constitutional right to taxpayer subsidies, and the Government is entitled to determine which categories of activities to subsidize. The CPB’s governing statute reflects principles of impartiality: the CPB may not “contribute to or otherwise support any political party.” 47 U.S.C. 396(f)(3); see also id. 396(e)(2).

“The CPB fails to abide by these principles to the extent it subsidizes NPR and PBS. Which viewpoints NPR and PBS promote does not matter. What does matter is that neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.

“I therefore instruct the CPB Board of Directors (CPB Board) and all executive departments and agencies (agencies) to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS."

The CPB administers $535 million in taxpayer funds annually to PBS and NPR stations, who provide a range of free, accessible news, educational and entertainment programming, as well as emergency alerting. The service is particularly well-received in rural areas that lack access to broadband or multichannel video services.

At a Congressional hearing in March, Ed Ullman, president and CEO of Alaska Public Media, defended public broadcasting’s importance, especially in rural areas.

“In many parts of Alaska and communities throughout the country, public media is often the only locally operated, locally controlled broadcasting service. We are more than ‘nice to have.’ We are essential, especially in remote and rural places where commercial broadcasting cannot succeed.”

Patricia Harrison, President and CEO of CPB, issued the following statement:

“CPB is not a federal executive agency subject to the President’s authority. Congress directly authorized and funded CPB to be a private nonprofit corporation wholly independent of the federal government.

“In creating CPB, Congress expressly forbade ‘any department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States to exercise any direction, supervision, or control over educational television or radio broadcasting, or over [CPB] or any of its grantees or contractors…’ 47 U.S.C. § 398(c).”

Katherine Maher, NPR President and CEO, also responded, saying "NPR stands by the excellence and commitment of our journalists, staff, and Member organizations to seek out stories that matter to the American public, that reflect every part of the diversity of our nation, and that bring affairs of the world to our audiences."

"We stand by our high standards and our colleagues in their pursuit of factual reporting, their work to present issues fairly and without bias, and our effort to seek the humanity and human consequence of every story," she added. "We will strongly defend our work and our editorial independence and will continue to tell the stories of our country and the world with accuracy, objectivity, and fairness.

Several weeks ago, the administration asked Congress for $1.1 billion in funding cuts to CPB. That request was made on April 15 and would have to be approved by Congress within 45 days (May 30) after it is formally proposed. This order appears to be an attempt to nullify that proposal and shut down federal funding to the broadcasters altogether without Congressional approval.

Earlier this week, the CPB filed a lawsuit to stop the Trump administration from firing three of its board members, claiming the president has no power to do so.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr supports the moves to defund public broadcasting and has ordered an investigation into how sponsorships are handled.

“For my own part, I do not see a reason why Congress should continue sending taxpayer dollars to NPR and PBS given the changes in the media marketplace since the passage of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967,” the chairman said when issuing the order at the end of January.

MoveOn launched a petition calling on Congress to protect public broadcasting has surpassed 36,000 signatures by 3 p.m. ET on Friday, May 2. The petition is available here.

This is a developing story.

Radio World Editor in Chief Paul McLane contributed to this story.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The FCC has released a budgetary request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 that asks for $448,075,000 in budget authority from regulatory fee offsetting collections. This request represents an increase of $57,883,000 or 14.8 percent from the FY 2024 Annualized Continuing Appropriations Act level of $390,192,000.

If enacted by Congress, that could lead to higher fees for broadcasters, though the FCC has not explained how it would achieve the regulatory fee increases. 

The FCC also requests $139,000,000 in budget authority for the Spectrum Auctions program. Last year Congress allowed the FCC’s authority to conduct auctions to expire and the FCC is currently pushing Congress to renew the authority.  As of December 31, 2023 the Commission’s spectrum auctions program has generated over $233.5 billion for government use; at the same time, the total cost of the spectrum auctions program has been less than $2.5 billion or 1.1 percent of the total auctions’ revenue, the FCC said. 

In terms of staffing, the FCC’s budgetary request noted that “in creating a lean, accountable, and efficient Commission that works for the American people, the Commission requests 1,600 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) funded by budget authority from S&E, Spectrum Auctions program, and other budget authorities provided by the President and Congress. This FTE level is the same level as the FY 2023 appropriated and enacted level and the FY 2024 Congressional request level. With this FTE level, the Commission will meet its mission demands in FY 2025.”

The FY 2025 budget request calls for spending for the Enforcement Bureau to increase from $44,816,000 in the Annualized Level - Continuing Appropriations Act for FY 2024 to $49,340,000 in FY 2025. Staffing would remain the same with the equivalent of 204 full time staffers. 

The Media Bureau would see increases from $28,545,000 in FY 2024 to $29,739,000 in FY 2025. Staffing would remain the same with 35 staffers. 

The full request and the FCC’s discussion of its goals for FY 2025 are available here. 

WASHINGTON D.C.—The FCC is asking Congress for budgetary authority of $410,743,000 for its Fiscal Year 2024. That represents an increase of $20,551,000 or 5.3 percent from the FY 2023 appropriated level of $390,192,000. 

In terms of staffing, the FCC requested 1,600 Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) funded by budget authority from regulatory fee offsetting collections, spectrum auctions program, and other budget authorities provided by the President and Congress. That would represent no increase from the 1,600 FTEs approved for FY23. 

In making its budget requests, the FCC also asked Congress to renew its spectrum auction authority, which expired for the first time in more than 30 years on March 9, through 2033. 

For FY24, the FCC requested $136,167,000 in budget authority for the spectrum auctions program, up $3,936,000 or 3 percent from the FY 2023 appropriated level of $132,231,000. 

In urging Congress to renew the spectrum auction authority, It also noted that as of January 31, 2023, the Commission’s spectrum auctions program has generated over $233.5 billion for government use and that the total cost of the auctions program has been less than $2.5 billion or 1.1 percent of the total auctions’ revenue. 

“Absent an extension of its auction authority for spectrum, the Commission’s authority to grant licenses or construction permits for stations using spectrum subject to mutually exclusive application using competitive bidding will terminate on March 9, 2023, except  for spectrum identified pursuant to the Spectrum Pipeline Act of 2015 and IIJA,” the FCC noted. “The budget proposes to extend the FCC’s auction authority for ten years through 2033.”

The budget request also laid out six goals for the agency: 

• Strategic Goal 1: Pursue a “100 Percent” Broadband Policy 
• Strategic Goal 2: Promote Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility 
• Strategic Goal 3: Empower Consumers 
• Strategic Goal 4: Enhance Public Safety and National Security 
• Strategic Goal 5: Advance America’s Global Competitiveness 
• Strategic Goal 6: Foster Operational Excellence   

WASHINGTON D.C.—The FCC is asking for an increase in funding for fiscal year 2022 to $387,950,000, an increase of $13,950,000 or about 3.5%. 

As part of the increase, FCC would like to increase its staff to the equivalent of 1550 full time employees, an increase of 78. 

The budget request also laid out several strategic goals, including a “100 Percent” broadband policy. 

The request noted that “the Covid-19  pandemic  put  a  spotlight  on  the  serious  broadband  gaps  that  exist across  the country, including in rural infrastructure, affordability for low-income Americans, and at-home access for students” and that “the FCC will pursue policies to help bring affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband to 100 percent of the country.”

In its second strategic goal, the FCC highlighted diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. “The  FCC  will  seek  to  gain  a  deeper  understanding  of  how  the  agency’s  rules,  policies,  and programs may promote or inhibit advances in diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility,” the agency noted. 

It also promised to “pursue focused action and investments to eliminate historical, systemic, and structural barriers that perpetuate disadvantaged or underserved individuals and communities.”

The other four strategic goals were to pursue policies to “empower consumers;” to “enhance public safety and national security;” to “advance America’s global competitiveness;” and “foster operational excellence.”

WASHINGTON—The proposed $495 million budget for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting in Fiscal Year 2022 has been given the seal of approval by the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday. According to America’s Public Television Stations, this is the first budget increase for the CPB in a decade.

In addition, the House approved level funding of $20 million in FY 2020 for interconnect and infrastructure that supports public safety and homeland security missions, delivering programs to remote rural areas and more. There was also an increase of $2 million—to $30 million total—for Ready to Learn, a grant program at the Department of Education that supports the work of public television in early childhood education.

“While we have appreciated steady funding through 10 years of budgetary austerity, the purchasing power of this funding has steadily eroded over time,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of APTS, in a statement, “and this increase will enable public television stations to educate more children, protect more lives and property, and enable more well-informed citizens to guide the world’s most important democracy.”

He continued: “The broad support for public media funding among both Republican and Democrats in Congress reflects the overwhelming support of the American people for our service in communities across the country, and we couldn’t be more proud of this vote of confidence in our work.”

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump released his proposed budget for the 2019 fiscal year on Monday. According to CPB, the proposed budget would rescind all but $15 million in funding for public media in both FY2019 and FY2020.

Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the CPB, released the following statement in response to the president’s budget proposal:

“Americans place great value on having universal access to public media’s educational and informational programming and services, provided commercial free and free of charge. Since there is no viable substitute for federal funding that would ensure this valued service continues, the elimination of federal funding to CPB would at first devastate, and then ultimately destroy public media’s ability to provide early childhood content, life-saving emergency alerts and public affairs programs.

[House Subcommittee Recommends Full CPB Funding]

“Public media benefits all Americans—whether they live in small towns, rural communities or large urban areas. Americans rely on public media for high-quality educational and informational programs that are proven to get their children ready to learn, and that provide opportunities for lifelong learning, such as ‘Frontline,’ ‘NOVA,’ ‘Nature’ and ‘American Experience.’ Federal funding allows public media to continue to tell America’s changing story in a way that enhances civic engagement and connects us to one another.

“Our nation’s non-commercial public media is made possible by a uniquely American, entrepreneurial, public-private partnership. Federal funding is the foundation of that partnership and a recognition of the proven benefits delivered to the American people through public media. The partnership continues with local stations doing their part, working with their communities to complete the funding process.

“We will continue to raise awareness in Congress and the Administration about the valued content and services local public television and radio stations provide to their communities and the vital role federal funding plays in supporting them.”

APTS President and CEO Patrick Butler also released a statement sharing his “disappointment” in Trump’s budget proposal. He echoed Harrison’s statements that public media is a vital part of education for America’s children and serves as a key resource of public safety information.

[CPB Offering $500,000 in Grants for Public Media Stations]

“Fortunately, Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate, and the overwhelming majority of their constituents, understand these contributions—and our impressive return on the investment of one-hundredth of one percent of the federal budget—very well,” Butler said in his statement. “We are grateful that Congress approved full funding for public broadcasting in FY2017, and we are hopeful that Congress will continue its support for public broadcasting in the final appropriations bills for FY2018, FY2019 and beyond.

The president had previously proposed to zero out CPB’s budget, as well as the National Endowment for the arts, for the FY2018, but Congress voted down those parts of the proposal.

WASHINGTON—FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, along with commissioners Mignon Clyburn and Michael O’Rielly, told the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government that the commission can do more with less, referring to Pai’s proposed budget cuts. In Pai’s budget, he proposed a 5.2 percent cut in funding and the cutting of 102 full-time positions, but he claims that the FCC will still be able to meet the goals that it and the government would like to pursue, particularly the spread of broadband.

To read the full article, visit TVT’s sister publication B&C.

WASHINGTON—The White House’s proposed budget could very well bring some cuts to the FCC, financially and in terms of staff. The Commission has asked for $322,035,000 in budget authority for 2018, down 5.2 percent from FY 2017, and $111,150,000 to cover auction/repack-related expenses, also down 5 percent. The proposed budget would also result in the elimination of 102 full-time employees.

For the complete story, check out TVT’s sister publication B&C.

WASHINGTON—The White House released President Trump’s proposed 2018 budget on Tuesday and once again it looks to eliminate funding for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. The proposed budget would rescind all FY 2019 funding for public media ($445 million) and all but $30.45 million in FY 2018, which would reportedly be designated for shutting down CPB’s operations.

Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the CPB issued a statement about the proposed budget:

“American public media, unlike any public media service in the world, is made possible through a strong public private partnership. Federal funding is the foundation of that partnership recognizing the proven benefits delivered to the American people through public media…

“The elimination of federal funding would take away this vital foundation. Local public media stations, beginning with those serving rural communities and small towns, would cease to exist. Ultimately what would also cease to exist is high-quality commercial free early childhood content focused on educating our youngest citizens, and access to lifelong learning for all.

“We will continue to raise awareness in Congress and the Administration about the vital role federal funding plays in supporting local public media stations and the valued content and services they provide.”

America’s Public Television Stations’ President and CEO Patrick Butler also issued a statement in response to the budget:

“America’s Public Television Stations are disappointed in President Trump’s FY 2018 budget proposal recommending the elimination of federal funding for public media. We are grateful that the Congress approved full funding for public broadcasting in its FY 2017 omnibus appropriations bill a few weeks ago, and we are hopeful that Congress will continue this funding in Fiscal Year 2018 and beyond.

“We will continue to make our case to the White House that federal funding is essential to local public television stations’ ability to pursue their public service missions of education, public safety and civic leadership, and to provide these services to everyone, everywhere, every day, for free.”

WASHINGTON—Funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, as well as the National Endowment for the Arts, is still up in the air, as the White House has released its 2018 budget proposal that again attempts to defund both organizations. The White House’s previous proposal that would have zeroed out CPB was denied in Congress’ omnibus spending bill that will last through September. This new proposal is for the 2018 final budget.

TVT’s sister publication, B&C, has the full story.

WASHINGTON—The Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the National Endowment for the Arts will live to fight another day. After President Trump proposed zeroing the budget for both programs in his first budget proposal, Republicans and Democrats have come to an agreement with the proposed appropriations bill that will actually maintain CPB’s budget and give the NEA a slight increase. The appropriations bill is expected to be voted on this week and then signed by the president.

Read the full story on TVT’s sister publication B&C.