William Brangham:
We should note here, independent analyses have found both PBS and NPR to be among the most objective and reliable news sources in America.
But back to the question of funding. For 2025, Congress appropriated $535 million to CPB. That’s less than 1/100th of a percent out of the total federal budget. It costs, on average, per American, a little over $1.50 a year. Most of those funds are distributed to some 1,500 local stations nationwide, which produce shows themselves and pay NPR and PBS for the rights to Air National shows.
But federal funding makes up just a fraction of public media’s budgets. The average public radio station gets about 8 percent of its revenue from the CPB appropriation. For TV stations, it’s roughly 17 percent.
So, to make up the difference, the system relies heavily on donations, grants, and sponsorships.
