US Congress cuts billions for broadcasting – what does that mean for us?

US Congress cuts billions for broadcasting – what does that mean for us?

A major upheaval is imminent in the American media landscape: On July 18, 2025, the US Congress passed a law that cuts both foreign aid and federal funding for public broadcasters. This happened with a narrow majority in the House of Representatives, where the vote was 216 yes to 213 no. The Senate had previously voted in favor of the cuts by a vote of 51 to 48 early on the same day Boyen's Media reported.

Overall, the law provides for savings of around nine billion US dollars (approx. 7.7 billion euros), with the “Corporation for Public Broadcasting” (CPB) in particular being affected by cuts amounting to 1.1 billion US dollars. The CPB is responsible for distributing state media funds to organizations such as National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which collectively support over 1,500 locally managed public television and radio stations.

Political backgrounds and reactions

President Donald Trump's spokeswoman called the decision a step toward restoring "fiscal sanity." The removal of funds should also be aimed at increasing citizens' trust in the media. Senator Erich Schmitt said that the broadcasters had abused the trust of the American people and were absorbed by left-wing extremist ideologies. This statement comes in a context in which the public funding of broadcasters is increasingly being viewed critically the FAZ reported.

NPR's executive director, Katherine Maher, has already warned of the negative impact of the funding cuts on communities and voters. She pointed to the high level of trust Americans have in public broadcasters; Almost three out of four citizens say they trust these bodies for security-related warnings. Critics fear that regional broadcast stations that work closely with NPR and PBS will be particularly hard hit.

Historical classification and debate

The historical perspective on the funding of NPR and PBS is interesting. As early as 2012, Republicans like Mitt Romney advocated cutting the funds, which led to a heated debate in the presidential election at the time. President Obama even went so far as to link Romney to “Sesame Street” to mobilize voters. In the current debate, Trump has also described NPR's funding as a "total fraud" and accused the broadcaster of spreading disinformation, which further fuels the discussion about the objectivity of reporting Global focus highlights.

The current situation raises questions about objectivity and political influences. Critics like Uri Berliner, a former NPR editor, have already raised concerns about alleged political bias. Discussions about whether the media reflect reality or serve political agendas are highly explosive in the USA as well as in Germany. While in Germany there is still a debate about better equipment for public broadcasting, in the USA the abolition of state media is seen as an option.

With the impending signature of President Trump, the media landscape in the USA may fundamentally change. The impact of the cuts on local broadcasters and programs could significantly impact information provision in rural areas and further fuel the already tense debate about media credibility.