Last June, I told you that NHPR had joined a coalition of public media organizations to argue that President Trump’s executive order barring federal funds from supporting public radio and TV was an unconstitutional infringement on the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and a free press.
Yesterday, a federal judge in Washington agreed. As NPR reported, Judge Randolph D. Moss of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, said "the First Amendment draws a line, which the government may not cross, at efforts to use government power – including the power of the purse – 'to punish or suppress disfavored expression' by others.’ "
The ruling is a victory for press freedom and the rule of law, which is worth celebrating.
Unfortunately, this ruling does not change some hard facts. It does nothing to restore federal funding for NHPR or NPR.
Independent of the executive order, Congress last summer voted to end federal funding of public media, and the President signed that legislation. Subsequently, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the independent nonprofit that Congress created to distribute federal dollars to local media organizations like NHPR, went out of business.
All together, public radio stations lost $130 million annually in federal support. NHPR lost $540,000 a year in direct funding from CPB, or 6 percent of our revenues. Adding in items that CPB paid for directly - including our satellite connection to the NPR Network - the costs we need to cover add up to $720,000 a year.
Our NHPR community has responded open-heartedly to this funding crisis. On behalf of everyone at New Hampshire Public Radio, please know how grateful we are for your support.
With this note, though, I aim to underscore that yesterday’s court ruling does nothing to restore federal funding. We remain 100 percent reliant on community support - your sustaining gifts, support from underwriting and business sponsorships, and the backing of local foundations and philanthropists - to sustain our public-service mission.
So, what comes next? The Administration is expected to appeal. A future Congress could decide to reestablish federal funding and create a new mechanism for delivering it to organizations like NHPR that produce independent, nonpartisan journalism and programming. But that won’t happen any time soon. And it may not happen at all.
In the meantime, here’s what you can do: Please continue to speak up for public media and the value NHPR delivers to the communities we serve, in New Hampshire and beyond. And please continue to do what you can to support NHPR’s vital work.
If you have questions, you can always reach me at President@NHPR.org.
