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Federal Investigation Launched Targeting NPR and PBS

Staff Writer

The FCC has launched an investigation into NPR and PBS over concerns that taxpayer-funded stations may be illegally airing commercial ads, raising fresh questions about whether Congress should cut public funding for the networks.




The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has launched an investigation into National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) over concerns that some member stations may be airing prohibited commercial advertisements, according to a letter obtained by The New York Times.


FCC Chair Brendan Carr raised concerns that NPR and PBS stations may be violating federal law by broadcasting underwriting announcements that resemble commercial advertising. “I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials,” Carr wrote, adding that some underwriting announcements “cross the line” into prohibited ads.


While businesses are allowed to sponsor programming on noncommercial stations, such sponsorships must follow strict FCC guidelines that differ from typical television or radio advertising. If member stations are found to be airing for-profit advertisements, it could jeopardize their taxpayer funding.


Carr, who was appointed to the FCC in 2017 and later named chair under former President Donald Trump, stated that he intends to alert Congress to the investigation. Lawmakers are already debating whether to cut taxpayer funding for NPR and PBS, and Carr suggested that evidence of commercial advertising could further justify defunding the networks.


“Congress is actively considering whether to stop requiring taxpayers to subsidize NPR and PBS programming,” Carr wrote. “To the extent that these taxpayer dollars are being used to support a for-profit endeavor or an entity that is airing commercial advertisements, then that would further undermine any case for continuing to fund NPR and PBS with taxpayer dollars.”


In response, NPR CEO Katherine Maher defended the network’s practices, stating that its underwriting messages fully comply with FCC regulations.


“NPR programming and underwriting messaging complies with federal regulations, including the FCC guidelines on underwriting messages for noncommercial educational broadcasters, and Member stations are expected to be in compliance as well,” Maher said in a statement to Fox News Digital.


PBS has yet to issue a response to the investigation.


The FCC’s probe comes as NPR and PBS face mounting criticism from Republican lawmakers, some of whom argue that taxpayer funding for public media should be eliminated altogether. Earlier this year, Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) floated legislation to defund NPR, calling the network a “propaganda outlet” after its controversial suspension of an internal whistleblower.


With the FCC’s investigation now underway, the debate over public funding for NPR and PBS is likely to intensify, potentially putting the future of taxpayer-backed public broadcasting on the line.

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