The Senate will debate taking back funding already appropriated to PBS, NPR, and foreign aid.
On the table for cuts are $1.1 billion for Corporation for Public Broadcasting which helps fun NPR and PBS as well as $7.9 billion for international aid to relieve famine and quell disease. These cuts are for the current fiscal year, not the future. The claw back would get back money already given and/or stop money already promised.
Ending aid programs could result in the in 14 million deaths, according to some estimates. UCLA researchers estimate America’s aid programs have saved 90 million lives.
PBS and NPR provide access to free educational programming and news to people without cable or internet.
NPR serves approximately 99 million people monthly.
The majority of American homes watch PBS each year – 58%. Monthly PBS KIDS streams reach 345 million people and PBS Kids about 15.5 million.
Ending funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting may impact beloved programming central to the lives of Americans for decades. Shows like Sesame Street, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Wild Kratts, Curious George, Masterpiece Theater, PBS News Hour, Nova, Nature, Austin City Limits, Molly of Denali, and more face severe cuts.
Games may also face cuts. Games like Amazin’ Amazon Adventure, Daniel Tiger Tea Party, Rosie Care, Vacuum Hockey could be impacted by the cuts.
Cuts may also impact NPR and PBS apps including PBS Kids Video, PBS Kids Games, and PBS for Apple, Android, fire, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast, AppleTV, AndroidTV, Amazon Fire TV, Vizio, Google TV, and Comcast Xfinity.
Podcasts like Fresh Air, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, Up First, How I Built This with Guy Raz, Planet Money, It's Been a Minute, All Songs Considered, and TED Radio Hour face deep cuts.
Web series from PBS Digital Studios like Monstrum and Otherwords have uncertain futures if the Senate allows the claw back.
