NPR trims jobs in newsroom overhaul as it confronts era without public funding

Scrubby

Heisman
Jul 2, 2025
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You're right. We could have avoided electing a tyrant as president who is on a personal vendetta tour against anyone who has ever wronged him ever. We'd all be better off if we could go back in time and avoid that huge mistake.


Thank God our tax dollars no longer fund this slop.

We the people voted to defund NPR. Why do you hate democracy in action?
 

baltimorened

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
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I appreciate that you approve.
I don't listen to NPR...so I don't know their programming...but, serious question, what do they produce that can't be gotten on other media?....and doesn't it stand to reason that if enough people wanted it, some for profit media would pick it up? Again, asking because I don't know.
 

FLaw47

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I don't listen to NPR...so I don't know their programming...but, serious question, what do they produce that can't be gotten on other media?....and doesn't it stand to reason that if enough people wanted it, some for profit media would pick it up? Again, asking because I don't know.

You seem to be missing some of the point of Public radio.

EDIT: But also no, I'm not aware of anyone else who provides quality radio reporting the way they do (happy to learn, though).
 
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baltimorened

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You seem to be missing some of the point of Public radio.

EDIT: But also no, I'm not aware of anyone else who provides quality radio reporting the way they do (happy to learn, though).
no I don't miss the point...but I guess my question was aimed at why do we need a government supported radio when we have so much private radio? Is there something we get our tax dollars that we can't or don't get for "free" from public radio? Aren't we trying to reduce deficits?
 

Moogy

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Thank God our tax dollars no longer fund this slop.

We the people voted to defund NPR. Why do you hate democracy in action?


Scrubby says: "Trolls are people, too!"

Scrubby says: "The truth matters ... and the truth is whatever 'alternative facts' we can make up out of thin air and convince others to promote."
 

FLaw47

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no I don't miss the point...but I guess my question was aimed at why do we need a government supported radio when we have so much private radio? Is there something we get our tax dollars that we can't or don't get for "free" from public radio? Aren't we trying to reduce deficits?

Yes, there is something that we get from it being publicly funded - that we own it and it's not subject to the same profit whims as every other news organization. Not every public expenditure is bad just because we're running a deficit. I personally think that an informed populace is specifically worth publicly investing in.
 

baltimorened

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Yes, there is something that we get from it being publicly funded - that we own it and it's not subject to the same profit whims as every other news organization. Not every public expenditure is bad just because we're running a deficit. I personally think that an informed populace is specifically worth publicly investing in.
ok, I don't disagree with anything you posted. My sole question was whether or not that information provided by NPR is only available on that medium or whether same thing, maybe different reporter, is also available on Fox, CNN or other medium. Like I said, I don't know, not an NPR listener. The answer might well be "yes"...or maybe "no"
 

Jerome Silberman

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Dec 19, 2022
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no I don't miss the point...but I guess my question was aimed at why do we need a government supported radio when we have so much private radio? Is there something we get our tax dollars that we can't or don't get for "free" from public radio? Aren't we trying to reduce deficits?

From a consumer side, an alternative source of information outside of ad based revenue from corporate interests in an increasingly partisan field, for almost nothing. From the creative side, most of the impact will not have anything to do with NPR's content. The funding cuts will likely shutter local public radio stations forever.

This statement isn't a judgement of anything, just how I understand what will be impacted. Honestly, with radio engagement rapidly declining it makes sense to review the processes and evaluate need.

But framing this both as a saving plan while spending in other areas like never before while claiming a moral anti-partisan stance is completely disingenuous and is pretty obviously is just the latest in a decades long anti-public media crusade by the GOP. It's fine, but the gaslighting isn't something to be proud of.
 

Jerome Silberman

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Yes, there is something that we get from it being publicly funded - that we own it and it's not subject to the same profit whims as every other news organization. Not every public expenditure is bad just because we're running a deficit. I personally think that an informed populace is specifically worth publicly investing in.

I generally agree and have listened to a lot of it over the years. That said, they are not a paradigm of truth and had a heavy hand in laying the groundwork for the invasion of Iraq.
 

Scrubby

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Scrubby says: "Trolls are people, too!"

Scrubby says: "The truth matters ... and the truth is whatever 'alternative facts' we can make up out of thin air and convince others to promote."
Triggered by national propaganda radio losing funding? You poor baby..
 

FLaw47

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ok, I don't disagree with anything you posted. My sole question was whether or not that information provided by NPR is only available on that medium or whether same thing, maybe different reporter, is also available on Fox, CNN or other medium. Like I said, I don't know, not an NPR listener. The answer might well be "yes"...or maybe "no"

I'm not aware of any other radio broadcasters that are at least attempting to be non partisan. But I only listen to NPR so I don't know.
 
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Aardvark86

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I don't care about NPR, and they indeed have some really good content at both local and national levels. But in a world where there's a crapload of really bad content i guess I'm a little bit at a loss to understand how they can't seem to figure out how to be sustainably compensated for their really good content, by content-starved distribution outlets.
 

Moogy

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Triggered by national propaganda radio losing funding? You poor baby..

Trollish to English translator:

"He lives in your head rent free" = "You're right. I have nothing."
"Triggered" = "You're right. I have nothing."
"But Biden/Obama/Kamala/Clinton" = "You're right. I have nothing."
"You have TDS" = "You're right. I have nothing."
 

Scrubby

Heisman
Jul 2, 2025
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Trollish to English translator:

"He lives in your head rent free" = "You're right. I have nothing."
"Triggered" = "You're right. I have nothing."
"But Biden/Obama/Kamala/Clinton" = "You're right. I have nothing."
"You have TDS" = "You're right. I have nothing."
"Truth is a distraction" - npr
 

BrainVision

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Jun 6, 2020
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I don't listen to NPR...so I don't know their programming...but, serious question, what do they produce that can't be gotten on other media?....and doesn't it stand to reason that if enough people wanted it, some for profit media would pick it up? Again, asking because I don't know.
I find the content on NPR and PBS stations to be unique. They provide comprehensive, in-depth coverage of local, state, national, and international news in a tone and style that I find to be much more thoughtful and civil relative to other media. The lack of advertising and commercial interruptions is also a major draw for me. The artistic and cultural programming is generally much more interesting and informative to me relative to other media. As a child, I greatly appreciated educational programming like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, The Joy of Painting, etc., which will likely never be profitable.
I also genuinely appreciate the "public utility" aspect of NPR and PBS stations, as they have often been the only reliable source of news, including emergency news broadcasts, and educational programming in places that are remote and/or too small for for-profit companies to invest in the infrastructure and staffing to maintain and serve.
 

BrainVision

Senior
Jun 6, 2020
416
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I don't care about NPR, and they indeed have some really good content at both local and national levels. But in a world where there's a crapload of really bad content i guess I'm a little bit at a loss to understand how they can't seem to figure out how to be sustainably compensated for their really good content, by content-starved distribution outlets.
I do not believe that any distribution outlets are content-starved. As you stated, a "crapload" of content exists that is clearly maximizing profits for the commercial media.
 

baltimorened

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I find the content on NPR and PBS stations to be unique. They provide comprehensive, in-depth coverage of local, state, national, and international news in a tone and style that I find to be much more thoughtful and civil relative to other media. The lack of advertising and commercial interruptions is also a major draw for me. The artistic and cultural programming is generally much more interesting and informative to me relative to other media. As a child, I greatly appreciated educational programming like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, The Joy of Painting, etc., which will likely never be profitable.
I also genuinely appreciate the "public utility" aspect of NPR and PBS stations, as they have often been the only reliable source of news, including emergency news broadcasts, and educational programming in places that are remote and/or too small for for-profit companies to invest in the infrastructure and staffing to maintain and serve.
thanks, that was very helpful
 

lucas80

Heisman
Jan 30, 2008
11,814
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This was so avoidable, but NPR just couldn't get out of their own way.

peeing ralph wiggum GIF
 

tigres88

All-American
Aug 7, 2022
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I find the content on NPR and PBS stations to be unique. They provide comprehensive, in-depth coverage of local, state, national, and international news in a tone and style that I find to be much more thoughtful and civil relative to other media. The lack of advertising and commercial interruptions is also a major draw for me. The artistic and cultural programming is generally much more interesting and informative to me relative to other media. As a child, I greatly appreciated educational programming like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers, The Joy of Painting, etc., which will likely never be profitable.
I also genuinely appreciate the "public utility" aspect of NPR and PBS stations, as they have often been the only reliable source of news, including emergency news broadcasts, and educational programming in places that are remote and/or too small for for-profit companies to invest in the infrastructure and staffing to maintain and serve.
I work for a company that NPR employs as a vendor to host their Market Research and Insight's department's findings. They are some of the most genuine, intelligent, and amazing people that I have ever interacted or worked with.

I often convey my bias to them, my frustration with the way they have been treated by this administration, the removal of their federal funding by this administration, and my frustration with the smear campaign that has been done against them.

And you know what? They acknowledge the foul play against them, but they let it go. They really believe in what they do, providing an unbiased and objective viewpoint on the U.S. and the world today, despite everything thats happening and all the noise.

The people of NPR are legitimately good people and want the best for America and the world.