PBS is laying off 100 staffers — about 15% of its workforce — after Congress and President Trump followed through on a decades-old conservative goal: ending taxpayer subsidies for public broadcasting.
The public broadcaster confirmed the cuts Thursday, citing the loss of $500 million in annual federal funding that vanished in July under a sweeping Trump-backed rescission bill.
News of the layoffs was first reported by the New York Times.
The Post has sought comment from PBS.
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which once distributed those dollars, is shutting down entirely by the end of this month.
CEO Paula Kerger told station managers in an email that the layoffs were unavoidable despite earlier hiring freezes and pay pauses.
“These decisions, while difficult, position PBS to weather the current challenges facing public media,” Kerger wrote.
For years, Republicans have blasted PBS, NPR and Voice of America as taxpayer-funded mouthpieces for liberal bias and “woke propaganda.”
Trump campaigned on eliminating federal support, accusing the outlets of partisanship and unfair coverage and the move to defund them became a centerpiece of Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for reshaping government and culture.
Conservatives argue the networks should stand or fall on their own in the free market — not with subsidies and regulatory favors.
They’ve also pointed to children’s shows and educational content that emphasize themes like race, gender and climate change, saying they amount to progressive indoctrination at taxpayer expense.
PBS’s layoffs include 34 immediate pink slips, the closure of dozens of open jobs and cuts made earlier this summer when Congress axed funding for education programming.
The network said it was reducing its budget by 21% and lowering dues for its 330 member stations.
NPR, facing the same shortfall, is cutting $8 million from its own budget. CEO Katherine Maher called the move a “first step” to ease pressure on affiliates that relied on CPB grants.
The fallout is hitting hardest at local PBS and NPR stations, many in rural areas where federal support covered basic operating costs. Dozens are warning they could shut down unless they find emergency funding.
Trump officials have extended the crackdown to Voice of America, where more than 500 jobs were cut in August. Acting agency head Kari Lake defended the move by calling VOA “radical” and a national security threat.
The administration slashed its reach from 49 languages to fewer than five, and signaled plans to dismantle other federally funded broadcasters like Radio Free Asia.
The White House has insisted the policy is about fairness, arguing taxpayers shouldn’t bankroll media organizations that critics say overwhelmingly tilt left.
“American families should not be forced to fund partisan programming that refuses to represent their views,” Trump said in May.
PBS insists it will protect cornerstone shows such as “PBS NewsHour” and “Antiques Roadshow,” though other original series may be shelved.
Employees described the mood inside as somber. “It feels like the soul of public television is being gutted,” one staffer told the New York Times.
The Post has sought comment from the White House.
