NPR has filed a lawsuit against the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in an effort to block the group from awarding a $57.9 million grant to Public Media Infrastructure (PMI).
The new consortium — comprised of New York Public Radio, PRX, American Public Media, Station Resource Group, and the National Federation of Community Broadcasters — was selected by CPB to operate the satellite system that connects public radio stations nationwide. NPR has handled that system for more than four decades.
The filing comes as federal support for public broadcasting disappears with the start of the new fiscal year. Congressional Republicans, encouraged by President Trump, rescinded previously approved funding for CPB over the next two years.
The CPB is tasked with distributing federal dollars to public television and radio, including PBS, local stations, and NPR. Those subsidies — about 15% of PBS budgets and roughly 10% for public radio outlets — officially end Wednesday.
NPR claims it was told in April it would receive more than $30 million to continue managing the satellite network, only to see CPB reverse course and award the contract to PMI. CPB President Patricia Harrison said the move reflects a commitment to innovation and sustainability, placing “trust in stations to drive the future of radio content distribution,” particularly for rural and community broadcasters.
In its lawsuit, NPR argues CPB’s decision was driven by political pressure from the White House and violates both the First Amendment and the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. The filing joins a separate legal fight with the Trump administration over the president’s May order barring CPB from directing federal funds to NPR — a move the network says is unconstitutional retaliation for critical coverage.
NPR CEO Katherine Maher told stations the CPB decision undermines a decades-long partnership, but pledged to work alongside PMI to ensure the system remains stable. CPB defended its action as serving the broader interests of public radio and criticized NPR for “diverting scarce resources toward litigation.”
A hearing on NPR’s request for a temporary restraining order is set for Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Randolph D. Moss, just 24 hours before the last of the federal subsidies runs out.
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