Sequester Will Not Affect Corporation for Public Broadcasting Budgets

The CPB will not see cuts in the new 2014 budget proposal.

According to Inside Radio's Thursday edition,  the 2014 White House budget proposal keeps funding for the CPB and NPR at previously-targeted levels, including $445 million for 2016 advanced appropriation.

The CPB distributes at least 70 percent of its funding directly to public radio and television stations at the local level. CPB Chief Patricia Harrison said the future funding is an important step:

(The funding serves as) an important firewall ensuring editorial independence in programming decisions.

A Congressional bi-partisan commission had suggested getting rid of public media subsidies as far as back as 2010, and a number of GOP legislators have pressed to cut NPB funding. However, several bills that would do so have been blocked.

Since a flurry of activity over NPR and CPB funding in 2010-11, there has been almost no discussion or actions taken over their budgets.