The lawsuit came three days after a similar lawsuit by NPR, which also cut funds.
Three days after NPR did the same on radio networks, PBS filed a lawsuit against US President Donald Trump and other executives to block an order to strip federal funds from the 330-station public television system.
In a lawsuit filed Friday, PBS relied on similar arguments, saying Trump exaggerated his authority and engaged in “point discrimination” due to his claims that PBS news reports are biased against conservatives.
“PBS challenges these indicted claims on the strongest possible terms,” attorney ZW Julius Chen wrote in a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. “However, regardless of policy disagreements regarding the role of public television, our constitution and law prohibits us from serving as president as mediator of PBS programming content, including attempts to refund PBS.”
This was the latest in many legal measures taken against the administration for the move, including several movements by media organisations affected by Trump’s orders.
PBS has joined Lakeland PBS, one of the stations serving rural areas in northern and central Minnesota, as plaintiffs. The lawsuit said Trump’s orders are “existential threats” to the station.
A spokesman for PBS said, “After careful deliberation, it has concluded that legal action is necessary to protect the editorial independence of public television and the autonomy of PBS member stations.”
“Legal authority”
Through an executive order earlier this month, Trump told corporations that they would halt funding the two systems for public broadcasting and federal agencies. In businesses alone, PBS has received $325 million this year, most of which goes directly to individual stations.
White House deputy reporter Harrison Fields said the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is creating media to support certain political parties on taxpayer dimes.
“The president is therefore exercising his legitimate authority to limit funds to NPR and PBS,” Fields said. “The President will be elected with a mandate to ensure efficient use of taxpayer dollars and will continue to use his legitimate authority to achieve that objective.”
PBS, which manufactures much of the programming used at the station, said it has taken 22% of its revenue directly from the Fed. 61% of PBS’s budget is funded through individual station membership fees, and the bureau raises most of its money through the government.
Suspend “a rich tapestry of programming”
Trump’s orders “will have a major impact on the ability of PBS and PBS member stations to provide a rich tapestry of programming to all Americans,” wrote Chen.
According to PBS, the U.S. Department of Education has cancelled a $78 million grant to systems for educational programming used to create shows for children, such as Sesame Street, Clifford the Big Red Dog and Reading Rainbow.
For Minnesota residents, the order threatens Lakeland is described as the only television program in the area that learns education programs and Lakeland News and provides local news, weather and sports in the lawsuit.
In addition to Trump, the lawsuit names other executives defendants, including Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent and Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem. PBS says the technology is being used as a backup for wireless emergency warning systems across the country.
The administration fought against several media organizations. Government-run news services such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty are struggling to live their lives. The Associated Press is fighting the White House over access to news outlets, and the Federal Communications Commission is investigating the TV news department.
Source link
