The Metro: NPR Public Editor Kelly McBride on CPB cuts, media ethics
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Today on The Metro, we continue our coverage on the fight over public media funding and what’s at stake for local news and music stations across the country.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) due to alleged bias. Now, in the House Rescissions Act of 2025 — which narrowly passed the House last month — he’s asking Congress to claw back CPB funding that has already been approved.
The Senate Appropriations committee held a hearing on the bill last month, and the Senate will need to vote on the package by July 18.
If passed, local stations — including WDET and the programs you love — would face profound impacts. At WDET, about 6% of our annual budget comes from CPB.
Kelly McBride, senior vice president at the Poynter Institute, serves as NPR’s public editor. She says in her role with NPR, she serves as an independent critic of NPR reporting, engaging with listeners and critiquing public media stations when appropriate.
McBride spoke with Metro co-host Robyn Vincent about how public editors at major media outlets help hold journalists accountable, and how NPR could improve its coverage of federal funding cuts to public media and allegations of bias.
Use the media player above to hear the full conversation.
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