SLC Times

Senator Mike Lee from Utah has put forward the Defund Government Sponsored Propaganda Act, aiming to halt federal taxpayer funding for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR). This legislative move arises from ongoing concerns about perceived bias and fairness in these media organizations. Representative Claudia Tenney of New York has introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives.

"Americans have hundreds of sources of news and commentary, and they don’t need politically biased, taxpayer-funded media choosing what they should see and hear," stated Senator Lee. "PBS and NPR are free to compete in the marketplace of ideas using donations, but their public subsidy should end."

Representative Tenney expressed her perspective as a former newspaper owner and publisher on the importance of balanced media. "Unfortunately, these taxpayer-funded outlets have chosen advocacy over accuracy, using public dollars to promote a political agenda rather than report the facts," she said. She criticized figures like Katherine Maher for allegedly steering PBS and NPR away from American principles such as free thought and open discourse. According to Tenney, "Taxpayer dollars should not fund political propaganda disguised as journalism." The proposed act aims to prevent federal funds from supporting what she describes as blatant media bias.

The bill's text is available for public reading online.