So they didn’t need my tax dollars – Private donors rush to keep NPR/PBS alive

Private donors have been flooding NPR and PBS with cash, thus proving that the two “news” stations never needed government subsidies.

“Over the last three months … roughly 120,000 new donors have contributed an estimated $20 million in annual value” to public radio stations including NPR and PBS, according to The New York Times.

“Amanda Mountain, the president and chief executive of Rocky Mountain Public Media, a PBS and NPR member network in Colorado, said she received 6,620 donations [just] from Friday to Sunday, including 1,000 from new contributors,” the reporting continued.

But there’s plenty more. WUNC, an NPR station in North Carolina, raised over $1 million with a simple donation drive. WMNF, an NPR member station in Florida, raised over $250,000.

Celebrities are also participating:

Sheryl Crow says she has sold her Tesla and donated the proceeds to NPR.

“My parents always said… you are who you hang out with.
There comes a time when you have to decide who you are willing to align with. So long Tesla. Money donated to NPR, which is under threat by… pic.twitter.com/W9mZHWVovc

— Yashar Ali (@yashar) February 15, 2025

Now, in fairness, the money raised thus far still pales in comparison to the $550 million in government subsidies that public stations used to enjoy but that were recently excised by the GOP-led Congress.

However, number one, this is just the beginning, and number two, $20 million is still way better than nothing.

Indeed, responding to the Times report, PBS and NPR’s many critics were quick to argue that this influx of money proves that the stations never needed taxpayer-funded welfare in the first place.

Look:

You’re saying they could’ve done this all along, and their fake “we’ll crumble” speeches were just acting. Awesome, thanks.

— Sack Head Shaun (@2againsttyranny) July 24, 2025

Pay for shit you want instead of demanding everyone else does it for you.
Novel idea right?

— Infidel (@Oreallynow1) July 24, 2025

Oh good, problem seems to have solved itself then. Guess they didn’t need those federal funds after all, their listeners were just being cheap before

— Enguerrand VII de Coucy (@ingelramdecoucy) July 24, 2025

Are people suddenly embracing capitalism in the wake of getting their socialist goodies taken away from them? Who would have ever believed nature worked that way???

— Sir Lunchalot (@CryptoManPig) July 26, 2025

Listeners voluntarily donating to NPR because they like the content is actually FAR more preferable than the US government simply taking dollars from Americans who don’t.

How can’t more people see this?

— Jon Miltimore (@miltimore79) July 24, 2025

So they didn’t need my tax dollars.

Thanks for clarifying. https://t.co/vd2tosY70Q

— Amy Curtis (@RantyAmyCurtis) July 24, 2025

Notice what one critic wrote about the left’s “fake ‘we’ll crumble’ speeches.” There were indeed many of those after Congress finally defunded NPR and PBS.

“These cuts to local stations couldn’t happen at a worse time, with floods and natural disasters front of mind,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a floor speech about the defunding.

“And sometimes, all too often, public broadcasting is the only way for people to hear what’s going on. It’s a matter of life and death. So why is Donald Trump so hellbent on taking away funding from local stations that can literally save lives?” he added.

Listen:

Senator Chuck Schumer absurdly claims people will die if NPR and PBS are defunded: “It’s a matter of life and death.”

Huh?
pic.twitter.com/wgSvQc5CYk

— Proud Elephant (@ProudElephantUS) July 16, 2025

Many other leftists echoed his doomsday rhetoric.

“The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress have weaponized the rescissions tool to defund their perceived political enemies – public radio, Sesame Street, and starving children overseas,” Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse tweeted.

“House Republicans just passed Trump’s rescissions package — billions of dollars in cuts to public broadcasting that serves rural America and global aid that saves lives,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal added. “I voted HELL NO.”

See more of the left’s lunatic responses below:

This is so bad https://t.co/lqWfEOwU9d

— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) July 18, 2025

The Senate just passed Trump’s request to cut $1.1 billion in federal funding for public broadcasting.

Why is Trump so hell-bent on gutting funds for PBS and NPR?

It’s part of a larger plan — one where he can control not just what we do, but what we think. pic.twitter.com/0QulJFQbg3

— Robert Reich (@RBReich) July 17, 2025