NPR, public television won't get budget ax

Despite Republican-led calls to strip funding from National Public Radio, public broadcasting emerged largely unscathed in the federal budget compromise hammered out in Congress over the past week.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which passes federal funds to public radio and TV stations, is slated to receive $445 million from Congress — essentially the same amount it received in its last appropriation. The proposed budget places no restrictions on how CPB can dole out federal funds to stations. House Republicans, led by Rep Doug Lamborn (R-CO), had sought to restrict public radio from using CPB-granted funds to pay dues to NPR for its programming. The proposed funding is a huge victory for public broadcasters, particularly NPR, which has suffered a series of public-relations disasters that have strengthened conservative calls to eliminate its federal support.