John McWhorter, a Columbia University professor and New York Times columnist, shocked Bill Maher’s “Real Time” audience by agreeing with Republican calls to end federal funding for NPR. A longtime NPR listener, McWhorter argued the network has abandoned its general audience appeal since 2020, becoming repetitive and narrowly focused on narratives about “how somebody can’t do something.” His then-9-year-old daughter even noticed this shift, questioning why NPR “always plays the same thing.” McWhorter emphasized NPR should no longer receive taxpayer support, stating, “It’s no longer a general audience venue.”

The debate over NPR funding has intensified politically. A Pew Research survey found 44% of Republicans support defunding NPR and PBS, compared to just 5% of Democrats. Conservatives argue NPR promotes a liberal agenda, highlighted by recent congressional hearings where Republicans accused public media of “radical left-wing echo chambers.” Critics like Bill O’Reilly point to NPR’s lack of ideological diversity, with one report showing 87 registered Democrats and zero Republicans in its newsroom. Bill Maher joined the criticism, calling NPR “crazy far-left” and arguing taxpayer subsidies for partisan media are outdated.

Meanwhile, NPR and PBS leaders defended their nonpartisan mission, stressing their role in emergency broadcasting and educational programming like Sesame Street. They warned funding cuts would disproportionately harm rural stations. Despite bipartisan support for decades, the $535 million annual federal allocation faces growing scrutiny. With Donald Trump vowing to cut funding and Democrats rallying to preserve it, the future of public broadcasting hangs in the balance.