Last week, Donald Trump issued an executive order calling for the end of funding for NPR and PBS. It’s the latest attempt by conservatives to cut back on support for public media, and in particular target NPR, which they view as having a liberal bias.

Katherine Maher, NPR’s CEO, says that perception is deeply unfair—and notes that the vast majority of the funding for public media goes to local stations, which are widely trusted across the political spectrum.

But the battle to insulate NPR from political influence is not easy—and, as Maher explains, it’s facing its toughest challenge yet.

Read More:

*NPR’s coverage of Trump’s recent executive order

*CJR on how local and tribal radio stations have the most to lose from a funding cut

*Uri Berliner, a former NPR editor, launched a broadside against the network last year for having too much of a liberal bias

Hosted by Josh Hersh
Produced by Amanda Darrach