PBS has become the latest organization to roll back on their DEI Initiatives amid Trump’s executive orders.
This news comes as public broadcasters are currently facing funding threats and concerns of the Republican lawmakers revisiting proposals to cut or even eliminate funding for the media outlet. PBS President Paula Kerger said in a memo that the closure of DEI was “in response to the executive orders.” It also revealed that two of their staff members, Cecilia Loving and Gina Leow would be leaving the company.
Although the closure will take place, Kerger said that PBS will continue to keep it’s commitment “to serving diverse American communities and maintaining an inclusive environment within the organization.”
PBS has joined other companies such as Target, Walmart, and Meta, who have also eliminated their DEI initiatives and also comes after the public expressed their disappointment on social media and an investigation by FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, a Trump appointee.
Reports state that Carr showed “concerns about federal funding for PBS and NPR, and his investigation is seen as a part of a larger debate in Congress about the future of taxpayer support for these organizations.”
PBS has required producers to submit DEI plans as part of a proposal for new content as a way to promote diversity across its programming.
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