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MRC President David Bozell Applauds Trump Administration for Historic Move to Defund PBS and NPR
Herndon, VA – July 17, 2025 —
Today, Media Research Center (MRC) President David Bozell issued the following statement celebrating a generational victory in the conservative movement’s long-standing effort to end taxpayer funding for public broadcasting:
“For nearly four decades, the Media Research Center has led the charge to expose and dismantle the entrenched bias—and now outright activism—of so-called 'public' broadcasting. PBS and NPR were created to provide objective journalism. Instead, the American people got drag shows for kids, glowing coverage of Democrats, and either silence or smears for conservatives.
That’s why we made it our mission to hold them accountable—or end their taxpayer-funded gravy train altogether. Today, I’m proud to say that decades of effort have paid off. We are especially grateful to President Donald J. Trump for fulfilling his promise to defund public broadcasting and for prioritizing it in his rescission package. His leadership was essential. We’re also thankful to former OMB Director Russ Vought, whose legislative framework made this rollback possible.
This wasn’t an overnight win. It began in a modest Alexandria townhome, where my father, L. Brent Bozell III, founded the MRC with little more than a black-and-white television and a couple of VCRs. From those humble beginnings, we built the nation’s most trusted media watchdog—through thousands of studies, briefings, media appearances, and strategy sessions.
Special thanks go to Tim Graham, who’s dedicated 36 years to this mission—from his 1999 congressional testimony to his powerful 2024 remarks before the House Commerce Committee. Dan Schneider’s strategic work on Capitol Hill was also key in sharpening our legislative impact. And our thanks go to our marketing and grassroots teams, who ensured the message stayed front and center—through social media blitzes, petitions, and even a digital billboard that circled the Capitol with a simple message: ‘Defund PBS & NPR.’
Our NewsBusters team deserves recognition as well. They cataloged every outrageous moment and double standard, making it impossible for the bias to be ignored. This effort was never ours alone—we stood with conservative allies like The Heritage Foundation, ForAmerica, American Principles Project, Conservative Partnership Institute, and the Center for Renewing America. Together, we formed a coalition powerful enough to win.
Most importantly, to our supporters: none of this would have been possible without you. Your faith in our mission, your generosity, and your persistence fueled every headline, every breakthrough, and every legislative gain. You armed lawmakers, sparked a grassroots movement, and exposed the truth.
Now... for our next trick.”
The MRC remains committed to its founding mission: to restore balance and integrity to American media. With this milestone achieved, the organization will continue its watchdog work to expose media bias, inform the public, and support a culture of accountability in journalism.