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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MRC Press Team
July 17, 2025 571-267-3500
Victory! MRC President David Bozell
Applauds Trump Administration for Keeping the Defunding Promise
HERNDON, Va. – The Media Research Center (MRC), America’s leading media watchdog, celebrated a generational victory in the conservative movement’s long-standing effort to end taxpayer funding for public broadcasting.
MRC President David Bozell posted on X/Twitter, “For nearly four decades, the Media Research Center has been the tip of the spear in exposing the bias — now open activism — of so-called ‘public’ broadcasting. PBS and NPR were chartered to provide objective journalism. Instead, we got drag shows for kids, gushing coverage of Democrats, and silence or smears for conservatives. The MRC made it our mission to hold them accountable — or end their taxpayer gravy train.”
Bozell continued, “We’re especially grateful to President Donald J. Trump for honoring his longstanding promise to defund public broadcasting and for making this a priority in his rescission package. His leadership was essential. We also want to thank OMB Director Russ Vought, who provided the critical legislative framework that made this historic rollback possible.”
“This wasn’t an overnight win. It was the result of decades of persistent effort — beginning in a modest Alexandria townhome, where my father, L. Brent Bozell III, with just a black-and-white TV and a couple of VCRs, began building the nation’s most trusted media watchdog. From there, through thousands of studies, congressional briefings, national media appearances, and Capitol Hill strategy sessions, MRC’s work became the gold standard for calling out liberal bias,” Bozell added.
Bozell gave credit to the heart of this effort, “Tim Graham, who has worked tirelessly on this issue for 36 years, deserves special thanks. From his 1999 congressional testimony to his forceful 2024 remarks before the House Commerce Committee, Tim has remained laser-focused on exposing the abuses of PBS and NPR. Dan Schneider’s strategic efforts on the Hill were also instrumental. Their work brought the bias into sharp public view.”
Bozell went on to praise the work of additional MRC staff, “The credit also goes to our marketing team for keeping the message front and center — from social media blitzes and grassroots petitions to a digital billboard circling the Capitol with a simple message: ‘Defund PBS & NPR.’ And to our NewsBusters team, who have cataloged every absurd moment and double standard for years — your work made it impossible to hide.”
Bozell continued to thank MRC allies, “MRC wasn’t alone in this fight. We stood shoulder to shoulder with conservative allies like The Heritage Foundation, ForAmerica, American Principles Project, Conservative Partnership Institute, and the Center for Renewing America. Together, we built a coalition powerful enough to win.”
“MRC’s work held firm because it was grounded in truth. The Left looked for weaknesses. They found none. And because we stayed unflinching, we earned the trust of lawmakers, thought leaders, and everyday conservatives across the country,” added Bozell.
Bozell concluded with a very important thank you, “And to our supporters: Without your commitment — your belief in our mission, your support through every chapter — we wouldn’t have had the resources to expose the bias, arm the lawmakers, or spark the grassroots movement that brought us here. You were the fuel behind every study, every headline, and every breakthrough moment. Now…for our next trick…”
MRC is already working on the next steps in this fight. $1.1 billion was clawed back through President Trump’s rescission package. Additionally, President Trump’s executive order prevents federal agencies from providing grants to PBS and NPR.
Now, Congress must not add funding for PBS and NPR back into the next budget. MRC will continue the effort to work with state governors to end state-level grants to PBS and NPR. There is also valuable real estate purchased by taxpayers for PBS and NPR that should be sold to the benefit of the taxpayers. MRC will continue to keep you updated on efforts to defund government-funded propaganda.
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About the Media Research Center
Founded in 1987 by Brent Bozell, the Media Research Center (MRC) is America’s premier media watchdog. MRC is dedicated to exposing and combating left-wing bias in the news media, entertainment, Big Tech, and beyond. With a range of powerful platforms including NewsBusters, Free Speech America, MRC Business, MRCTV, and CNSNews, the MRC reaches millions of Americans daily with bold, fact-based reporting and analysis. For nearly four decades, MRC has held the media accountable and stood as a leading force for truth in journalism.
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