A judge recently struck down an executive order from President Donald Trump defunding NPR and PBS. (Rebecca Feldhaus Adams / LPM)Last May, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that ended the federal funding for public broadcasting. Recently, federal judge Randolph Moss ruled that execut ive order is unconstitutional. To discuss what that means for public broadcasting, Bill Burton sat down with LPM President and CEO Kenya Young.This transcript has been edited for brevity and clarity.Bill Burton: Let's start with that executive order. What did that put in motion?Kenya Young: This was, as you said, an executive order last May, almost a year ago, that was specifically about the federal agency funds, or grant funds used towards NPR. These would be agencies like the Department of Education that gave many grants to PBS and even indicated member stations like ourselves not being able to use federal grant funds towards purchasing NPR programming.(Justin Hicks / LPM)BB: Trump signed that executive order in early May, little more than a month later, Congress voted to claw back $1.1 billion in federal funding. Two different things, though, yes?KY: Two very distinct, different things. I think it's important to say, and I'll be candid in saying, that what we know is that this administration is targeting public broadcasting in all different directions.First there was the executive order. Then there was the clawback and the vote against federal funding to CPB, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which is now closed. That then filtered to NPR and to stations. I could say we're getting it from all ends and the executive order was one, luckily, that was struck down.Unfortunately, the congressional vote did rescind our funds, and that does not change. Those funds are gone. That did not change, and there's no foreseeable future where that comes back.BB: How is public media adapting to this new landscape?KY: We just recently completed our first fund drive of the year, and as we've seen, particularly with new members and sustaining members, that makes a huge difference for us. We are thinking a lot about what it means to have a different business model without that 4.5% from federal funding. But it's a new landscape, and all of the stations, including LPM, are figuring out what this looks like.I'm collaborating and talking with the other presidents and general managers and stations across the state to think about how we might collaborate and figure out different business models.BB: What will the effect be on the average listener's experience?KY: We are trying to not have any effect whatsoever. Our programming is still the same. I work very closely with our news directors, our director of programming, to really think about the programming that we are giving and delivering, and any changes that we have made, some scheduling changes or that we will make, are all strategic changes and really about the best programming that we want to put on the air. They're not about any cuts that we're making to programming.BB: Is there anything else we should know about this ruling?KY: I think the biggest thing is this is a victory. While it is very distinct, this is a victory for the freedom of press. This is a victory that's a legal win and a constitutional win.One of the things that I love that Judge Moss wrote is that “the First Amendment draws a line which the government may not cross at efforts to use government power, the power of the purse, to punish or suppress disfavored expression.”That's really powerful. It means that the courts are still willing to uphold the First Amendment. I think that's important to know. It's important to understand. It is why we are here. It is what I fight for every day when I think about the news and the program that we're delivering. ...read more read less