The donation comes at a critical moment for public broadcasting after the Trump administration pressured Congress to slash about $1.1 billion in already approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which distributes funding for public radio and television.
“I support NPR because an informed public is the bedrock of our society, and democracy requires strong, independent journalism,” Ballmer said in a statement. “My hope is that this commitment provides the stability and the spark NPR needs to innovate boldly and strengthen its national network.”
Her commitment to journalism spans decades. She earned a degree in journalism from the University of Oregon before entering a career in public relations and marketing in the tech sector. She currently serves on the board of the Obama Foundation and previously sat on the NPR Foundation board.
Last May, President Donald Trump signed an executive order demanding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) cut all federal funding to NPR and PBS because of “biased and partisan news coverage.” In July, Congress rescinded more than $1 billion in funding for public broadcasting.
“President Trump promised the American people that his administration would be good stewards of taxpayer dollars, which is why he signed an executive order last year to end the subsidization of biased and Left-wing public media organizations,” White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said in a statement to Fortune. “The American people work hard for their money and their tax dollars should not be wasted on progressive pet projects.”
Only about 1% of NPR’s budget came directly from CPB, but the average public radio station lost about 10% of its annual budget. For some local stations, especially in rural areas, more than half of their budget came from CPB.
While Ballmer’s gift won’t replace all the lost funding, it is a major step toward strengthening NPR’s financial future. The donation is specifically dedicated to helping NPR’s digital transformation across platforms meet the needs and serve the interests of public media audiences.
This story has been updated to include comment from the White House.
