PBS News Hour West to go dark after ASU discontinues contract

(statepress.com)

122 points | by heavyset_go 4 hours ago ago

21 comments

  • mikeyouse 2 hours ago

    Of course it’s due to the federal funding cuts. At least DHS got 2,000x more than these cuts saved from PBS as our deficit continues to explode.

    https://current.org/2025/11/weta-to-cut-staff-cancel-pbs-new...

  • slantedview an hour ago

    It's no coincidence that at a time of eroding democracy, public journalism is being cut.

    • meltyness 34 minutes ago

      As an avid and long term PBS viewer, donor, news hour west was 90% a waste of time anyway. Most evenings it is virtually the same broadcast, same segments. Media is more VOD-oriented anyway. They have been posting both broadcasts to YouTube for years, so you can assess this if you'd like.

      The exception is if there's something notable to report on between 5PM and 8PM EST

    • chasil 35 minutes ago

      At the same time, even with the mayhem of the current executive, it is important to read the room.

      The house of representatives controls the budget. Moderating perceived bias would be an obvious survival strategy.

      Edit: Oh, drat, I've been ostracized. Whatever will I do?

      • Braxton1980 19 minutes ago

        >Moderating perceived bias would be an obvious survival strategy.

        >Oh, drat, I've been ostracized. Whatever will I do?

        Because you seemed to think the issue was the lack of reason when it's actually the reason itself.

        Also, the government acting on perception instead of evidence is horrible.

        In my opinion the claims of bias at PBS were done to keep the core Republican voter base energized. They've been told to not trust the media while Trump appoints multiple Foxnews employees to high level positions in the government.

  • junkypuppet 2 hours ago

    The article doesn’t mention it, but I wonder if this has anything to do with ASU’s President trying to cozy up with the Trump administration [0]. Trump has already at least tried to cut federal funding for PBS [1]. I’m not sure where that’s at now.

    [0]: https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/arizona-state-universi...

    [1]: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/nx-s1-5384790/trump-orders-en...

    • slicedice 2 hours ago

      It got cut.

      • DrewADesign 2 hours ago

        People shouting about PBS news being horribly biased are just flat-out wrong. Obviously their viewership leans centrist liberal, but no other news program in recent times approached their level of nonpartisanship when dealing with national politics. Regardless of their affiliation, they’d ask most interviewees a couple of pointed questions but always let them explain themselves uninterrupted, and let them have the last word unless it was blatantly false. In the Obama era they regularly had top Republican leadership on from that era and years past— Pat Buchanan, Newt Gingrich, and Mitch McConnell were on there all the time. I’ve seen Steve Bannon respectfully (actually rather warmly) interviewed within the past year, as well as people from the heritage foundation, Manhattan institute, Cato institute, and other people from across the right-wing spectrum.

        David Brooks isn’t representative of the Republican mainstream at the moment, but they’ve started getting more representative Republican counterpoints on their panels over the past few months, even after the republicans cut their funding.

        They present a more reasonable, tempered, and charitable perspective on both political parties than any other major news outlet.

        Culture war bullshit.

        • every 14 minutes ago

          PBS and NPR have long been my go-to sources for news. Very much in the classic "who, what, when and where" vein. Editorial content is small, segregated and usually includes advocates for both sides. Blissfully boring and informative...

        • meltyness 29 minutes ago

          The first half is usually solid, the back half is, well, usually more opinionated/softer. Lots of interviews with professors who seek to have their opinions represented as facts or members of the public have their plight elevated as serious national policy concerns.

          • Braxton1980 18 minutes ago

            >professors who seek to have their opinions represented as facts

            How do they do that and how do you know it's their intent?

        • chasil 17 minutes ago
        • wyldfire an hour ago

          > People shouting about PBS news being horribly biased are just flat-out wrong.

          "Truth is treason in an empire of lies" - George Orwell

        • Forgeties79 an hour ago

          After I heard someone call McConnell a RINO I knew that no amount of concessions would make them feel coverage was “fair.” It’s Trump’s way or the highway.

  • user3939382 an hour ago

    ASU accepted $20M in criminal gains IMHO AFAICT. I have receipts

  • RickJWagner 2 hours ago

    I’m glad Walter Cronkite is remembered through that school. In my mind, he was one of the last great journalists from an era that wasn’t strongly politically biased.

    • Braxton1980 2 minutes ago

      Is it possible you think there's a stronger political bias in the media today than in the past because of proganda designed to make you think that?

    • lettergram 2 hours ago

      When I read that I'm always personally confused. He had a commanding voice and had an aurora of being above it all. But when you listened and watched what he actually did, he seemed very political in my mind, though perhaps more of a moderate(?).

      He even advocated for world government, endorsed politicians, etc.

      • themafia an hour ago

        Uncritically accepted the Warren Report.

  • zzzeek 32 minutes ago

    Paging MacKenzie Scott....