NPR President and CEO Katherine Maher marked one year of public media operating without public funding, saying the organization is still serving the public thanks to listener support.
"For more than 50 years, federal funding ensured we were able to keep our promise to serve every American," Maher said. "Today, we're still serving the public, thanks to your support."
Maher thanked donors who she said stepped forward to protect public media stations in their communities, the programs that keep news and culture alive, and the journalists who spend every day searching for the truth.
"Thank you for believing in our mission, our purpose, and our value to you and to American civic life," she said.
Looking ahead, Maher said NPR will continue reporting in the public interest, elevating music, culture and the arts, and serving communities across the nation. But she said that without federal funding, support from the public is needed more than ever.
"Your continued support makes it possible for us to stand firm in the face of political pressure, to defend the First Amendment, to shine a light in the dark," Maher said.
She said that support keeps NPR strong and independent, "in service only to the public interest and the American people."
Maher outlined what she said the organization and its supporters will do together: keep journalists on the ground holding power to account, deliver accurate and trustworthy news that cuts through spin and misinformation, celebrate music and storytelling, and keep up with changing technology to serve audiences wherever they are.
"Thank you for standing alongside us," she said. "Thank you for giving us the confidence to stand tall, report boldly, and invest in the future, knowing we have your support."
Maher closed by saying that together, public media will serve the American people for decades to come.