Samantha Melbourneweaver
Managing Editor, Digital Audience Growth & Engagement
The First Amendment protects the freedom of the press. But a free press doesn’t just happen. It takes resources to keep journalists on the ground, put pen to paper, fact-check and distribute reporting.
As a nonprofit organization, NPR was founded on a mission to create a more informed public. Our coverage is not bought or swayed by special interests — our journalism serves everyday people like you. Your support ensures we can always speak truth to power.
In 2025, Congress eliminated federal funding for public media. This leaves us with fewer resources to serve you and the millions of others who depend on the NPR Network to stay informed. It means your support is even more important in keeping journalists on the ground, asking questions, amplifying unheard voices and sharing powerful stories.
Today, we’re asking you to take action. With challenges to independent media rising, it is up to all of us to ensure that the free press endures.
For 250 years, the First Amendment has been the job description for a free press. Without the right to speak, publish and assemble, communities have no way to protect the rest of their constitutional rights.
When you donate to the NPR Network and support an independent press for the people, by the people, you help protect access to the facts for all.
