NPR plans to make trims totaling more than $5 million over the course of the coming fiscal year to bring its annual budget into balance. Meanwhile, local stations are asking for more help.

NPR executives are scanning the horizon for storm clouds even as they are planning a stand-pat budget for the upcoming fiscal year: They don't yet know how badly NPR local member stations have been hurt by the July vote by Congress to cease all federal funding for public media .

NPR CEO Katherine Maher told the board of directors in an open session Friday that the network's $300 million annual budget would be balanced. Like that of the federal government, NPR's fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

At NPR and many member stations, listener contributions have spiked up significantly. They are helping to make up

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