Would NPR survive without federal funding?

Maybe. But they are reliant of late on Ray Kroc from MacDonald's and George Soros' Open society Institute, and other business interests. So they are in essence a commercial enterprise as we speak. You don't think ole' George and Exxon Mobil, etc. give this money for them to do as they please do you? They think they are above the fray, but they are bought and paid for like everyone else.