NEW YORK — Efforts to strip government funding for public broadcasting appear to have failed.

PBS chief Paula Kerger tells The Associated Press that the federal budget deal retains most of the money that President Barack Obama had set aside for public television and radio stations — nearly $430 million.

Kerger said a lobbying effort that resulted in a half-million emails and also phone calls to congressional offices appears to have paid off. She said the public response "changed everything."

The money is distributed to nearly 1,000 public television and radio stations across the country.