President Donald Trump has signed an executive order slashing federal funding to public broadcasters PBS and NPR.
The order issued Thursday instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS,” eliminating about $500 million in support for public radio and TV stations around the country. That includes South Bend PBS affiliate, WNIT. Station President and General Manager Amanda Miller Kelley tells us not only have the feds cut off funding, but the state of Indiana last week also stripped public funding for them. She says WNIT is now facing a tough time.
“The state is about 10% of our budget and federal is about 22.5%,” Kelley said. “So, we’re looking at a third of our budget just gone.”
Kelley says WNIT will now have to take a very hard look at the programs and services it provides to determine what will have to be changed. She notes WNIT operates five stations total, including the main station airing a variety of local and national programs, and specialty stations that air children’s programming and weather. It will be difficult to maintain all of those services.
Kelley says Friday’s news was “deeply disheartening” because she believes PBS provides viewers with content they don’t get anywhere else.
“We’re not chasing ratings, we’re not driven by profits, we are non-commercial television. So that’s what we’re looking to continue to be for this community, for our neighbors, for the people who watch us because they rely on us for their children or because they watch us because they value what we bring to their homes.”
Kelley says the station does have to pay for licenses to air many of its most popular programs. She was to take part in a manager’s call with the national PBS organization to learn more Friday.
Kelley tells us the total loss of funding to WNIT as a result of recent cuts comes out to about $1.3 million. Those who support the station with their pledges could help by increasing them.
WNIT has operated in South Bend since 1974.
