Public media feeling the impacts of federal funding cuts

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - October 1 marked public media’s first time without federal funding in 50 years. A bill signed in July canceled $1.1 billion dollars in funding. Now, stations like Alabama Public Television (APT) and WBHM here in central Alabama may have to rely solely on community support to keep going.

Kate Riley, the President and CEO of America’s Public Television Stations said, “We’re seeing stations across the country having to make devastating cuts – reducing their staff, reducing their services.”

For over half a century, public media has brought nearly 99% of the American population free educational programming and services with the assistance of federal funding… until now.

“Of the money rescinded, 70% of that funding went directly to local stations. So while we heard a lot of concerns expressed during the rescission debate about national programming, the actual impact of this 1.1 billion rescission over two years is hitting the local stations the hardest,” Riley said.

Stations had two months to try and figure out what to do without the money they had already planned for in their budgets.

“We are already seeing announcements from some stations in the country saying they are going to have to go off the air in a matter of months really unless some sort of funding is restored,” said Riley.

According to Riley, the cuts are impacting stations serving rural areas because they don’t have the population to raise additional funds.

“However, we think it’s critically important, as does the Public Broadcast Act, that all Americans regardless of whether they live in bigger communities or smaller communities have access to free over-the-air non-commercial educational television.”

Here in Birmingham, WBHM 90.3, an Alabama Public Television and NPR partner, told WBRC that most of their funding already comes from the community and corporate partners. Now, they will just have to rely on your support more than ever.

The way forward will all depend on the government and what Congress decides for the 2026 fiscal budget.

“Really any amount of additional funding would be helpful for stations who are facing a very large gap in funding right now, and of course we’d love to have the full amount, but really any amount will help these stations continue to do their work and hopefully keep them from going off the air,” Riley said.

If you want to get involved and help support your local station, click or tap here, or donate directly to the stations.

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