Local stations brace for federal cuts to public broadcasting

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — They are the television and radio stations that air popular programming like PBS’s Sesame Street and NPR’s Morning Edition.

Now they’re losing more than a billion dollars in federal funds that had previously been approved.

Early Friday morning, Congress took its final steps to pass a bill that will take back those funds at the request of President Donald Trump.

The move impacts local public broadcasting outlets like WHYY in Philadelphia.

“We are a lifelong learning service,” said WHYY President and CEO Bill Marrazzo. “Everything we do tends to be bipartisan and balanced.”

The bill approved by Congress cancels $1.1 billion in previously approved federal funding for public broadcasting.

Experts like Drexel University professor Michael Kozak are now analyzing whether the cuts are financial or political.

“I do question why go after PBS and NPR?…This is literally a drop in the bucket in the overall budget,” said Kozak.

The Trump administration accuses public broadcasters of being biased and a drain on federal resources.

“These are not honest news organizations,” said White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. “These are partisan, left-wing outlets that are funded by the taxpayers.”

WHYY’s president and CEO says they stand to lose $4 million in federal funds.

“That’s about 7% of our annual operating budget,” said Marrazzo, “and while we feel unfortunate, we can absorb it pretty quickly.”

Smaller public broadcasting stations, though, rely more heavily on federal funds for everything from programming to emergency broadcasting.

WPSU at Penn State will lose 20% of its budget. That’s roughly $1 million.

A station rep tells Action News the loss may have a big impact.

A statement sent by WPSU reads in part, “If this funding is rescinded, there would be reduced access to educational programming for children, limited availability of local news and cultural content, diminished emergency broadcasting capabilities, and financial strain that could threaten the future of stations like ours.”

Part of what keeps WHYY going is viewer and listener support. The station is pushing for even more of that support to continue its mission in the face of federal funding cuts.

“WHYY, because of them (the supporters), isn’t going anywhere,” said Marrazzo.

The bill now heads to President Trump’s desk for his signature.