Tennessee’s public media is rallying after an unprecedented act by Congress left stalwarts like the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) without federal support. Against these odds, local leaders in PBS and NPR have vowed to stand their ground and carry on.
A gathering took place deep within Nashville’s PBS station on August 7, in which supporters flocked the seating area for a live recording session of the local chat show, ‘Slice of Community’. This platform usually serves as a means to debate community engagement by hosting local politicians, activists, and strategists.
However, on this occasion, attention was directed to the show’s own organization. Key figures such as Avery Hutchins, CEO of WCTE – the PBS affiliate in Cookeville, Becky Magura, who heads Nashville’s WNPT station, and Mack Linebaugh, who is in charge of audience and content at Nashville’s NPR affiliate, WPLN, came together to publicly address the fallout from the substantial federal funding cut.
‘We draw strength from unity,’ said Hutchins. ‘Many see us as a reliable source of information, and it is crucial for us to remember and honor that trust. We must remember why we embarked on this journey, and remain committed to our foundational ideals.’
The move by Congress, a part of the renewed ‘One Big Beautiful Bill Act’ passed on July 18, has left the non-profit Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) without funding for the first time since its inception in 1967. This funding shortfall, which only constituted .01% of national budget or equated to a token $1.06 per citizen a year, has thus removed the possibility of grant funding for local institutions like the PBS and NPR stations in Tennessee.
These stations, which manage to produce a wide gamut of services from news and educational content to emergency notifications, were previously granted a total of $7,365,199 from the CPB for this financial year. This sudden change in funding strategy has left them grappling with ways to compensate for the lost funds in their budget, forcing them into rapid fundraising efforts.
Hutchins, who operates the solitary television station within a 75-mile radius, admitted that the impact is severe. ‘The lost funding constituted 40% of our operating budget. We are now in a challenging position,’ she said.
As mentioned by PBS, the loss of funding affects stations differently across the region. For instance, Nashville’s station lost around 20% of its funds, while Cookeville’s station lost around 40%. The funding loss for stations in Lexington is around 45%, Memphis 21%, and the Knoxville and Chattanooga stations face a loss between 30% to 45%. Collectively, these stations serve over 6 million people in both urban and rural areas, the coverage extending into multiple surrounding states.
Recognizing the impact on rural areas, Hutchins noted, ‘We are the only TV source in upper Cumberland, an area with communication blackspots. Many residents here lack cellular coverage and fiber internet. Thus, WCTE is their sole source of information. If they need real-time weather updates or need to be informed about an Amber Alert or potential tornado, they rely on us. This sudden funding cut threatens their info line.’
Magura admitted the financial setback was substantial. She emphasized, ‘Our offerings are unique, and all of us stand to lose because no one can duplicate what we provide. We are the people’s media. If you value public education, healthcare and transportation, you must also see the value in public media. Everyone deserves access to free over-the-air, online, on-the-ground media that mirrors and represents them.’
Despite the struggles, the station has experienced widespread support in the weeks following the funding cut. Magura described the supportive response from the community as overwhelming. Linebaugh, too, reciprocated his gratitude for the support from Nashville’s populations, listeners and viewers alike.
In a remarkable display of solidarity, the local radio station previously announced that the funding that was severed, approximately $400,000, had been fully replenished after a three-day fundraising initiative. This effort marked the quickest and largest of its kind in the history of the station.
The revealing question and answer segment in the program’s closing stages prompted Magura to express her gratitude for the community’s support. She stated, ‘I hope people understand that we are here to stay, and that we are resilient. However, their support is vital. We cannot do this alone. Their voices and support will be crucial for our survival going forward.’
The post Tennessee’s Public Media Resilient Amid Federal Funding Cut appeared first on Real News Now.
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