How are public broadcasters in the U.S. coping with the sudden loss of federal funding?

Public broadcasters across the U.S. are facing a $1.1 billion budget shortfall after Congress eliminated funding for the public media system. Stations are launching emergency fundraising drives, and philanthropists are working to raise $50 million to support the hardest-hit stations.

What unique challenge is the PBS affiliate KSPS in Spokane, Washington facing?

KSPS in Spokane has lost nearly 18% of its budget, or $1.2 million, due to the funding cuts. Additionally, the station has faced a surprising hurdle as almost half of its contributing members were located in Canada, and they have withdrawn their support in anger over President Trump's desire to make Canada the 51st U.S. state.

How are public media leaders working to address the funding crisis?

Public media leaders are exploring new ways for stations to collaborate and share resources, from finances and management to programming. They are also encouraging donors in wealthier areas to adopt stations in poorer regions, and a philanthropic effort led by the Knight and MacArthur foundations aims to raise $50 million to support the hardest-hit stations.

Home / Business and Economy / Public Broadcasters Nationwide Adapt to Sudden Funding Cuts

Public Broadcasters Nationwide Adapt to Sudden Funding Cuts

9 Sep

•

Summary

PBS and NPR stations face $1.1 billion budget shortfall after Congress eliminates funding
KSPS in Spokane loses 18% of budget as Canadian donors withdraw support
Philanthropic efforts aim to raise $50 million to aid hardest-hit public media stations

Public Broadcasters Nationwide Adapt to Sudden Funding Cuts

As of September 10, 2025, public broadcasters nationwide are grappling with the aftermath of a sudden $1.1 billion cut to federal funding for the public media system. The decision by Congress this past summer to eliminate the allocation has left around 330 PBS and 246 NPR stations facing unique challenges within their communities.

One such station is KSPS in Spokane, Washington, which has lost nearly 18% of its budget, or $1.2 million, due to the funding cuts. The station has faced an additional hurdle, as many of its contributing members—at one point almost half—were located in Canada. These Canadian donors have now withdrawn their support, angered by President Trump's desire to make their country the 51st state of the U.S.

Across the country, public media stations have responded with emergency fundraising drives, and the national NPR and PBS networks have reduced expected dues payments to help ease the burden. A philanthropic effort led by the Knight and MacArthur foundations is also taking shape, aiming to raise $50 million to support the hardest-hit stations.

While no stations have shut down yet, the impact is already being felt through job losses, programming cuts, and difficult decisions about the future. In Spokane, KSPS has laid off 12 of its 35 staff members, and is considering reducing the number of episodes for some of its local shows. Similar challenges are being faced by stations in Alaska, Hawaii, and Minnesota, among others.

Despite the hardships, public media leaders remain hopeful that the outpouring of community support will help them weather this crisis. Stations in areas with more wealthy donors have seen six-figure donations, and even a young Floridian collected money for public stations in Alaska. However, station managers acknowledge that relying on sympathy donors may not be a sustainable long-term solution.

As the public media landscape continues to evolve, stations are being forced to explore new ways of collaborating and sharing resources, from finances and management to programming. The coming year will be a critical test, and some vulnerable stations may not survive. But the resilience and dedication of public broadcasters across the nation suggest that the system will emerge transformed, but intact.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.