Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations, which has 17 public radio and television stations throughout the state, is eliminating its entire team of reporters and editors at the end of the year. The move comes after the Indiana General Assembly removed state funding for the organization from its budget.
Indiana lawmakers in April cut IPBS's $3.675 million annual funding after a lower-than-expected revenue forecast, the Indiana Capital Chronicle reports. Other programs were trimmed, but IPBS lost its entire line item, the outlet says.
IPBS — like all public radio and television stations around the country — also faces the possibility of federal funding cuts. In June, President Donald Trump formally asked Congress to take back the $1.1 billion it set aside for all public broadcasters for the next two years. Congress has until July 18 to approve or deny the request. If it takes no action, the cut would be averted.
"This is an incredibly difficult decision, but with the loss of state funding, individual stations have to make some very difficult decisions to address funding shortfalls and are focused on sustaining services to their local communities," Mark Newman, executive director of Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations, says in a statement.
The statement adds that the "reorganization to the IPB News statewide reporting collaboration is an immediate consequence of state funding cuts."
At least five other states have made similar moves to cut funding for public broadcasting from their budgets. Four of them — Florida, West Virginia, New Jersey, and Kansas — have enacted state budgets with significant reductions, an analysis reported in CNN's Reliable Sources newsletter finds.
How this affects WVXU and WMUB
Southeast Indiana makes up part of WVXU and WMUB's listening areas. A few years ago, Cincinnati Public Radio partnered with Indiana Public Broadcasting to bring their coverage to our airwaves and website. The elimination of the statewide reporting team means listeners may hear less news from Indiana.
"Our hearts go out to the Indiana Statehouse reporting staff," says WVXU Vice President of News Maryanne Zeleznik. "They knock it out of the park every day with their solid, thorough, and engaging reporting. WVXU listeners have regularly benefited from their work in our newscasts and as guests on Cincinnati Edition. I can't imagine having no public media reporting from Indiana. The void will be evident."
Ohio doesn't currently have plans to remove funding for public media from its budget. Gov. Mike DeWine signed the state's two-year budget earlier this month. Though he had his vetoes, getting rid of support for public media was not among them.
The percentage of federal funding to Ohio public media stations varies around the state. The bulk of WVXU's funding comes from individual donations and community grants. Federal funding makes up around 5% of parent Cincinnati Public Radio's budget.
Read more:
