Valley PBS, NPR stations on verge of losing funding

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – NPR and PBS are on the verge of losing $1.1 billion in federal funding.

On Thursday morning, the Senate passed the $9 billion rescission package that will slash funding for foreign aid and public broadcasting. Now the bill heads back to the House, where they have until midnight Friday to make their decision.

While the next two years were previously approved, the Trump Administration announced plans to withhold the funding in order to reduce federal spending. 

“There are rural stations across the country in places like Alaska, the Deep South, the rural Midwest, where they receive a much higher share of their overall budget from CPB,” said President and General Manager KVPR Joe Moore. 

Each year, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting receives over $500 million from taxpayers. CPB is a private nonprofit that allocates funds to NPR and PBS. Locally, Valley PBS and Valley Public Radio would lose more than a million dollars.

Moore says if the cuts go through, KVPR would be in a $200,000 deficit.

“It’s a small but important slice of our overall station budget. It represents about 7% of our overall funding,” he said.

If the station is unable to make up for the shortfall, he says listeners will notice cuts to programs, services, and local coverage.

Over at Valley PBS, President and CEO Robert Mollison, who has previously spoken with YourCentralValley.com, says they will face an even greater impact. He says they will lose about 25% of their funding, which is roughly more than $930,000.

“These cuts hurt kids’ education, rural news, and voices that should be heard without necessarily having to have corporate backing,” said Democratic House Representative Jim Costa, who was outraged on social media. “This isn’t budget reform. It’s censorship, dressed up as savings,” he added.

YourCentralValley.com also reached out to a Republican House Representative, David Valadao, who was unable to make a comment on Thursday.