Receipt

One point one billion dollars in federal funding for public radio and television simply stopped. No replacement was announced. The money was gone.

• F1 ← “One point one billion dollars” ⇢ $1.1B

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting distributed federal funds to over fifteen hundred local stations since nineteen sixty-seven. It was the backbone holding public radio and television together.

• F2 ← “over fifteen hundred local stations” ⇢ 1,500+ local public radio and TV stations
• F2 ← “nineteen sixty-seven” ⇢ since 1967

WPBS in Watertown, New York lost one million dollars. That was roughly a third of its operating budget. The station cut thirty percent of its workforce.

• F4 ← “WPBS in Watertown, New York lost one million dollars” ⇢ WPBS Watertown NY lost ~$1M
• F4 ← “roughly a third of its operating budget” ⇢ a third of its budget
• F4 ← “cut thirty percent of its workforce” ⇢ 30% workforce reduction

KUAC in Fairbanks lost one point two million dollars and cut overnight broadcasts. After October first, the CPB stopped approving new grants and began winding down operations.

• F4 ← “KUAC in Fairbanks lost one point two million dollars” ⇢ KUAC Fairbanks lost $1.2M
• F4 ← “cut overnight broadcasts” ⇢ cut overnight broadcasts
• F3 ← “After October first, the CPB stopped approving new grants and began winding down operations” ⇢ began closing out grants after Oct 1 with no new funding

Native Public Media's network of fifty-seven radio stations and four television stations now faces existential risk. Yet some metropolitan listeners responded with unexpected generosity.

• F5 ← “Native Public Media's network of fifty-seven radio stations and four television stations” ⇢ Native Public Media's network of 57 radio + 4 TV stations
• F5 ← “existential risk” ⇢ at risk

When a billion dollars vanishes from public broadcasting, the cost is not measured in dollars alone. It is measured in the stations that go silent.

• F1 ← “a billion dollars” ⇢ $1.1B in previously approved CPB funding