EFFECT
Defunded, not defeated
Local PBS and NPR station faces difficulties after federal funding loss.
By Ali Costellow, Myah Griffin and Sam Huffman
Elijah Smith was raised on PBS, his only outlet for cartoons and cultural programming growing up in a low-income household. The self-proclaimed PBS kid recalls watching the station on his single mother’s rabbit eared-TV since he didn’t have traditional access to cable.
He began working for the PBS station at Western Kentucky University as a freshman in 2010 and spent the next decade rising in producer roles. In September, he won two national public media awards for his production of River of Music Party, better known as ROMP, Owensboro, Kentucky’s beloved annual outdoor bluegrass music festival.
Two weeks later, he was laid off from the only job he’s ever known.
He began working for the PBS station at Western Kentucky University as a freshman in 2010 and spent the next decade rising in producer roles. In September, he won two national public media awards for his production of River of Music Party, better known as ROMP, Owensboro, Kentucky’s beloved annual outdoor bluegrass music festival.
Two weeks later, he was laid off from the only job he’s ever known.
WKU Public Media’s mission is simple: to serve communities. Based in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the joint PBS and NPR station reaches an audience of around 4 million people across one-third of the state, and also parts of Illinois, Indiana and Tennessee.
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The trust that we build between communities and between each other carries through. That's why this is such a special place.
The staff is tight-knit, the workplace vibrant. Many can recall how public media influenced their childhoods.
That long-time love for their work is evident in their offices. From Sesame Street name plates to Mister Rogers Funko Pops, Basham said individuality is something they’re happy to display. Dogs run around, begging for treats most staff members keep in their desks. Laughter echoes through brightly painted hallways.
“It doesn't feel like a job,” Interim Executive Director Jordan Basham said. “It feels like a destination.”
That long-time love for their work is evident in their offices. From Sesame Street name plates to Mister Rogers Funko Pops, Basham said individuality is something they’re happy to display. Dogs run around, begging for treats most staff members keep in their desks. Laughter echoes through brightly painted hallways.
“It doesn't feel like a job,” Interim Executive Director Jordan Basham said. “It feels like a destination.”
Student workers broadcast game footage onto the jumbotron and ESPN+ during Western Kentucky University athletic events. "You learn everything that there is to do behind the scenes of sports broadcasts," Production Assistant Ryan Murphy said.
WKU Public Media’s programming varies from educational to entertaining, and is broadcasted through local productions and national partnerships.
The PBS side is known locally for Lost River Sessions, a television, concert and radio series showcasing live Folk, Bluegrass and Americana performances in iconic local venues. They also are behind MainStreet, a program spotlighting local culture, arts, people and places, and Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network, which broadcasts game footage onto the jumbotron during WKU Athletics events.
The PBS side is known locally for Lost River Sessions, a television, concert and radio series showcasing live Folk, Bluegrass and Americana performances in iconic local venues. They also are behind MainStreet, a program spotlighting local culture, arts, people and places, and Hilltopper Sports Satellite Network, which broadcasts game footage onto the jumbotron during WKU Athletics events.
On the radio side, the staff produces traditional NPR programming including Morning Edition and All Things Considered and local music programming such as Barren River Breakdown and Old Scratchy Records. They also write national and regional news articles shared online about current events and politics.
"The workplace here is built on trust,” Basham said. “It's the trust that comes from the outside, the community. They trust us to tell them the truth.”
"The workplace here is built on trust,” Basham said. “It's the trust that comes from the outside, the community. They trust us to tell them the truth.”
4 million people
estimated audience of WKU Public Media.
estimated audience of WKU Public Media.
WKU Public Media hosted a free screening of PBS Kids show "Weather Hunters" at The Capitol in Bowling Green, Kentucky. "Our mission is to connect, educate, inform and entertain our communities that we serve," Member Services Manager Elizabeth Bates said.
However, not everyone shares that trust.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in May to cut all federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a nonprofit supporting nearly 1,500 media organizations including PBS and NPR, claiming the affiliates produced biased news coverage.
Trump’s decision stripped over $1 billion from stations all over the country, leaving difficult budget reallocations. WKU Public Media lost $1.2 million in October, eliminating eight federally-funded positions, including Smith's. The loss shrunk their staff by ⅓ and cut programming like Lost River Sessions and BBC World News.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in May to cut all federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a nonprofit supporting nearly 1,500 media organizations including PBS and NPR, claiming the affiliates produced biased news coverage.
Trump’s decision stripped over $1 billion from stations all over the country, leaving difficult budget reallocations. WKU Public Media lost $1.2 million in October, eliminating eight federally-funded positions, including Smith's. The loss shrunk their staff by ⅓ and cut programming like Lost River Sessions and BBC World News.
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I fully believe that the Trump administration, as well as the representatives and senators that have pushed for this, have destroyed a valuable resource to our community. I believe that they have destroyed a valuable resource to communities all over the country.
WKU NPR Morning Edition Host Michael Collins said without public media, communities are at stake.
“There are so many rural communities who have nothing like this,” Collins said. “Every day, local newspapers are shutting down, communities are becoming more isolated.”
Collins said he sees public media as a “third space” for people.
“It's not a physical place, but it's a place where all kinds of perspectives, all kinds of musical genres, all kinds of people come together and just talk,” Collins said.
“That's a space that's being lost, and the loss of that space means communities who can't communicate with each other.”
“There are so many rural communities who have nothing like this,” Collins said. “Every day, local newspapers are shutting down, communities are becoming more isolated.”
Collins said he sees public media as a “third space” for people.
“It's not a physical place, but it's a place where all kinds of perspectives, all kinds of musical genres, all kinds of people come together and just talk,” Collins said.
“That's a space that's being lost, and the loss of that space means communities who can't communicate with each other.”
$1.2 million
federal funds WKU Public Media lost
federal funds WKU Public Media lost
Member Services Manager Elizabeth Bates said many of the people she talks to over the phone just want to feel connected to someone.
“We may be the only voices they hear that day besides their own,” she said.
Bates worries the funding loss will impact WKU Public Media’s ability to help maintain Kentucky’s emergency alert system, which broadcasts weather forecasts and Amber Alerts. Without the system, lives could be lost.
“If we do not have our funding, people might die,” Bates said.
She said the money supporters typically gave would no longer suffice. The significant funding loss meant they needed more help.
“We may be the only voices they hear that day besides their own,” she said.
Bates worries the funding loss will impact WKU Public Media’s ability to help maintain Kentucky’s emergency alert system, which broadcasts weather forecasts and Amber Alerts. Without the system, lives could be lost.
“If we do not have our funding, people might die,” Bates said.
She said the money supporters typically gave would no longer suffice. The significant funding loss meant they needed more help.
1/3
of WKU Public Media's staff laid off
of WKU Public Media's staff laid off
Once the news broke, current donors increased the amount they gave. New donors arose, some not even in WKU Public Media’s coverage area. Bates said it was encouraging seeing the community step up in a moment when it was really needed.
“We’ve got to help our own,” Bowling Green native Alan Simpson said.
Simpson and several local musicians joined together in November to encourage the community to financially support WKU Public Media beyond online donations.
Featuring 17 performances, two gourmet food trucks and over 1,000 attendants, an all-day benefit concert at local treasure White Squirrel Brewery raised over $25,000 for the stations.
“We’ve got to help our own,” Bowling Green native Alan Simpson said.
Simpson and several local musicians joined together in November to encourage the community to financially support WKU Public Media beyond online donations.
Featuring 17 performances, two gourmet food trucks and over 1,000 attendants, an all-day benefit concert at local treasure White Squirrel Brewery raised over $25,000 for the stations.
The Mighty Figtones performed in the crowded backroom of White Squirrel Brewery for the Pints for Public Media benefit concert. Every table in the backroom was sold out.
As for what’s next for WKU Public Media, Basham said it’s simple: keep moving forward.
“I have no illusion that what we did six months ago is what we should be doing tomorrow,” Basham said. “We've got to adapt. Adapt or die.”
“I have no illusion that what we did six months ago is what we should be doing tomorrow,” Basham said. “We've got to adapt. Adapt or die.”
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