INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – From the Indiana Statehouse to the U.S. capitol, Indiana is leading the charge to defund public media. 

Following a $2.4 billion revenue shortfall, the Republican-led Indiana legislature cut more than $7 million meant to help fund 17 locally managed public TV and radio stations over the next two years. 

Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations (IPBS) Executive Director Mark Newman said the effects will be felt far beyond some possible programming changes. 

“It is absolutely not just [about] Big Bird,” Newman said. “Particularly in rural communities where we’re the only access point for information, for news, forms of entertainment.”

Newman said the cuts came with no warning.

It will cost WFYI, which carries PBS and National Public Radio (NPR) in Indianapolis, $590,000 a year for two years, equating to about 4% of its budget. South Bend’s PBS station WNIT will lose about $430,000 (10% of its budget) and WNIN in Evansville loses $446,000 (roughly 17%). 

Public broadcasting is primarily funded through a mix of public funds, underwriting, and direct viewer contributions. Along with programming, public broadcasting provides an infrastructure for emergency communication and education materials. 

IPBS calls public television “Indiana’s largest pre-k classroom.”

“Most of our stations are located in much smaller communities and provide an important lifeline,” Newman said. 

On Capitol Hill, U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Indiana) has introduced legislation to end federal funding specifically for NPR in response to perceived left-leaning bias.

“Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to fund NPR’s liberal propaganda,” Banks said in a statement. “If NPR can’t stay afloat without government funding, that tells you all you need to know about the quality of their news.”

Newman believes Indiana’s public media cuts were based on financials rather than politics, but their effects would be exacerbated by an end to federal funding. 

The Trump administration is reportedly considering whether to ask Congress to claw back $1.1 billion in public media funding that’s already been approved. In the latest fiscal year, Indiana received more than $9 million from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. 

Newman said stations are figuring out how to adjust to the current landscape, and are asking their viewers to reach out to lawmakers, but Newman admits the funding loss could lead to some consolidation across the state. 

“It’s conceivable that some [stations] could close up shop,” Newman said.

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