Indiana public broadcasters hit by second funding cut after Trump executive order

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Public broadcasters in Indiana are facing a second major funding cut over the course of a week following President Donald Trump’s executive order to defund PBS and NPR. 

Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith praised the order on social media, writing “Taxpayers just got a refund on propaganda.”

President Trump’s executive order directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to cease funding for PBS and NPR, explicitly blaming what he sees as unfair political coverage. 

“Neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizen,” the order states. 

CPB has awarded Indiana roughly $28.5 million in grants and allocations over the last three years. WFYI, which operates the PBS and NPR affiliates in Indianapolis, receives 11% of its annual budget from the CPB. 

Following the President’s order, PBS Fort Wayne President and GM Bruce Haines said his station “is at risk of closure.”

“It doesn’t take us off the air but it is a big loss,” President & CEO of the Evansville PBS station WNIN Tim Black said. 

“The President’s blatantly unlawful executive order, issued in the middle of the night, threatens our ability to serve the American public with educational programming, as we have for the past 50-plus years,” PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said in a statement. 

NPR’s President & CEO Catherine Maher vowed to “challenge this executive order using all means available,” describing it as an attack on independent journalism. 

As News 8 reported, 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 believes the state cuts are due to Indiana’s unexpected $2.4 billion revenue shortfall rather than a perceived liberal bias, but the cuts could still be devastating. 

“It’s conceivable that some [stations] could close up shop,” Newman told News 8. 

Newman said state and federal funds typically make up about 15% of a station’s budget. Individual contributions make up the largest revenue source. 

U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Indiana) has already introduced legislation to defund NPR, consistently criticizing the public radio outlet as “fake news” and “liberal propaganda.”

In anticipation of federal funding cuts, WFYI called on donors and stakeholders to support the station through direct donations, call on members of congress to preserve the funding, and share testimonials on the impact of public media by emailing testimonials@wfyi.org. 

An online petition asking Congress to protect public broadcasting had more than 60,000 signatures as of Saturday afternoon. 

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