On May 1, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to cut off both direct and indirect federal funding to NPR and PBS.
While there is still a lot unknown about the next steps for this order — the CPB is not a federal agency and it is unclear whether the administration has the power to direct a private non-profit in this way — here are a few things to know right now:
- The EO targets federal dollars. Our backbone has always been you — our members, sponsors, foundations, and donors. Your support makes up around 80% of our annual funding.
- It does not change CPB’s congressional appropriation. A vote on recission or another budget action by Congress would change CPB’s funding.
- It does not shut down local public media stations immediately. CPB funds help pay for the infrastructure behind emergency alerts, educational programs, and local journalism. The loss or redirection of these dollars will hit smaller, rural stations the hardest.
And on May 6, as part of the administration’s executive order requiring CPB to stop funding NPR and PBS, the Department of Education terminated $23 million in Ready to Learn grants to PBS. These grants have historically funded the development of shows like Sesame Street and Reading Rainbow and currently shows like Molly of Denali and Work it Out Wombats!
What happens next?
- We are working closely with NPR and other stations and groups to understand what comes next.
- We will continue educating our community to protect the strong bipartisan support that public media enjoys.
- We promise transparency. As soon as we know more — about reallocation plans or legal challenges — we will update you here.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to independent, fact-based journalism that informs, inspires, and connects our community. Our mission has always been bigger than any single political moment: we are here to serve the people of southeastern Wisconsin with integrity, curiosity, and care. We believe deeply in the power of public media to strengthen civic life, elevate diverse voices, and foster understanding across differences.
As we navigate these challenges, we will stay true to our mission and values, and we invite you, our listeners and supporters, to stand with us in this essential work by:
- Staying informed. Sign up at Protect My Public Media for updates on how and when to contact your elected officials.
- Contacting Congress. You can also use this resource to reach out to your senators and representatives to let them know you support federal funding for public media.
- Becoming a member. Over 80% of our budget comes from community support, but only about 10% of listeners give. If you haven’t yet, now’s a great time to join.
- Engaging with us. Listen on-air, online or via our app. Share your thoughts at wuwm@uwm.edu, sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media — @wuwmradio.
