(update 6/13/2025) - Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the President's request to claw back federal funding for public media, by a vote of 214-212. Now the measure goes to the Senate, which has until July 18 to approve, reject, or fail to act on the measure. If approved, approximately $1.1 billion previously allocated for public media will clawed back, likely forever. If the Senate rejects the measure, or refuses to vote on it before July 18, the funding is restored.
This rescission action is separate from the President's executive order prohibiting federal funds from reaching NPR or PBS, which is currently pending a court decision.
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(update 6/3/2025) - Today, the White House transmitted a rescissions package to Congress that would claw back already approved funding for public media. Congress has a limited timeframe to act on this measure - 45 session days - but a vote in the House could happen within days.
The Administration can now temporarily withhold any funding included in the plan. If Congress doesn't approve the plan - or can't get enough votes to pass it - the funds must be released. If the package passes the House, the Senate can approve it with a simple majority of just 50 votes, and Congress can modify what's included.
NPR's reporting on this action is available here.
This "rescission memo" is different from the White House's Executive Order prohibiting federal funding from reaching NPR and PBS. It is a significant escalation in the Administration's efforts to defund public media and independent journalism.
If approved, this rescission could eliminate WRVO's annual Community Service Grant, which we use to pay for NPR News as well as locally-produced journalism from the WRVO newsroom. Additional CPB-provided services - like distribution and interconnection systems, and emergency alert notifications - are also at risk.
WRVO stands with NPR and our fellow member stations in urging Congress to continue to support our long-standing partnership and reject the rescission of funding that has already been appropriated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
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(update 5/27/2025) - Today, NPR, alongside member stations Aspen Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio, and KSUT Public Radio, filed suit to challenge President Trump's Executive Order prohibiting federal funding from reaching NPR or PBS. NPR and the co-plaintiffs have released statements you can find here: NPR, Aspen Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio, and KSUT Public Radio. NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik produced this story earlier today for Morning Edition. A copy of NPR's complaint is included in the transcription.
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(update 5/22/2025) - Thank you to everyone who has offered their support for WRVO and independent journalism in these uncertain times. Your financial contributions, your comments, and your advocacy through Protect My Public Media are inspiring. As of this writing, federal support for public media remains intact...for now. Regardless of what happens in Washington, the best thing you can do right now is become a sustaining member of WRVO! And thank you. Here is the status of current threats to federal funding for public broadcasting:
Executive Order
Late on May 1, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) directing federal agencies and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop all federal funding of NPR and PBS. While it targets both current and future funds, the President does not have authority, on his own, to block funds already approved by Congress. This EO is likely to be challenged in court.
Rescission Request Memo
Reports from April suggested the Trump administration may send Congress a rescission request to take back current Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding. The President can still send Congress a rescission request at any time. If approved by Congress, a rescission request can eliminate already approved funds. Once a rescission request has been sent, Congress has 45 days (as measured by Congressional session, not calendar days) for both chamber of Congress to decide whether to approve the request. If both chambers of Congress do not pass it before the clock runs out, the rescission request expires, and the president cannot send another rescission request targeting the same funding again.
Budget Reconciliation
The House reconciliation bill that passed early in the morning of May 22 does NOT target or remove funds from CPB. The $535 million appropriation for FY26 and FY27 remains unchanged. The administration and some members of Congress had suggested defunding CPB as part of the budget reconciliation process, which is a special process for Congress to pass certain tax and spending-related laws more easily than usual. To defund CPB through this process, both the House and the Senate must pass a budget reconciliation bill that includes defunding CPB.
Appropriations
Each year, Congress allocates federal funding for government agencies and programs through the annual appropriations process. Congress can eliminate funding for CPB as part of the appropriations process. However, the impact of eliminating funding for CPB via appropriations would not immediately be felt because it is funded in advance (i.e., the FY2025 budget allocated CPB funding for FY2027). Last year, although the House eliminated funding for CPB in the FY2025 appropriations bill, the Senate maintained its funding. Ultimately, Congress maintained funding for CPB in the final bill, funding the government through September 30, 2025. The FY2025 law incorporates funds for CPB in FY2027. President Trump's proposed budget for FY2026, which informs Congress of his priorities, proposes eliminating funding for CPB. Congress has until September 30, 2025, to set the FY2026 budget, and we know the future of CPB funding will be on the line as Congress considers the federal budget over the next few months. If Congress eliminates funding for CPB in the FY2026 appropriations bill, it would eliminate funding for CPB in FY2028.
There is MUCH MORE still to come. Be watching this space for updates, and thank you - from all of us - for your continuing support!
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(update 5/4/2025) - Late Thursday night, President Trump signed an executive order titled "Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media." The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to prohibit both direct and indirect federal funding to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). CPB issued its own statement, stating that they are "not a federal executive agency subject to the President's authority. Congress directly authorized and funded CPB to be a private nonprofit corporation wholly independent of the federal government."
What the order does - and does not - attempt to do:
- It targets federal dollars only. Private donations from listeners, foundation grants and corporate sponsorships continue to be the foundation of WRVO's near and long-term sustainability.
- It leaves public media's overall congressional appropriation unchanged, at least for now. How any federal funds are reallocated after removing NPR and PBS is not yet defined, but is sure to have a significant impact on WRVO Public Media and local public media organizations who rely on these national-to-local partnerships to provide some of the content you know and love.
- It does not close local public media stations. However, because most stations rely on federal funding through the CPB's Community Service Grants to pay for infrastructure, emergency-alert services and local journalism, the financial effects could be significant, especially for smaller stations that serve more rural communities.
How federal support fits into WRVO's budget:
Federal dollars come to WRVO through an annual grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This year, CPB's Community Service Grant is a little more than $180,000, which accounts for about 7-8% of our annual operating budget. While it might not seem like a significant percentage of our budget, we use most of the grant money to help pay for salaries for WRVO employees, including local journalists. Additionally, pooled support from CPB helps pay for broadcasting infrastructure, music licensing fees, and emergency alert services.
What happens next?
- Continued assessment, planning and legal challenges: we are working the CPB, NPR and other public media stations in New York and across the country to plan for the future of public media and protect our essential service to central New York without disruption.
- Advocacy: WRVO Public Media will continue working to protect the strong bipartisan support that exists for public media and will keep New York's congressional delegation informed about how potential cuts will negatively affect their constituents.
- Transparency: we will share major updates with you on this page and on the air. This is a very fluid situation, and we will have more information as it becomes available.
How you can help right now:
- Stay informed; visit this page for updates and background context.
- Make your voice heard to our elected officials. Visit Protect My Public Media for an easy way to reach out to your representatives.
- Support our work by starting a monthly sustaining membership. If you're already a sustaining member (thank you!), please consider increasing your monthly commitment by just a few dollars. Volunteer financial contributions from members are more important than ever.
Prior to the executive order, the White House had indicated its intent to ask Congress to rescind previously-allocated funding to CPB. The executive order does not mean the rescission request will not happen; it may still be delivered to Congress at any time. Read more about this separate threat to federal funding of public media below.
The White House has announced plans to rescind federal funding for public broadcasting. What is the impact on WRVO?
- The White House has called on Congress to rescind $1.1 billion in federal funding from public broadcasting. Once this request is formally submitted, Congress will have 45 days to adopt or reject the request. The formal request is expected to be delivered to Congress any day, starting the 45-day clock.
- WRVO is one of 1,300 locally and independently managed stations that are funded in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) through annual Community Service Grants. This rescission would eliminate funding previously approved by Congress for federal fiscal years 2026 and 2027. WRVO also relies on pooled resources from CPB, including satellite interconnection, emergency alert systems, and the ability to collectively license music and develop local programs.
- WRVO is not NPR; we are an NPR member station. Although NPR also receives annual support from CPB, it is a significantly smaller percentage of its operating budget than it is for local stations. However, WRVO uses a portion of our federal support to purchase content from NPR and other producers and distributors. It is clear that the elimination of federal funds will have a much more significant negative impact on smaller and more rural stations.
How much CPB funding does WRVO Public Media receive?
- Approximately 7-8% of WRVO Public Media’s annual budgeted revenue comes from the CPB Community Service Grant. That amounts to more than $180,000 each year. Additional CPB support for system support, interconnection, equipment, and services saves WRVO an estimated $50,000+ each year.
Why does WRVO need federal funding?
- Almost everything you hear on WRVO is made possible by a combination of local and federal funding. Membership – the voluntary financial contributions from thousands of listeners – is easily the largest source of income for WRVO, followed by program sponsorships. Although it accounts for less than 10% of our budget, the $180,000+ we receive from the CPB Community Service Grant makes it possible for WRVO to provide local journalism and content you rely on every day. Losing more than $180,000 from an already very lean annual budget will have a significant impact on our ability to maintain the level of public service you’ve come to expect.
Should public media continue to get any funding from taxpayers?
Watch as Dr. Robert Hilliard, a founding witness to public broadcasting and former Chief of Public Broadcasting at the FCC, shares his perspective on the critical importance of federal funding for public media. At 100 years old, Dr. Hilliard reflects on his presence at the 1967 signing of the Public Broadcasting Act and explains why a free media is essential to democracy. Video courtesy of WGCU Public Media.
What can WRVO supporters do right now?
- We’ve received many inquiries from listeners asking how they can help. While we wait to see how Congress will act, the most important thing you can do right now is become a sustaining member of WRVO. We very much appreciate listeners who make one-time contributions, but sustaining members help us plan for our future. If you’re already a sustaining member, thank you! Please consider increasing your monthly commitment by just a few dollars. If you’re a member but not a sustaining member (thank you, too!), please consider a monthly commitment of just 10 or 20 dollars a month; it will make a huge difference for WRVO. And if you’re not a member yet, please join the thousands of other listeners who’ve already made their investments in local public media. You can start or increase your membership by clicking the red “DONATE” button at wrvo.org.
- As Congress considers this rescission request, they need to hear from you. Visit ProtectMyPublicMedia.org for tips on how to contact your representatives by email, letters, and even phone calls. If you have opinions about the benefits of federal funding for public media, make sure your voice is heard.
We appreciate your continuing support of WRVO. We will update this page with information as it becomes available.
