Millions of Americans called, wrote, and petitioned Congress to preserve federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Despite their extraordinary efforts, CPB has started shutting down operations after Congress approved President Trump’s request to eliminate $1.1 billion in previously approved funding, and the Senate’s FY 2026 budget bill excluded CPB funding for the first time in over 50 years.
The elimination of federal funding and Gov. Ron DeSantis’s veto of nearly $6 million in state funding for public broadcasting have combined to leave Florida’s public media stations — including Tampa’s WEDU, PBS, WMNF, and WUSF, and Sarasota’s WSMR — facing a crisis unlike anything in their history. The decimation of key state and federal funding sources has sent shockwaves through their organizations, threatening everything from essential local programming to the very fabric of the communities they serve.
The loss of government support is not just a budget line item; it’s a blow to the mission that unites these stations.
“The loss of state, federal, and the Ready To Learn grant funding has created a significant shortfall,” explains Paul Grove, President and CEO of WEDU PBS.
Grove says the funding eliminated made up nearly 20 percent of the station’s operating budget. This gap puts at risk the ability to provide free, accessible programming for all Floridians, especially those in underserved communities.
Pressure to prioritize
Across Florida, public media leaders are under immense pressure to carefully evaluate which services they can continue with limited resources.
“We are examining every aspect of every project and ensuring that the things that we put the most effort into are the things that the most people are using,” says JoAnn Urofsky, General Manager of WUSF & WSMR.
For Urofsky’s teams, this means prioritizing hurricane coverage, critical information services, and innovative community projects like “Your Florida,” a grant-funded initiative to help newcomers understand state government, and “Arts Access Florida,” a hub that connects people with local arts and culture.
Yet, the impact goes well beyond programming.
At WMNF 88.5FM, Development Director Shari Akram says the goal “was to raise the funds instead of having severe budget cuts or programming cuts.” The resilience of the station’s small staff, large volunteer base, and loyal listeners has been extraordinary, Akram says, with people rallying to support the station and sometimes making significant personal sacrifices to keep their trusted source of news and community connection alive.
Facing a combined $230,000 in state and federal cuts, WMNF raised more than $280,000 during an on-air emergency pledge drive on Saturday, July 19th, shattering the station’s single-day fundraising record. While the successful fundraiser offsets some lost funding for the time being, this victory is only a stopgap measure. The underlying crisis remains unresolved.
“Our listenership is a lot of retirees,” Akram shares. “People are making real sacrifices — giving an extra $5 or $10, taking it out of their Social Security, canceling subscriptions to become recurring members. This is a time when people feel kind of hopeless and helpless. And this is one way that they felt that they could fight back and say, ‘No, you can't have my station.’”
“The only thing I feel in the moment is tremendous gratitude,” she adds. “The community’s response is humbling. It makes me feel the weight of the burden more to protect this beloved institution. That’s my next challenge: finding a long-term solution.”
Uncertain future
Without reliable financial support from state and federal government, all public media stations in Florida may face an annual struggle for survival, forced to repeatedly rely on emergency fundraising simply to keep their doors open. This is not a sustainable path. The future of accessible, community-driven public media in Florida hangs in the balance.
“Many people assume we’re funded the way commercial stations are or that large donations sustain us,” Grove says. “In truth, WEDU is a three-legged stool: community giving, corporate support, and public funding. Remove any one of those, and we risk toppling the whole mission. We’ve experienced an outpouring of support from viewers across West Central Florida, many shocked to learn that government funding for PBS is so modest to begin with. The average taxpayer contributes just $1.60 per year for all public media across America. In response to these cuts, viewers have written, called, and increased their giving. But more than money, we are hearing a sense of loss, as if something they’ve relied on is being taken away.”
The ripple effect is particularly devastating for rural stations, which lack the large urban audiences to replace lost funding.
“There are a lot of rural stations; they're not going to survive,” Akram says. “They don't have a big city like Tampa… So, it's not about WMNF, it's about the bigger picture, and those rural communities count on that information and that education that they're getting from the PBS station as well.”
Akram emphasizes WMNF’s vital role in the community. Partnerships like the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network make that especially true during emergencies like severe weather events.
“This station is a lifeline for a lot of people,” Akram shares. “We get comments from people saying, ‘You've saved my life. I was depressed. I was lonely.’ But tuning in every day, they feel that human connection from having a live programmer on air they can interact with, text, and email. It means a lot to a lot of people.”
For many listeners, WMNF is far more than just a radio station. It’s a trusted companion, a source of reliable information, and a daily connection to the world around them.
Collaboration is emerging as a vital strategy. The Tampa Bay area stations are deepening their partnerships, sharing news stories, and exploring ways to consolidate back office operations. Urofsky recalls how federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting once fostered such innovation and accountability.
“The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was the conduit for federal funds to public radio and TV stations, and it was the glue that held stations together… It marked a major change in how we worked with other Florida public media stations, and it was a real turning point for us,” she says.
Serving the community
Above all, the leaders stress that public broadcasting is not a partisan issue, but essential to Florida’s identity.
“Government support isn’t just about money, it’s a vote of confidence in the importance of accessible, trusted, non-commercial media,” Grove says. “Without it, the system becomes more fragile and less truly ‘public.’”
Urofsky echoes this sentiment.
“We are still here to serve the community, we welcome input… we've always been a great partner in the community,” she reminds the public and policymakers. “Our audience is really disappointed. They look at WUSF and WSMR as trusted companions, and many of our members of our audience have invested their own funds to support the station during our on-air fund drives, and so, of course, they want to see everything continue just the way it has been.”
Grove says defunding public broadcasting will have a widespread negative community impact.
“WEDU has always been more than television,” he says. “We are an arts stage, a classroom, and a trusted voice. Losing this support doesn’t just threaten specific programs; it threatens the connection we bring to Floridians and their life stories. Documentaries highlighting our local veterans, exhibitions of Gulf Coast artists, or specials showcasing our community’s orchestras and museums are experiences that may disappear without support. They’re a civic asset that reflects voters, enriches our communities, and educates our children. Defunding public broadcasting won’t make America stronger. It will simply make it less informed, less connected, and less capable of civil discourse.”
“We’re committed to continuing our mission, providing the programming our community counts on, especially hurricane information: how to prepare, evacuate, and recover,” adds Urofsky. “Our staff are present through every storm, both in our building and at emergency operation centers. It’s among the most important things we do, and so, the programming and the mission to the community, our public service will absolutely continue.”
Amid these challenges, the stations remain committed to their missions. Their leaders issue a united call: Don’t let short-term politics destroy a long-term public good. Public media is more than programming—it’s a lifeline, a classroom, a stage, and a trusted voice. Florida’s stations have stood by their communities through hurricanes, celebrations, and moments of profound change. Now, they face an unprecedented threat. Without reliable support, the voices that inform, inspire, and connect Floridians could disappear. Every donation, every message, and every act of solidarity helps preserve the heart of public media. The time to act is now — before the signal that has guided generations fades to static.
To learn more or donate, go to WEDU support, WUSF support, WSMR support, and WMNF support