WPSU is a Pennsylvania NPR and PBS affiliate that serves central Pennsylvania.
Senate passes bills and cuts funding for public broadcasting
The bill, which cuts more than $9 billion from public broadcasting, foreign aid and more, will then move on to the president for the final House vote.
- Penn State University’s NPR and PBS affiliate WPSU announced that it will begin its “deadline” on September 11th.
- The move comes after Congress approved businesses to cut more than $1 billion for public broadcasting.
- It also comes after the Pennsylvania board refuses to approve the sale to another public media station.
The central Pennsylvania public media outlet is one of the first stations to be shut down after President Donald Trump’s federal government cut public radio and television.
WPSU, a NPR and PBS affiliate at Pennsylvania State, announced on September 11 that it would begin “decay” after the university’s board of trustees voted unanimously on a proposal to transfer ownership of the station to another station in Philadelphia.
The station operates in central Pennsylvania and, according to its website, is broadcast in one of the nation’s largest geographical coverage areas. This year marks its 60th anniversary.
“We are deeply moved by the pouring of support from the community,” read the post on WPSU’s Facebook page. “To all those who signed the petition, wrote letters, and reached out to leadership – thank you. Your voice is strong, and your belief in WPSU promotes our resolve.”
The decision to shut down public television and radio stations comes a month after Congress passed more than $1 billion in federal funding for the organization, and then the corporation for public broadcasting announced its own blow-off process.
But most of that funding came directly from the university. WPSU reported that Penn State had expected $3.4 million a year, with $1.3 million in federal funds this year, but lost it in cuts. Due to the economic impact of the station, the layoffs were rounded in June. According to WPSU, the total cuts accounted for about a quarter of the station’s budget, leading to a round of layoffs in June.
With that economic struggle, the only way WPSU can survive is to sell to Whyy, a Philadelphia-area NPR affiliate. However, the university rejected the proposal to transfer the station with a $17 million grant over five years. This meant that the next step would be for the university to develop its latest “wind plan” on June 30th.
In a statement, David Klepinger, chairman of the university’s board of trustees, called it an “incredibly difficult decision,” which meant “a significant headwind” for higher education and the public media.
“We know this is a very disappointing outcome and are grateful to the dedicated WPSU employees whose work has enriched our lives and made our community stronger,” Klepinger said in a statement.
Over 4,000 people have signed a petition on Change.org saying “Save WPSU” and the explanation urges locals to support the station.
The USA Today Network commented on the next step and commented on NPR and PBS regarding the closure of one of its affiliate stations.
Reporting on the USA Today Network’s First Amendment issues is supported by partnerships from the Freedom Forum and Journalism fundraising partners. Funders will not provide editor input.
