NPR Reduces Staff Through Layoffs, Buyouts
National Public Radio announced a staff reduction of fewer than 30 employees, primarily through voluntary buyouts, after a round of layoffs hit its content division. The cuts represent about a 4% reduction in the content unit and less than 1% of NPR’s total workforce. High‑profile journalists, including Don Gonyea and Vickie Walton‑James, took buyouts, while others like science correspondent Nell Greenfieldboyce were laid off. The moves follow a recent buyout program launched to offset declining membership fees and sponsorship revenue.
NPR Turns to Buyout Program Amid Revenue Decline
NPR unveiled a voluntary buyout program targeting up to 300 employees, with an expectation that roughly 30 will accept by the May 26 deadline, as the network braces for a projected $15 million revenue shortfall from reduced member‑station dues and weaker sponsorship....
Texas Public Radio to Merge Operations with Nonprofit San Antonio Report
Texas Public Radio (TPR) and nonprofit newsroom San Antonio Report will merge operations on July 1, creating a unified media organization while keeping separate newsrooms during early integration. The boards approved a charitable donation agreement transferring San Antonio Report’s assets to...
OPB, KMHD Content Staff Union Reaches First Contract with Management
The SAG‑AFTRA union representing more than 90 content staff at Oregon Public Broadcasting and its jazz station KMHD has ratified its first three‑year contract after 20 months of negotiations. Effective April 27, the deal lifts the minimum salary from about $53,000...
Oklahoma Governor Vetoes OETA Continuation, Objects to Publicly Funded Broadcasting
Governor Kevin Stitt vetoed Senate Bill 1461, which would have extended the Oklahoma Educational Television Authority (OETA) through July 2031, and also rejected HB 3320 that sought to make the station permanent. The veto leaves OETA facing a sunset date of July 1,...
Ocean State Media Employees Plan to Form Union
Employees at Rhode Island’s Ocean State Media announced plans to form a union with SAG‑AFTRA. In a petition, they called for fair, transparent compensation, clear role expectations, and a say in benefits and protections. The organizing committee, comprising hosts, reporters,...
Consultant Suggests Jefferson Public Radio ‘Spin Off’ From University Licensee
Southern Oregon University is facing a $20 million budget shortfall, with a $12.5 million deficit despite $15 million state emergency aid. Deloitte Consulting’s April 28 report recommends the university spin off its longtime partner, Jefferson Public Radio, to save roughly $300,000. JPR’s director disputes...
New LPB Travel Show Aims to Showcase All of Louisiana
Award‑winning travel journalist Karen LeBlanc has launched LA64, a Louisiana Public Broadcasting series that will visit each of the state’s 64 parishes over a five‑year span. The first season premiered on Feb. 2, delivering 12 episodes that stream on PBS, LPB’s...
Chicago Public Media Doubles Support for Statehouse Reporting Collaborative
Chicago Public Media (CPM) has doubled its annual contribution to the Illinois Statehouse Reporting Collaboration, raising its funding from $50,000 to about $101,000 and now covering half of the program’s total cost. The partnership, which serves ten public radio stations...
Local Public Sets Growth Goals as Stations Build Streaming Strategies
Local Public, the streaming platform launched by Cascade PBS, is targeting at least 30 public‑TV stations by the end of summer and hopes to reach 100 stations within three years. The service offers stations granular, real‑time viewership analytics and full...
Maryland Legislature Passes Advertising Set-Aside Legislation for State News Outlets
Maryland’s General Assembly approved a bill that obligates state agencies to allocate at least 50% of their advertising budgets to Maryland‑based news outlets, making the state the first to enact a formal advertising set‑aside. The legislation, driven by the Rebuild...
Arkansas Public Television Budget Bill Wins Final Approval in House
Arkansas public television secured a final House approval with 89 votes, moving the budget bill toward Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ desk. The network, long known as Arkansas PBS, is in the midst of a contentious split from PBS, a process...
PBS SoCal Steers Hip-Hop Series Towards Crossroads of Music and Local Communities
PBS SoCal’s digital series *Outside the Lyrics* has shifted its editorial focus from a metaverse‑centric format to a community‑driven exploration of hip‑hop and jazz in Los Angeles. The second season, produced with USC Annenberg’s IDEA institute, showcases how music influences...
Alabama Public Television Governing Board to Survey State on PBS Attitudes
The Alabama Educational Television Commission (AETC) voted to commission a $47,500 public opinion poll of 600 residents about the state’s relationship with PBS. The poll will be run by McLaughlin & Associates, a firm known for work with Republican candidates,...
Arkansas TV Receives Three-Year, $3M Pledge to Keep PBS in State
An anonymous donor has pledged a three‑year, $3 million challenge grant to Arkansas TV, contingent on the network retaining its PBS membership and the foundation matching each dollar with other contributions. The grant provides $1 million per year, helping cover the roughly...