Dear supporters of WDIY,
Last 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).
From a legal standpoint, it's important to note that executive orders are no different than a press release for practical purposes. In fact, CPB issued a statement this morning 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."
So, rest assured that a bipartisan Congress considered our editorial independence paramount when they originally authorized the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.
What the order does—and doesn’t—attempt to do:
It targets federal dollars only. Private donations, foundation grants, underwriting, and member support continue to be the foundation of WDIY’s near and long-term sustainability. (This means YOU are valued and needed!)
- 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 significant impacts on WDIY and all 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, including ours, rely on federal funding through Community Service Grants to pay for infrastructure, emergency‐alert services, and local journalism, the financial ripple effects could be significant, especially for smaller stations who serve more rural communities.
How federal support fits into WDIY’s budget:
Federal dollars flow to WDIY through an annual grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) that underpins our regional broadcasting infrastructure supporting the emergency alert system, local news coverage, and community affairs programming. Those grants account for about 15 percent of our annual operating budget, or roughly $100,000 each year. The remaining 85% of our funding comes from members, foundations, and business underwriting.
Our mission and broadcast model remain steadfast:
Nothing in this executive order alters why we exist: to nurture and protect the Greater Lehigh Valley’s public square where people of differing perspectives and experiences are brought together through a wide-ranging exchange of news, music, arts, and culturally diverse information. Everything we do is in the spirit of helping to create a community where everyone feels seen and heard, and we do that by consistently demonstrating our core values in all we do: building cultural bridges, elevating multiple perspectives, providing training to broadcast and production volunteers including youth, and sharing power with the communities we serve in our desire for community-owned and community-driven local media that matters to our residents. Our model of providing this service for 30 years has been through community volunteers who host and produce music and podcasts. We could not do this without them and they are, without a doubt, the backbone of this station.
What happens next?
- Continued Assessment, Planning and Legal Challenges – We are working with CPB, PBS, NPR, Protect My Public Media, and our fellow public radio stations across the country to plan for the future of public media and to protect our essential service to this community without disruption.
- Advocacy – WDIY will continue working to protect the strong bipartisan support that exists for public media and will keep the Greater Lehigh Valley’s congressional delegation informed about how potential cuts would most affect our community.
- Transparency – As soon as we have clarity on any legal challenges to or enforcement of the executive order, we will share major updates on our website and through ongoing email communication. As you likely know, the actions coming out of DC are fluid and can change daily. We pledge not to overwhelm you with information, but to ensure you have substantive updates along the way as things unfold.
- Diversifying revenue – We have accelerated initiatives to grow membership and increase community philanthropy, business partnerships, and sponsorship so that critical services never hinge on a single funding source.
How you can help right now:
- Stay informed. Bookmark this page for running updates and background context.
- Make your voice heard. If you value free, public‐service media, contact your representatives or visit Protect My Public Media to share your story.
- Support our work with a donation today. The surest way to safeguard fact-based journalism, exciting cultural exploration through music, and educational programming is through your personal investment in WDIY now. Please consider supporting us by attending our WDIY's 30th Anniversary All-Star Celebration on June 7th, and save the date for another exciting event on October 28 at 6PM. Details to follow.
WDIY has served your community for three decades, through changing technologies and political climates alike. This executive order and other funding threats to public media's ability to operate present real challenges, but our commitment to providing you with trusted local content and experiences, opportunities for lifelong learning, and deep community connections is unwavering. We will continue to stand with—and report to—the people of the Greater Lehigh Valley ensuring that everyone is seen, heard, valued, and informed.
Contact:
Representative Ryan Mackenzie
2151 Emrick Blvd.
Suite 204
Bethlehem, PA 18020
Phone: (610) 333-1170
Senator Dave McCormick
840 West Hamilton Street
Suite 301
Allentown, PA, 18101
Phone: 610-782-9470
Senator John Fetterman
142 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4254
Suggested script:
I urge you to oppose rescinding previously appropriated federal funding for public media, reject the Executive Order that seeks to eliminate federal support for PBS and NPR, and support continued public media funding in the FY 2026 appropriations bills. Together, these actions threaten to dismantle the critical services provided by our local public radio and television stations – jeopardizing our community’s safety; undermining access to proven educational resources for our children and workforce; and disconnecting us from essential community information, forums, and storytelling that addresses local issues.
Eliminating or restricting federal funding would devastate our local public radio and television stations – stripping them of critical support and national services they rely on to serve their communities. That includes:
- The distribution of life-saving emergency alerts and public media programs to households nationwide.
- PBS WARN, the system that powers Wireless Emergency Alerts to mobile phones and provides public safety officials with real-time situational awareness tools.
- Research-backed educational content and tools, used by families, educators and community organizations to improve children’s literacy, math, and science skills – proven effective by over 100 studies.
- A national-local partnership that ensures curated programming meets each community’s unique needs, while benefiting from the scale and support of national infrastructure.
This efficient, integrated system ensures that stations retain full local control, while leveraging shared infrastructure and partnerships to maximize their local impact. Without federal support – including the ability to use it toward national services like PBS and NPR – local stations would be forced to replicate or procure these essential resources on their own, at far greater cost and risk.
According to recent media reports, the Administration’s rescissions proposal would claw back $1.1 billion in already appropriated federal funding. This funding is essential for local stations, enabling them to collaborate with local partners and create tailored programming and outreach addressing urgent community needs, from natural disasters to the opioid epidemic. A rescission would immediately disrupt existing and planned initiatives that improve our local public safety, educational attainment, economic prosperity, and well-being. An elimination of these funds threatens the very existence of many stations, especially those serving rural and remote areas.
Public media is one of the most cost-effective public-private partnerships in the country. For every federal dollar, stations raise six more from other sources. And for just about $1.60 per person each year, federal funding powers public safety systems, high-impact educational services, community-focused programming, and trusted local storytelling and journalism.
Defunding public media would cause real and lasting harm – especially in rural, remote, and tribal communities where federal support can make up 50% or more of a station’s budget and local media options and broadband are limited or unavailable. These stations are lifelines, and many would be forced off-air and offline, cutting off entire communities from essential services.
Multiple studies confirm there is no substitute for this funding. The executive order, rescissions plan, and FY 26 budget proposal all threaten to dismantle the system that makes public media possible. I urge you to protect the vital role public media plays in our community, reject any attempts to eliminate federal funding, and protect future funding that supports essential local station services, including:
- $535 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for FY 2027
- $60 million for Interconnection
- $40 million for the Next Generation Warning System
- $31 million for Ready To Learn
Thank you for your time and consideration.
