The Trump administration has asked Congress to rescind $1.1 billion slated to go to public broadcasting in the next two years, and for WPSU that would mean a loss of $1.4 million in federal funding for the upcoming fiscal year.
Congress had already approved that funding for public broadcasting. For WPSU, it's about 17% percent of the overall budget in 2025-26.
Isabel Reinert, WPSU’s executive director and general manager, said the cuts could dramatically change the public media landscape.
“We have been in this community for 60 years on television at this point," Reinert said. "We have been providing vital services, telling stories, educating people and connecting our communities. That is what we would like to continue to do, and that is at risk with this current conversation and the federal funding threats and the rescission package.”
WPSU-TV reaches 24 counties in central and northern Pennsylvania and radio reaches 13 counties.
Reinert said if the cuts pass, WPSU’s educational programs could be impacted along with national programming and local programming like Keystone Stories, Culinary Connections and Local Groove Presents. WPSU also provides emergency alert warnings.
“We’re really hopeful we can rally our supporters and our advocates to stop this from happening and to keep the funding that is critical for the public media and for our rural communities," she said.
The Trump administration made the request this week, triggering a 45-day period for Congress to take action. The public broadcasting funding is part of a larger $9.4 billion package of already-approved spending the Trump administration wants to rescind. It includes cuts to the State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, also known as PEPFAR.
The new federal fiscal year starts Oct. 1. The potential cuts come as WPSU is already dealing with an $800,000 funding cut from Penn State for the upcoming budget year.
