Greetings from Interlochen.
Just after midnight, Congress approved President Trump’s request to defund public media. A slim majority of lawmakers dealt a $1.1 billion blow to the stations and networks built up in the U.S. over the last 60-plus years.
We thank everyone who spoke up in favor of federal funding and listeners who have responded already with financial support for IPR.
I want to give you some sense of what this cut means for IPR and how we have prepared for this possibility.
Annual grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting have provided between $250,000 and $300,000 for IPR operations in recent years. Last year, it was 14 percent of our revenue.
Closing this gap will be a challenge, and the broader impacts of this cut are difficult to foresee. So we prefer to be cautious and let some of the dust settle before we make significant decisions about altering the station's operations.
Here is how we will address the situation:
- We will aggressively fundraise for increased support to bridge the financial gap. Please support IPR right now to keep this essential service thriving.
- We are adding new staff this summer who will generate revenue by cultivating donors and corporate support.
- Our production staff is reduced, mostly due to open positions, though we remain much more robust than just a few years ago. We did eliminate a position earlier this year in anticipation of this moment.
- We are reducing costs where we can on travel, renegotiated program fees, marketing, and other expenses.
- We are exploring strategic partnerships with other NPR affiliates in Michigan.
I am optimistic about the future of IPR. We are as strong as we have ever been with more support, skill, partners and vision than any time in the 25 years I have worked here. The future of public media is local, and the need for local news, music and cultural programming has been a constant talking point in the federal funding debate. We intend to lead the way into the future.
I have long admired the work of WYSO in Ohio and was excited to read Neenah Ellis’s speech this week, given at a recent conference. I recommend it to anyone who thinks radio can be a resource that builds communities up and knits them together. As Congress closes the door on us, we plan to open ours more widely to you and the rest of our neighbors.
We are planning community meetings after Labor Day to talk about the future of IPR. Keep an eye out for information about these in the coming weeks.
Thanks for your support.
Peter Payette
IPR Executive Director
