Last week, Trump signed a bill to cut over $1.1 billion dollars of federal funding to the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB). The cuts were presented as attacks on NPR and WPR stations, but community radio stations are being painfully impacted by the cuts as well. Joining our show today is Jessie Dick, station manager for WXPR in the Northwoods of Wisconsin, Karl Halbeck, the manager of WOJB community radio on the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe reservation, and Nathan Moore, manager of WTJU in Virginia, and a board member of the National Federation of Community Broadcasting. 

The conversation centered around the importance of community radio for local communities. When a station covers local topics and invites local participation, it creates a sense of belonging and in the community, and in return the community cares deeply about it. In rural areas like the Northwoods of Wisconsin, community members without internet access rely on the radio for important information.

The guests addressed the importance of keeping community radio a space where everyone can participate in important conversations, even if a lack of funding would be an opportunity to operate without government censorship. We also heard from callers asking about how the funding cuts affect music licensing, online streaming and the cultural and political impacts of the federal cuts.

WORT will lose $113,000 in funding in the next year. Local radio stations depend on community support. If you are interested in helping, you can support your local radio station or adopt a radio station.

Jessie Dick joined WXPR in 2003 and has worn many hats over the years—including Marketing Director, Development Director, and Volunteer Coordinator—before being named CEO/General Manager in 2018. She’s proud to lead a station that’s deeply rooted in the Northwoods and powered by a passionate team of staff and volunteers. Jessie believes local public radio is essential for building informed, connected, and resilient communities, and she’s especially grateful for the listeners and supporters who make that work possible. 

Karl Halbeck is the general Manager of WOJB Woodland Community Radio on the Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa reservation, the first Native American station east of the Mississippi River. WOJB serves a 100 mile radius around Hayward with National Public Radio programming, local programs, educational programs, community wide radio shows, school closings, and a myriad of other essential community programs.

Nathan Moore: Since 2011, he has worked as the General Manager at WTJU 91.1 FM at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. He launched and serves as staff advisor for UVA’s student-run station WXTJ 100.1 FM. He has also launched the community podcast network Virginia Audio Collective and the nonprofit organization Virginia College Radio Alliance

Featured image: Courtesy of Indra Projects via Unsplash

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