Tell Congress: Restore Funding for Iowa Public Radio

Public media has been defunded. But Congress can still act and restore funding for stations like IPR. Urge your lawmakers to bring back funding for public media.

What Happened

In the thinnest of margins, Congress passed the Rescissions Act — clawing back approved funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This is devastating for public media. Pulling $1.1 billion out of the public radio and television system will have huge impacts, some of which will emerge quickly and others we may not see for months or years down the line. It’s possible stations will shut down across the country, in communities where the need is greatest.

CPB dollars make up approximately 10.5% of IPR’s annual budget. That's an immediate loss of $1 million in annual support. Combined with hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional operating costs, this is a huge blow to our organization. These cuts mean we have to:

1. Reduce our head count by leaving open positions unfilled
2. Downsize our office and studio footprints to decrease ballooning facilities costs
3. Delay needed and critical infrastructure maintenance
4. Squeeze every line item in our budget.

Even with these cuts, we still foresee a significant shortfall for the coming year and know that a deeper look at our operations and potential revenue is required. Our goal is to not impact programming or existing personnel, but nothing is assured until we have filled the gap. We may be forced to make tough decisions on the programming and services you rely on as we seek to connect Iowans with the news, music, information and ideas that shape your world every day.

Local News Coverage

About 20% of Americans live in an area where the local public radio station is the only source of local news. Nearly two-thirds of the counties IPR serves are rural areas with limited or no other local options. A loss of funding has the most negative impact on these communities.

Emergency Services

Public radio stations are often the sole source of critical information in emergencies and natural disasters. The Iowa Public Radio network serves as a statewide distribution system for emergency alerts, which all other radio stations can monitor. When the next tornado, derecho or disaster strikes, these services help Iowans escape harm and stay connected to crucial information in the aftermath.

Music & Cultural Programming

Public media showcases music, stories and people outside the mainstream, providing an important connection to the communities we call home. IPR highlights Iowa life, extends the reach of the symphonies and operas to all corners of the state and plays local musicians nobody else plays. Cuts to CPB directly affect our ability to air all types of music and cultural programming.

What You Can Do

Your voice matters. Congress can restore CPB funding through the appropriations process in the fall. Here’s how you can help:

• Call your lawmakers. Every member of the Iowa delegation voted for this bill. Tell them why we must invest in a strong and accessible public media system.
• Send a message. Share what public media means to you and why it’s worth funding.
• Show your support. We now rely on our communities for 100% of our funding. Help us get a start on filling this million-dollar hole in our organization.
• Stay connected. Listeners, viewers and supporters nationwide are not giving up. Protect My Public Media has additional tools, information and ways to get involved. Join the action network for all the latest on how you can protect Iowa Public Radio and local stations everywhere.

Your Questions About Public Media Funding

How is Iowa Public Radio funded?
Iowa Public Radio is primarily funded by people like you. In our last fiscal year, 86% of our funding came from individuals, businesses and organizations in the communities we serve. Around 10% of funding comes from the federal government through CPB. The remaining funds come from special events, investments and other sources of income. We have not had any state funding since 2021.

How is public media funded?
Every local station has a different mix from similar sources. Smaller, rural stations rely more on federal funds. Overall, the CPB received $535 million annually. That’s approximately $1.60 per citizen — about .008% of the federal budget — and a fraction of the amount invested by other countries. Only one-fourth of that amount supports public radio specifically.

What did CPB do?
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting mainly administered grants, evaluated station effectiveness and ensured accountability to Congress and the President. The vast majority of its funds went to local radio stations like Iowa Public Radio or TV stations like Iowa PBS.

CPB also supported local stations in other ways — negotiating and paying for music rights for music stations and supporting the public radio and television interconnection systems. Without these funds, costs for individual stations will rise. Broadcasting will be more expensive. The price of playing the music you love will increase. Those costs are too much for many stations to absorb.

Why does public funding matter?
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting was created to serve as a public good — helping to provide a freely accessible, trusted source of high-quality educational and informational content. We still wholeheartedly believe in that founding principle. And it’s part of our mission to connect Iowans to the news, music, information and ideas that shape their world every day. We believe public funding ties us more closely to our mission to serve the public good.

What will happen to public radio now that federal funding has gone away?
NPR receives very little funding from CPB. A significant source of NPR funding comes from local stations that pay fees to air its programming. With less money coming from stations, NPR and other national program providers will also face a loss of revenue, leading to tough decisions on programming and services.

Iowa Public Radio will face this same financial reality. While we have practiced conservative fiscal management for many years and have financial reserves to help us, $1.3 million is a significant loss. We are taking steps to protect our core operations and maintain the highest level of service for you.

What happens now?
CPB funding is gone, but it can be restored. Federal funding is appropriated through Congressional action each fall. It only takes a few lawmakers to change their mind and restore funding for public broadcasting. Contact your lawmakers now.