General Manager Update
6/19/2025
Reponse from Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis to WPM Public Advisory Council's letter urging a vote not to rescind funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/21/de/d306a1244674b152da504b1052ee/lummis.pdf
6/19/2025
Response from Wyoming Senator John Barrasso to WPM Public Advisory Council's letter urging a vote not to rescind funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/82/5b/0ff1a2b24d91983a27926f16e760/johnbarrasso.pdf
6/18/2025
The rescission to defund NPR and PBS passed the House and is now in the Senate's hands. Wyoming Public Media's Public Advisory Council Members wrote a letter to Wyoming Senators Barrasso and Lummis, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Senate Appropriations Committee Chair, Susan Collins urging a vote against rescission of funds to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/88/73/701e4d144c90898cbfdb0ea0b8f0/wpm-pac-letter-to-wy-senators-13-june-2025.pdf
6/14/2025
Wyoming delegation wants to defund NPR and PBS. This has implications for public broadcasting in Wyoming. Wyoming Public Media and Wyoming PBS are affected.
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/06/13/wyoming-delegation-supports-defunding-pbs-npr-and-a-foreign-aid-agency/
6/12/2025
The House voted to claw back the previously approved funding for public broadcasting. On to the Senate.
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/12/g-s1-72452/statement-from-katherine-maher-npr-president-and-ceo-the-house-voted-to-claw-back-federal-funding-intended-for-public-broadcasters-around-the-country
https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2025/roll168.xml
6/12/2025
The House is voting today on clawbacks to funding for public broadcasting. Then it's the Senate's turn.
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/12/g-s1-72223/public-media-funding-up-in-the-air-as-house-prepares-to-vote-on-claw-backs
6/11/2025
This is a letter Emergency Service Stakeholders sent to Congress to convince lawmakers of the value of public broadcasting during local emergencies.
https://docs.google.com/document/u/2/d/e/2PACX-1vSWSfZk2Ocm8VAvJIBkd9j8LkjGmwUX7Z1cJ0ENqixQBmOq3piPBhtELkusU31Hmelm-vywCK7_Kqrk/pub
6/9/2025
Rep Mark Amodei (NV) joined Rep Dan Goldman (N.Y.) to urge the administration to reconsider its proposal to cut $1.1 billion from CPB.
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/06/09/congress/gop-opposition-to-public-media-funding-cuts-00394568
6/9/2025
U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss recognized the independence of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).
https://cpb.org/pressroom/Court-Recognizes-CPB-s-Independence-Board-Members-Remain
6/6/2025
WPM operates in a rural state with 13% of our funding generated by federal (CPB) sources. But we still have individual, institutional, and corporate sources that support our almost $4 million operating budget. There are stations in the west that are both rural and tribal. A cut in federal funding decimates them, leaving swatches of the US without media.
What defunding public media would mean for the West - High Country News
6/5/2025
The decision to take back $1.1 billion previously appropriated funding will probably take place in the House next week.
Trump plan to defund NPR & PBS divides Republicans and Democrats : NPR
6/3/2025
President Trump asked Congress to take back $1.1 billion of money it already appropriated to NPR and PBS for the next two years.
https://www.npr.org/2025/06/03/nx-s1-5418080/pbs-npr-trump-rescission-public-broadcasting
https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/06/trump-wants-congress-slash-94b-spending-now-defund-npr-and-pbs/405772/
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/03/white-house-asks-congress-to-codify-9-4b-in-doge-cuts-to-foreign-aid-npr-pbs-00382872
5/31/2025
PBS, and a rural Minnesota station filed a lawsuit to challenge President Trump's May 1, 2025 Executive Order to defund NPR and PBS. (The CPB vs. Trump challenge emanating from Trump's firing of 3 CPB Board members is still pending.)
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/30/nx-s1-5418084/pbs-and-minnesota-public-tv-station-sue-trump-white-house
5/27/2025
NPR, Aspen Public Radio, Colorado Public Radio, and KSUT Public Radio filed a lawsuit to challenge President Trump’s May 1, 2025 Executive Order on public media.
NPR and Katherine Maher, CEO of NPR Statement : NPR
https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/npr-v-trump-lawsuit.pdf
5/19/2025
CPB amends by-laws after President Trump fired board members.
https://current.org/2025/05/facing-trump-threat-cpb-amends-bylaws-to-protect-directors-from-removal/
5/19/2025
Alaska Senator Murkowski's comments on defunding public broadcasting. Wyoming closely resembles Alaska in terrain, dispersed populations, and signal delivery difficulties.
https://www.murkowski.senate.gov/press/release/senator-murkowski-reiterates-her-support-for-public-broadcasting
5/18/2025
CPB Board Chair responds after the CPB vs Trump hearing and ruling.
Wyoming’s Calvert, national broadcast chair, says NPR needs more perspectives
5/18/2025
NPR CEO Katherine Maher republishes changes and commitments the network made to the American public.
NPR’s editorial enhancements and our commitment to serving the American public.
5/15/2025
CPB vs Trump. A federal Judge in D.C. heard the legal challenge to Trump's firing of 3 CPB board members. Will rule in June.
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/15/nx-s1-5397965/cpb-trump-lawsuit-court-pbs-npr-public-broadcasting
5/12/2025
DOGE tries to visit Corporation for Public Broadcasting HQ.
DOGE tried to embed in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting : NPR
5/8/2025
Ready To Learn PBS production terminated by Department of Education. This affects children's programming on television.
https://current.org/2025/05/cpb-tells-stations-to-stop-ready-to-learn-work-following-termination-by-department-of-education/
5/8/2025
Legal experts comment on viability of President Trump's Executive Order.
https://current.org/2025/05/experts-say-trumps-cpb-order-should-have-no-legal-effect/
5/7/2025
NPR's response to article written by Uri Berliner, former NPR senior editor. (updated April 10, 2025)
https://www.npr.org/2024/04/09/1243755769/npr-journalist-uri-berliner-trust-diversity
5/3/2025
Wyoming's delegation offers views on defunding NPR and PBS.
Wyoming Delegation Supports Trump’s Order To Defund NPR And PBS | Cowboy State Daily
5/2/2025
PBS CEO Paula Kerger responds to President Trump's Executive Order to the CPB and its funding to NPR and PBS.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/pbs-chief-slams-trumps-executive-order-aiming-to-cut-federal-funding-for-pbs-and-npr-as-unlawful
5/2/2025
This is NPR's response to President Trump's Executive Order to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and its funding to NPR and PBS. This affects WPM programming and operations.
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/g-s1-64016/npr-statement-on-white-house-executive-order
5/1/2025
President Trump issued an Executive Order to CPB to cut NPR and PBS funding.
https://www.npr.org/2025/05/02/nx-s1-5384790/trump-orders-end-to-federal-funding-for-npr-and-pbs
4/30/2025
NPR CEO Katherine Maher's appearance on The Daily Show. This interview articulates NPR mission in a short segment.
https://youtu.be/2vFpPBeh0kA?si=KJKxnUnbcyaIKCL7
4/29/2015
President Trump tries to fire 3 Corporation for Public Broadcasting board members. CPB sues.
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/29/nx-s1-5381045/cpb-board-members-trump-lawsuit-npr-pbs
4/23/2025
The Trump administration's effort to dismantle Voice of America was temporarily blocked and may be appealed.
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5372530/voa-trump-radio-free-asiahttps://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5372530/voa-trump-radio-free-asia
4/23/2025
In related media, Bill Owens, longtime head of CBS's 60 Minutes resigned, as the network's parent company addresses a settlement with President Trump over his lawsuit focusing on an interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
https://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5372733/60-minutes-bill-owens-cbs-trump-paramounthttps://www.npr.org/2025/04/22/nx-s1-5372733/60-minutes-bill-owens-cbs-trump-paramount
4/18/2025
WGCU has one of the original architects of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 living in their community. At 100 years old he reflects on the original intent of President Johnson and the administration, and the continuing relevancy today.
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/5qsv4imoq7o9yx6vv434y/Robert-Hilliard.mp4?rlkey=hbsocjf6vv91f7evrsrjplhbk&st=mq6js0xa&dl=0
4/18/2025
NPR CEO Katharine Maher's interview on ATC talking about the value of federal funding to NPR and stations.
https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2025-04-16/npr-ceo-katherine-maher-addresses-future-of-federal-funding-for-public-media
4/18/2025
Wyoming's Ruby Calvert was featured in an interview in Cowboy State Daily. Read what she has to say about CPB defunding.
https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/04/16/public-broadcasting-chief-says-cuts-devastating-trump-says-pbs-very-biased/