Stations are removing and revising diversity statements on their websites amid growing attacks on DEI programs at the state and federal levels.
Some of the stations that have made changes are in states where lawmakers have taken steps to limit DEI programs at public institutions. The revisions also reflect a shift in CPB requirements. In October 2023, CPB’s board passed a change to the corporation’s diversity statement requirement for stations that receive Community Service Grants and began requiring “Community Representation Statements” instead.
The Boston Globe first reported Tuesday that GBH in Boston had made changes to its website. A web page with the heading “Inclusion & Equity” now redirects to a different page titled “The Four Cs.” The new page no longer refers to an Office of Inclusion and Equity.
In a statement to Current, GBH CEO Susan Goldberg said, “Our mission and values remain unchanged and we’re proud of the work we do.”
A spokesperson separately told Current that GBH has reorganized its website but has not made any changes to policies or staff. “As is still communicated on our site, we continue to build a culture of belonging for all, and to create programming that reflects and engages the audiences we serve,” the spokesperson said. Station officials declined to explain why the change was made.
GBH, producer of Frontline, Nova and other series, is among several stations that championed DEI-related work after 2020, when protests over race, police brutality and equity in the workplace were at a high point. The station also has an equity and justice reporting unit funded by the Barr Foundation.
According to a Thursday report by Hell Gate, PBS LearningMedia, a website for educators run by PBS and GBH, has taken down LGBTQ teaching resources. The teaching materials included First Person, a video series produced by the WNET Group in New York. The toolkit was part of a partnership among WNET, New York City’s Department of Education and the New York City Council. First Person episodes are still available on WNET’s website and YouTube.
A PBS spokesperson told Hell Gate that the toolkit was removed in response to President Donald Trump’s executive orders. Last week, PBS closed its DEI office and fired the office’s two employees, citing an executive order by Trump. PBS President Paula Kerger told the Associated Press that she’s “trying to encourage” stations to have lawyers review their circumstances regarding DEI initiatives.
Changes to station sites
A review by Current found that several other stations have also altered language on DEI-related web pages or deleted them entirely. They are Ball State Public Media in Muncie, Ind.; West Virginia Public Broadcasting; WBHM in Birmingham, Ala.; Alabama Public Radio in Tuscaloosa; Texas Public Radio in San Antonio; and WUKY in Lexington, Ky.
Texas Public Radio removed a “Diversity Statement,” last captured by the Internet Archive Jan. 24, that mentioned DEI and exceeded 1,250 words. A new 80-word “Community Representation Statement” does not directly mention diversity but says “TPR strives to reflect our community in our staffing, board of directors, community advisory board, and in the educational, informational, and cultural content we provide.”
A spokesperson said the station made the change to reflect CPB’s updated reporting requirement.
Ball State Public Media, licensed to Ball State University, oversees Ball State PBS and Indiana Public Radio. Ball State PBS removed a “diversity and inclusion statement” page, last captured by the Internet Archive Nov. 5, and posted a “community representation statement.” Indiana Public Radio made similar changes.
“The changes reflect our response to reporting requirements changing from CPB,” said Ball State Public Media GM Phil Hoffman.
In addition, Ball State Public Media’s new statements no longer mention a “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging committee” within the organization and instead refer to an “Accessibility, Opportunity and Equity Team.” Hoffman said the station changed the team’s name last March to comply with the enactment of a state law prohibiting DEI statements at state-funded colleges and universities.
WVPB removed a “Community Representation Statement” last captured by the Internet Archive Feb. 10. In an email, WVPB Executive Director Eddie Isom said “the page has been archived until we get further guidance based on executive orders on both the federal and state level.”
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order Jan. 14 that bars departments, divisions or entities that receive state funds from using the funds for DEI-related work.
WBHM took down a page titled “Our Values,” last captured by the Internet Archive Jan. 21, which said the station “believes that establishing a workplace that embraces diversity and inclusion is part of our mission” and that WBHM’s staff “should mirror people in our communities.”
In an email, WBHM GM William Dahlberg said that “during a periodic review of our website for functionality and outdated content, we decided to temporarily unpublish the page to more closely review and determine what — if any — actions might be necessary. This was purely an internal decision.”
Alabama Public Radio also removed a page titled “Community Diversity” that mentioned diversity goals. It was last captured by the Internet Archive Feb. 10. The station did not respond to Current’s questions.
Alabama’s legislature enacted a law last year that limits DEI efforts at state agencies, public universities and public boards of education. WBHM and Alabama Public Radio are licensed to universities.
On WUKY’s website, a page titled “History & Mission,” last captured by the Internet Archive Dec. 6, cited “Embrace Diversity, Equity & Inclusion as an essential component of every activity” as a value of the station. The page now says “Embrace the community as an essential component of every activity.”
In an email, GM Bryan Lane said the station started working on its changes Dec. 13 and updated the page Dec. 17. “The University of Kentucky disbanded its DEI division before the legislature asked it to in a preemptive move, and we felt that we should align with our employer in light of the legislature’s examination of future moves,” he said.
Current reporter Tyler Falk contributed to this article.
This article has been updated to include a response from Texas Public Radio.