Houston Public Media cuts nine jobs

Houston Public Media eliminated nine jobs this week as management prepares for the loss of CPB funding. 

“The recent $2.2 million rescission of federal funds by Congress, coupled with other funding changes, has forced Houston Public Media to significantly and immediately reduce operating expenses,” said GM and associate VP Joshua Adams in a statement. 

The majority of the affected positions were “internal functions” and will be outsourced in a reduced capacity, Adams said. 

Three of the positions were vacant, and none of the roles were in journalism, local programming or news operations, according to a spokesperson. 

“We are providing a range of resources and assistance to support these employees during this transition,” Adams said.

HPM is projecting a slight downturn in underwriting and car donations in addition to the loss of $2.2 million in federal funding, the spokesperson said. The dual licensee aims to reduce its annual expenses by $3.7 million through job cuts, renegotiating contracts and reviewing operational expenses. 

“As we navigate this challenge, we are encouraged by the community support we are receiving through donations to our Resiliency Fund, which was established to help offset the federal funding losses as we develop our long-term plans to replace this revenue,” Adams said. “We are grateful to everyone who has given and we are hopeful that, as more Houstonians learn about the fund, contributions will continue to grow.”

The fund has already raised more than $1.67 million.

In July, Congress approved the White House’s proposal to claw back CPB’s forward-funded $535 million annual appropriations for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. 

Since the votes, layoffs have rolled across public media stations. Kentucky Educational Television also announced Thursday that it was laying off 15 employees and cutting 21 vacant jobs.