WNET will cut staff, costs following loss of federal funding

The WNET Group in New York announced layoffs in a staff memo Friday and said it plans to cut back on programs and services, according to two employees.

The employees requested anonymity because they had not been authorized to speak to Current. One shared the memo, which was by CEO Neal Shapiro. The second employee confirmed its contents.

“This week, we announced staff reductions that will take effect by the end of October and we will continue to assess our business operation,” Shapiro wrote. “Those affected will be working with their managers to close out their projects in the next few weeks.”

The memo also said WNET plans on “carefully reducing some programs and services to create meaningful savings, while also rethinking how we work and where we can best focus our energy for future growth.”

An employee who shared news of the staff cuts with Current said employees “are not happy with the lack of transparency” around the layoffs.

In an emailed statement to Current, the WNET Group said, “The loss of funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has created a $12 million annual budget gap for The WNET Group. To meet this challenge, we must re-size, restructure, and reimagine our organization for the future. While it is heartbreaking to say goodbye to talented and dedicated colleagues, these difficult decisions are necessary to ensure that we can continue serving our audiences for years to come.”

In his memo, Shapiro wrote that the move to restructure the organization “is driven solely by business needs and the significant loss of funding and does not reflect the job performance of the individuals or the valuable contributions they have made to The WNET Group.”

According to its fiscal year 2024 audited financial statement, the WNET Group received a $9.6 million Community Service Grant from CPB and an additional $3.6 million in CPB program grants, representing almost 9% of its total revenue that year. Congress voted in July to rescind fiscal year 2026 and 2027 federal funding to CPB.

WNET, GBH in Boston and WETA in Washington, D.C., make up the largest national producers of public television programs and have all faced staff cuts in the last few months.

Last year, the WNET Group laid off employees and restructured staff, affecting 34 positions. NJ PBS laid off an additional seven NJ Spotlight News employees in March and more employees in August following cuts to New Jersey state and federal funding. Earlier this week, NJ PBS announced that the WNET Group will not renew its agreement to continue managing the state network beyond FY26.

“Becoming a smaller workforce will require continued attention to optimal staffing,” Shapiro said in his memo. “So, while we approach this transition with the anticipation that we will be doing very little hiring, we may find the organizational need for some new roles. The employees affected by the layoff are welcome to apply for any positions that might be created in the future.”

Shapiro wrote that WNET has ceased production of its print program guide and has made company-wide cuts to travel and other discretionary areas.

“The scope of necessary reductions is being somewhat mitigated by the strong support of members and donors” and expense reductions enabled by an “impending real estate move,” he wrote, without providing further details about the move. “Our fundraising team has been asked to increase its already demanding goal to help us.”

Shapiro said WNET will have an all-stations meeting Oct. 7 to discuss the changes.

“This is a time of reinvention as we chart the future of the valued, trusted, and essential public service we provide,” he wrote. “Together, with your resilience and creativity, we will turn this moment of reinvention into a stronger future.”

This article has been updated with a statement from the WNET Group.