Prairie Public lays off employees, cuts open positions

Prairie Public, a dual licensee state network in North Dakota, has cut 12 positions.

Seven workers were laid off, and five positions were eliminated. The reduction represents about 18% of staff and affects nearly every department, according to a news release, which added that some programs and services may also be eliminated.

“The loss of federal and state funding has resulted in approximately a 25% reduction in our revenue,” said Prairie Public CEO John Harris in a news release Wednesday. “Like most every public media organization in the country, we were forced to make hard choices — that included the difficult decision to part with valued members of our staff.”

Prairie Public received more than $1.9 million in Community Service Grants from CPB for television and radio in fiscal year 2024, according to an audited financial statement. The station also saw its state funding eliminated this year after receiving nearly $3 million in the FY24–25 biennium. Prairie Public’s total revenue in FY24 was $13.7 million.

The announcement follows the vote in Congress to rescind FY26 and FY27 federal funding to CPB. Federal funding through CPB officially expired Wednesday.

“Amid the hardship, we remain committed to serving our communities as best as we can,” Harris said in the news release. “We have members in every county in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota, and also in eastern Montana and Manitoba, Canada. Our communities’ passion for Prairie Public has been encouraging this year — and their continued support will be critical for us to move forward.”

Radio Director Ann Alquist announced on LinkedIn Tuesday that she was among the laid-off staff.

More than 20 public media organizations have announced layoffs since the rescission of CPB funding.