System/Policy
How the pandemic changed public media’s financial outlook
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Public radio’s total nonfederal financial support dropped in fiscal year 2021, largely due to declines in underwriting revenue.
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Public radio’s total nonfederal financial support dropped in fiscal year 2021, largely due to declines in underwriting revenue.
“People really felt the value of the station to a greater degree during the pandemic and wanted to make certain that the station had the funding it needed to not just survive but thrive,” said Brenda Barnes, CEO of KING FM in Seattle.
“Based on projected funding, we had anticipated a longer run,” said Mark Newman, IPBS’ executive director.
The station began offering news in French, Spanish, Somali and Portuguese to deliver public service information amid the pandemic.
ITVS, Firelight Media, the Sundance Institute and Appalshop Inc. received $5.5 million for filmmaking initiatives and other projects.