First: Thank you to everyone who took the time to support public media through the fight to retain the federal funding that had already been allocated by Congress. Feeling that support has helped fuel us through the long fight, and you have our unending gratitude. Despite that extraordinary advocacy from stations and supporters locally and across the country, the House and the Senate voted yes to eliminating federal funding for public media beginning Oct. 1. President Donald Trump signed it into law on July 24, making it official.

While the full financial impact is still unfolding, this is a pivotal moment for which Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM) has been preparing since late last year. We are defunded, not defeated. This moment calls us to focus, to rally, and to move with purpose — together — to continue providing all that public media makes possible. The foundation of BTPM is local storytelling, music discovery, fact-based journalism, classroom resources, and life-saving emergency alerts. And we’re finding creative ways to earn the support we need to continue providing those services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM) cease operating?

No. BTPM will continue providing our communities with the high-quality programming and services they expect from us with as little disruption as possible. We are working locally and across the public broadcasting system to find ways to cut costs, pool resources, and explore new revenue opportunities. But changes are necessary to meet this challenge, and as we implement them, we will keep our communities informed. We plan to be as transparent as possible about the impact of these cuts.

What can I do to help protect Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM)?

If you haven’t done so already, become a member. Even better — become a sustaining member which allows you to give a smaller amount every month rather than a larger one once per year. It also allows us to budget more reliably. Your donations are more important than ever.

Becoming a member provides you with member benefits including a monthly email newsletter with a printable guide of our programs and PBS Passport, an on-demand streaming service that includes a large catalog of programs (for memberships at $5/month or $60/year). Visit btpm.org/donate to learn more.

Although the rescission of our funding has already been signed into law by President Trump, you can continue to let your Congressional Representatives and Senators know that you believe public media deserves federal support. To send emails or make phone calls to your representatives visit https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member.

Tell a friend: Tell people on social media, by email, and in person about the impact of public media in your life. Did Daniel Tiger help your children process their emotions? Does Masterpiece light up your Sunday nights? Does PBS News Hour bring you the news without the hype and with the facts and context you need? Ask your friends and family members if they are members and/or if they have taken the time to let their federal representatives know it’s important to them.

Public media has always been supported by the communities it serves — and right now, that support matters more than ever.

What is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s (CPB) role in public broadcasting and how will its shut down affect Buffalo Toronto Public Media?

CPB is an independent, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967. It distributes federal dollars to local public radio and television stations, helping to fund programming, technology, and services that are commercial-free and free of charge. CPB serves as a firewall between partisan politics and public broadcasting to preserve the independence of public media.

Because of the elimination of federal funding, CPB announced that it will begin shutting down in September, laying off the majority of its staff by Sept. 30. A few staff members will remain working through January to provide a responsible and orderly transition.

Like all public media stations, Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM) received funding from CPB. It has averaged 14-15% of our total revenue each year. In addition, CPB has provided grants to BTPM for special projects such as Ready to Learn, which provided direct services to children preparing for school, and digital transformation projects, which have helped BTPM provide our communities with services in new and innovative ways.

CPB has also provided public media stations with music licensing, which allows BTPM NPR, BTPM Classical, and BTPM The Bridge to play music for our listeners. The public media system is currently exploring ways to replace that service, which costs about $9.6 million each year.

What is a Rescission Package?

A rescission package is a formal request from the President to Congress to cancel budget allocations previously approved by Congress. In this case, the White House requested that Congress eliminate already-allocated funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) through a rescission proposal. CPB is the entity that funds public media. This eliminated about $1 billion in federal support that public media relied on and caused CPB to begin shutting down.

This was not just an attack on NPR and PBS as it was billed. Over 70% of that funding went to local stations like ours and allowed us to meet the needs of our local communities. It will cause many local stations to close, especially in rural and underserved areas, leaving some communities without local media all together.

Why do we need Public Media when there are so many other sources of media?

Public media offers trusted, fact-checked journalism and cultural content free of commercial influence. It remains one of the few universally accessible services reaching 99% of Americans, including those in rural and underserved areas. In times of emergency, public media provides critical information to communities through reliable, nonpartisan coverage. Public media stations exist to serve the public, not make a profit. Public media is free for everyone.

In addition, local public media stations including BTPM partner with local first responders to offer datacasting services that use the broadcast spectrum to help first responders send critical information and videos to each other during times of crisis.

Public media partners with FEMA to participate in the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system that enables cell subscribers to receive geo-targeted text messages in the event of an emergency — reaching them wherever they are in times of crisis.

If you have other questions, please submit your inquiry at https://help.btpm.org or call 800-678-1873.