JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A week after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed about $5.7 million in funding for public radio and television stations, Jacksonville-based WJCT Public Media called the cuts “deeply troubling” and looked to its listeners to help make up the losses.
According to multiple media reports, DeSantis cut $1.3 million for public radio stations and about $4.4 million for public television stations when signing the state’s 2025-26 budget.
The budget bill had $370,400 allocated to each public television station recommended by the Commissioner of Education, with radio stations slated to get $100,000 each.
In an email sent to listeners on Sunday, WJCT Public Media said that the decision means an immediate loss of nearly half a million dollars annually.
“This funding has long served as a critical foundation for our work. Along with federal funding, it helps sustain the essential public-private partnership that powers our mission,” WJCT Public Media President and CEO David McGowan wrote in a statement. “Let me be clear: this is not just a budget cut. It is a direct blow to the infrastructure that supports educational programming for children, non-partisan local journalism, public safety, and civic dialogue across the First Coast.”
McGowan said public funding has always been a bipartisan investment in the common good.
WJCT is now turning to individual public donations, which are already its largest source of funding.
“If you already support us, please consider increasing your gift. Your support isn’t just helpful; it is essential to the future of WJCT Public Media and the vital services we provide for the First Coast,” McGowan said. “I don’t make this request lightly. But I do make it with conviction: this is a community worth investing in. And WJCT is one of the few places where all voices, all ages, and all perspectives can come together—regardless of means.”
WJCT is an NPR member station, and NPR is also in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump.
In June, the House of Representatives approved legislation to eliminate the next two years of federal funding for public media outlets, including NPR and PBS. The Senate still has to approve the measure.
They are betting the cuts prove popular with constituents who view NPR and PBS as having a liberal bias.
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