ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – With final approval in Congress given to President Donald Trump’s intended $9 billion in cuts to public broadcasting and foreign aid, Central Florida’s longstanding public stations are appealing for community support.
Central Florida Public Media, which operates 90.7 WMFE and 89.5 WMFV, will both use Friday (July 25) for fund drives.
[MORE: What’s in the Republican bill cutting $9 billion from public broadcasting and foreign aid]
A one-day community fund drive will be held on-air from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. “sharing information about how our community can help preserve and protect Central Florida Public Media’s trustworthy, independent journalism,” a news release states.
Those interested in donating online to Central Florida Public Media can do so by clicking here and following the links.
Over at 89.9 WUCF-FM, also Central Florida’s PBS station, a fundraising campaign is set to wrap up on Friday. The station has reached over $100,000 in donations and hopes to have another $50,000 by then to “protect the free, trusted programming that educates kids, celebrates our history, and keeps Central Florida connected and informed,” its website states.
Make a donation to WUCF by clicking here.
Trump has asked lawmakers to rescind nearly $1.1 billion from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which represents the full amount it’s due to receive during the next two budget years.
The White House says the public media system is politically biased and an unnecessary expense.
The corporation distributes more than 70% of the money to more than 1,500 locally operated public television and radio stations, with much of the remainder assigned to NPR and the Public Broadcasting Service to support national programming.
The Senate approved the vast majority of Trump’s request last Thursday, 51-48. The House followed suit on Friday, 216-213. The president signed it on Thursday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.