WBHM just lost 10% of its annual budget.
The following message was shared by WBHM’s Executive Director with members and listeners in response to the elimination of federal funding:
Federal funding is gone, but WBHM’s commitment to you remains strong
We hoped it wouldn’t come to this, but Congress has passed the rescissions package eliminating federal funding for public media. Community support has always been the backbone of public media, and now it’s everything.
This decision means WBHM will lose 10% of our annual operating budget – a serious and immediate challenge for a station built by and for Birmingham and the heart of Alabama.
First, I want to thank you for all the emails and calls you made asking lawmakers not to let this happen. Your efforts made an impact even if we didn’t get the outcome we desired.
This is a historic and painful setback for public media and for the millions of Americans who rely on trusted, fact-based journalism, emergency updates, and the educational programming provided by stations like WBHM.
For decades, federal funding has served as a foundation for WBHM, allowing us to produce vital local news, special coverage and public conversations on pressing issues impacting our community. Without it, we risk losing our ability to respond in times of crisis like during the 2011 tornado outbreak or the pandemic, or to provide in-depth reporting on critical issues.
This decision will force difficult choices, but we will do everything possible to preserve our journalism and the role we play in strengthening our region. However, we can’t do it without you. Without federal funding, listener support matters more than ever before.
In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing more ways that you can become more involved in securing the future of WBHM.
For now, I encourage those of you who are not supporters to become one today. If you already donate to WBHM, thank you. We hope that you’ll consider increasing your support to help close our funding gap and secure our future.
Thank you all, again. We’re honored to do this work. And we’re so grateful to do it with you by our side.
With gratitude,
Will Dahlberg
Executive Director
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