Public broadcasting facing its greatest challenge ever from the federal government.

How does the Trump administration's latest action impact public TV and public radio broadcasting from the city's?

For decades, conservative politicians have looked to cut or eliminate funding for public broadcasting.

The argument is two fold.

One, it's argued there is already a universe of channels people can select to get quality programing.

That was not possible in 1967 when the Public Broadcasting Act was approved by Congress.

And two, it's argued public broadcasters like PBS and NPR have a liberal bent that promotes progressive ideas while ignoring conservative voices.

But public broadcasting advocates point to the wealth of educational and cultural programs that have taught millions of children informed citizens and provided free access to music and the arts to viewers and listeners, no matter where they live.

We talked with Don Schmidt, the general manager of Wqpt Quad Cities PBS, based at Western Illinois University, and Jared Johnson, the general manager and CEO of FM radio, Quad Cities, NPR.

So we're seeing public broadcasting, radio and television under fire like never before.

And let's start with you, Jared.

Is that, NPR is being accused of so many different things, and you know that, Republicans since, Richard Nixon have looked to cut, public broadcasting funding.

Is this the greatest threat that you've faced?

Oh, yeah, I actually yes.

I think it's pretty easy to say that I don't think things have quite, gotten to this level.

I don't think we've ever had the conversation in front of Congress about that immediate funding since its very beginning.

The funding that's been debated back and forth and always gotten bipartisan support has been the two year, two year forward funding.

So that we're talking about next year's funds or funds for a fiscal year that are about to start in about two weeks for me.

Yeah, that's a, that's a big and and different than what we've done in the past.

How does it affect public television?

I mean, the funding from federal money, how does that impact a local station like Wqpt has a huge impact of the money that's appropriate to CPB 70% of it goes to stations.

And so for small rural stations like Wqpt, it's so critical to our mission.

Well, and let's talk about CPB, which is the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which was the funding arm that was created in 1967, in order to allocate money for public television.

Public radio, public television depends on on CPR money more than public radio.

Correct?

I believe it's 70, 75% of the funds go to public television.

Yeah.

So.

Oh yeah, that's split.

So 75% of the funds go to, public television and 25% to public radio.

So for public television, it's a huge amount of money.

So a loss of that means what?

It's critical.

It means for stations like Wqpt, their educational outreach mission is it just can't continue the way it used to.

So cuts going dark.

I mean, is that what what a for a small when you when you think of public television, you think of the larger stations like in Washington DC, in Chicago, in New York.

And they seem to be prospering and they get endowments, they get tons of money.

But smaller stations, especially in Illinois, where there isn't a big like Iowa Public Television or Wisconsin Public Television, Minnesota, that doesn't exist in Illinois.

Correct.

Nationwide, there are stations that are at risk of going dark if we lose federal funding.

Here locally, we are choosing to stay optimistic.

But we are looking at our operations and, and what will need to happen if the worst case scenario happens.

And do you feel the worst case scenario is going to happen because of what you're hearing from the white House or or even from Republicans in Congress as well?

If you listen to just that side.

Yeah, it is very scary.

But we also know that we have very strong bipartisan support.

And so we remain optimistic because, even, you know, in apts and PBS is sending down that national message to us that we should be positive that we do have hope that this isn't hopeless, that we just need, our community and our viewers support to reach out to our senators right now.

And, and we can win this fight.

Like you said, there is bipartisan support.

Yeah.

And even in this bill that just passed, we're hearing reports in the House that.

Yeah, that's the beautiful bill.

Yeah.

Well, so this is the rescission cut that came just after it.

Okay.

All right.

So the big beautiful bill is already over in the Senate.

The rescission bill just passed, and even some of the Republicans, that ended up voting for it, I hear, were promised to maybe put some CPB funds back in, later when they do appropriations.

Right.

So this budget process is long.

It's complicated.

I'm learning a lot as it goes.

So I think much like Dawn, we're being optimistic.

And what's a difficult situation, right?

Like the worst case scenario is very bad.

For us having about 13% of our budget.

I'm not sure what your percentages exactly.

But those are big cuts and kind of last minute.

But I know there are many steps yet to go.

And so, you know, like, we're we're playing it as it comes.

So what does it mean when you see a 13% potential cut or 50 or 50%?

I mean, you're going to rely more on donors.

You're going to rely more on what?

Yeah.

I mean, so, I, we can look to the state of Illinois, perhaps because we also get a little bit of funding from that.

And I know they've set aside some emergency funds for things that come last minute.

We can talk to our donors.

You know, in my case, that 13%.

That might be something I can make up.

I don't know if it's the same with 50% at Kcpt.

But I'm sure we're going to do those things first, and then see where we're at, and then, yeah, you're going to have to look at operations cuts, you know, maybe personnel, maybe programing.

You know, we're you have to make the budget balance in the end.

And so you, you cut 10% somewhere, you know, 50% would be catastrophic.

Very hard.

Yeah.

Yes.

So what have you heard from the people that have supported Wqpt?

Every year, day in and day out?

We're getting lots of positive support, a lot of people reaching out, sending us words of encouragement, telling us how much we mean to them, what our mission and how we affect them and how much they support us, and to keep fighting the good fight.

So and we always like to kind of point out is that with Wqpt, I want to talk about we like as well Wqpt is more than just television.

You have outreach programs.

Vic has got amazing outreach programs as well.

Tell me about the impacted that area, that public television provides here in the Quad Cities.

Absolutely.

Our educational outreach, it reaches into the communities in so many different ways.

Right now.

We have our summer of adventures going on, and our team is is out in libraries and community events, out in the community.

During this school year, we have our first book program where we reach out to at risk, classrooms and get free books in the hands of students and to build the libraries of the teachers.

We also have ESL classes.

Oh, gosh, there's so much Imagination Station, which is our signature event in the spring.

So things like that would not be able to can continue without community support.

And how big is the Wqpt staff?

We are a mighty station of eight, eight people.

Eight people.

So it's not like it's a large corporate that's running public television.

No, you're in the Quad Cities.

Absolutely not.

We're just a very small, dedicated team.

We like pretty much the same.

Yeah, basically the same size.

About a half dozen of us.

They're running the station and, we've got a lot of outreach programs.

So the ones I like to mention kind of up top is we run a radio and for radio information service, so we call it Apus, and it's a service that reads, local publications, whether it's newspapers or magazines for those who are site impaired, traditionally it's been broadcast on a sub band, so you need a special radio to pick it up.

But of late we've started streaming it online so people will get it through the Vic app and through our website.

We also are very involved in emergency alerts.

So we have a lot of backup system so that we can stay on the air in the case that something actually happens.

We run it by annual drills with the local EMA.

So the Rock Island EMA and Scott County EMA and FEMA, and actually also work with the power plant up north.

So, you know, hopefully it'll never be a meltdown up there.

But if there is, we will be involved in getting everybody safely out of the Quad Cities.

So these are the kinds of services that we provide for every quad citizen, whether they listen to our radio broadcast or not.

Right.

Let's talk about those that do listen to your radio broadcast often.

One of the things that you provide that has been diminished in the industry is radio news.

That's right.

Daily broadcasts of what's going on without WV like there would be no radio news in the Quad Cities, an area of 350,000 people.

Yeah, that's actually right.

We're the last radio newsroom.

It's a shrinking number of local newsrooms altogether in all media.

So, yeah, that's a very difficult scenario.

I often express it when I'm talking about it on air.

During our pledge drives that the Quad Cities is lucky because we still have a radio newsroom and we still have a few TV newsrooms.

And we still have a newspaper.

A lot of the outlying areas that the truly rural areas that we serve, I mean, their local publications have gone away entirely.

People are putting together fliers that they can put on their neighbors doorstep just to get a little bit of local news out.

Like we have some real news deserts developing in, in the US.

At least we still have some here.

But yes, if we had to suddenly take a 10% cut and cut at WVA, okay, that would be a big hit to local journalism.

Well, let's talk about that because, when it comes to supplying news.

Right.

You are kind of all alone.

That's right.

I mean, not all alone.

And actually, I think one of the benefits silver linings is I feel like we've gotten a little bit better about communicating with our other news partners in town.

You know, making sure that things do get covered.

So.

Yeah, it's.

Yes, we are increasingly all alone.

That's true.

And I guess the point that I'm trying to make is that without public television or public radio, there are areas of expertise that are no longer done by the commercial stations.

Right.

And so, so what does a like provide that is so valuable on air?

So I mean, those daily newscasts, I mean, we actually have, you know, our two are our two reporters and then a team of, Augustana students that come in every day and sift through everything that's coming in through our email inbox and everything is going on in town.

I mean, already it's very difficult for us to, like, do any kind of investigate of journalism, you know, kind of those more in-depth things, because we just don't have the staff for that.

But, just keeping our, our local listener informed of what's happening around town, whether it's events or what's going on in city council decisions that were made that are going to impact, you know, what's going on in their schools or the local streets, getting all of that to air, so that our listeners can remain an active in the community.

It's a vital service to the Quad Cities.

And for Wqpt that that people have been able to enjoy is a number of, documentaries, more in-depth looks at certain issues.

And it's something that's been ongoing by this TV station that isn't being done elsewhere.

Absolutely.

When we started it, you might know we have a public affairs program.

It's absolutely nothing.

But when we started it, 15, 15 years ago, this program in November, the only public affairs program at that time.

And it has continued, we have an absolutely amazing host.

Well, you're very kind.

I would say more of other things that you're doing, and then we have our local production, Justin Morton field house, legacy.

House of legacy.

Excuse me.

It had amazing community response.

It was a story that the community has wanted to hold for a long time.

So.

And then we have, the Leslie McGee story down in McComb about the the real beginnings of monopoly.

And we've told so many other stories locally.

And between our stories of service which we're featuring or where we featured, local veterans, you know, is just important stories about our community that we are highlighting and bringing to light.

Is it the key for Wqpt is the same thing for WV like is that it is local.

I mean, like I was saying earlier is that and I don't mean to dismiss other other states, but Wisconsin Public Television is very Madison centric.

Minnesota Public TV and radio, very Twin Cities, Iowa public TV and radio.

Johnston and Des Moines is important that it's that that there's a local flavor here.

Absolute.

It is.

You know, there are other signals that reach this area, but we're the ones who are in the community.

We're in the schools where we're doing outreach, where we're listening to the voices, that of our community and want to uplift those voices.

Same thing with.

Yeah, absolutely.

I mean, both in we hear from our donors all the time during pledge drives.

They appreciate those local things.

And when they do find a program on another station in town that they want to listen to, they're always coming back because of that local content.

And then when you look at the ratings, because we do get to look at those, you know, I think people just find like reflects what they're looking for much more than a statewide service.

And this is actually one of the things that kind of worries me about this current environment, because I know for me, if I had to find a way to cut and then replace like 10% of our services, you know, joining with an Illinois and Illinois statewide service, might be an option.

And I would hate to ever lose kind of that local presence of, like, the Quad Cities public radio station right here.

But when you have these kinds of cuts, those are the things that come into conversations.

The the real criticism of public broadcasting is twofold.

One is that you can get a thousand different stations on satellite or streaming.

And number two is that it's a liberal bent, when it comes to coverage.

Let's start with NPR and radio.

You hear that criticism a lot.

Let's let's start with the liberal bent.

Is it that public radio is more progressive than perhaps the general public?

So I don't think that that's true.

I think the two things I would like to point out, is one that often those critiques are leveled at like NPR and PBS, right?

The kind of the national brands that people are aware of.

But the support we're talking about is almost all coming to our local stations.

And I don't get those local those those kinds of complaints about our local coverage when we're out there doing news.

People on both sides of the aisle everywhere are just appreciative that we're out there and covering these important stories.

I mean, you know, interviewing everybody no matter what their party is, you know, who's running for office here and for a local office like, and and even when I met recently with a lot of our, representatives in Washington, D.C., that's the first thing they said is that they really appreciate our local services.

And that was people from both parties.

So I really don't think that it is definitely not true of Vick.

And then of the national brand.

I just think it's very difficult.

I like we see in survey after survey and even recent ones that NPR and PBS are two of the most trusted brands, and news nationwide.

But when you're talking about any service that's broadcasting to the entire country, of course there's going to be stories that you don't like.

I think what we're dealing with right now is that, kind of along Partizan lines.

There seem to be a lot of stories that, you know, a certain group don't like.

And what's interesting about that is like, look at this recent bill.

It was actually bipartisan opposition to passing it while it was very Partizan on the other side.

So I think as long as we keep seeing that, and that's really what's happened in all of our funding bills, like for decades now, is we've always had bipartisan support.

And we continue to have that bipartisan support even now.

And as long as that keeps happening, then I think we're hitting the sweet spot.

Are we always going to make everybody happy?

Of course not.

That's impossible.

Let me ask you that as well, because I mean, it's not that you want to distance yourself from PBS and Wqpt, but it's almost like ABC, CBS, NBC are not the same as eight, four, six.

Correct?

Correct.

And you're absolutely right on different things.

You asked about the the landscape, and there are so many different channels that you can choose from, but you have to pay for a lot of those.

And not everyone has the money for a cable bill or a subscription for a streaming service.

So Wqpt and PBS just remains, a free, quality, educational and entertaining and, channel for everyone to, to enjoy.

Yeah.

It's funny, I'm such a cheapskate, you know, on my iPhone.

Like, those feed me like news headlines and I click paywall, click paywall.

And then I see NPR.

I'm like, oh, I can read that one them.

Right.

You know, so I think this is a service that even in the digital space we're providing free to everybody that like, just doesn't, isn't being emulated in other places because they can't I mean, because the commercial model is also really struggling right now.

Well, let's go to that.

Is that as you kind of pointing out, in 1967, it was created as a free service that was supposed to be targeting people that were either underrepresented.

You didn't hear their voices, but also that radio and TV, free broadcasting can touch everyone's life.

It doesn't matter where you live or how much you make.

Absolutely.

I can, and it still does.

And we even have, streaming options.

You know, you can stream us for free on devices as well still.

So through the PBS app or just through our website, you can still stream Wqpt and remain mobile.

Yeah.

So I mean, it was just a lot of us professionals, and students like have access to the mobile devices with the streams and all this stuff, but really not everybody does.

I know for radio and I don't know the stats on TV, but I know they're much higher than anything online, like radio reaches 99% of Americans, and no other media does that.

So to keep good, solid local on national and international news available on radio is itself an important thing.

So why do you think that the federal money from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, or any of the federal entities or state entities that pay into Vox operations?

Why is it a good investment?

Well, I mean, like in our case, like, that's seed money, right?

That's 10% of our budget.

90% of our budget happens right here in town.

Right?

So you kind of plant that seed and then you get all kinds of local support, you know, I mean, 60% of our support comes from local listeners, thousands of people who get five, ten, $15 a month.

That just doesn't happen.

Probably without that initial seed.

Right?

Like, we don't we don't have the ability to kind of start and to build a lot of the infrastructure that we build to make that happen.

And then you see so many local partners come along and that happens station after station, you know, like the amount of money given, it comes to about $1.60 per person per year, which is nothing in today's dollars, $1.60.

And that produces the entire public radio and public television system.

So like, it's just so exponentially like the what you get from that investment is so large that I, it's surprising that it's debated.

Same thing.

I mean, I don't yeah, PBS provides so much more than just programing for us.

They help with the transmission of our signal.

They help pay for music rights and copyrights and all those things you don't think about.

There's so many things that people don't think about that it helps to provide and the support it provides for the system as a whole.

Well, now, as you said, you've been talking to lawmakers.

What's the message that you've been giving to lawmakers?

They under well, the message we've been giving them is that we're a vital resource for our community.

Our community supports us.

You know, we're a wise investment.

We're reaching the underserved.

But they give us a little bit of money and then we make a lot out of it because everything a little bit, they give us the seed money.

We just, you know, do a lot with it.

We we help to, I'm sorry.

I can't think of the word I'm thinking of this, that we just do ten fold with it.

So what are your what are you telling to your faithful listeners?

Are you telling them, you know, brace for these problems.

We may need your help.

What do you say to the listeners right now?

Okay.

No, I feel like that's very close to our message.

We're trying to be very straightforward, very transparent, let people know what is going on and not to catastrophize.

Right.

Like some of these things may not come to pass.

We're trying to watch them very closely, but but send out lots of messaging and then just, you know, reminding folks that, like, the stronger position we're in now, when and if whatever does happen, it will just help, right?

So if they're in a position to give in to support now, it would just be great to get that to happen.

So, yeah, whatever they can do to communicate to the government, whatever they can do to help support us now.

And in the meantime, we'll just keep them informed as things develop.

And it's the same thing for it is it's our first message to our viewers and donors is, thank you.

They've supported us for 43 years now.

We do what we do because of the community.

So thank you.

But we need your help now.

So contact your senators.

Let your legislators know that that we're important to this community and that they need to keep us around.

One last question.

That, of course, is you are in the middle of budgeting.

I mean, how do you plan for a future that this that is so uncertain right now?

It is very hard.

It is very hard.

And we're hoping for the best.

So, you know, of course that is the way we are budgeting.

But I'm thinking ahead to what could happen and what can I control at this point in time without cutting services to my community if I don't need to?

Yeah, I'm very grateful to Augustana College, our license holder.

Because they are allowing me to basically budget for the status quo because the status quo is still in place.

I think once that that, you know, once we learned that something has happened, then we'll have to make some adjustments.

But at this point, I'm, I'm budgeting as if it's all going to happen the way, the way that it has.

Well, it is interesting because we've case roots are in August and college and Wqpt is is in Western Illinois University through the foundation, through, you know, independent very much as far as funding.

And we know that Western is seeing cutbacks.

Augustana, of course, is a private institution.

How important is it to have Western Illinois University, backing Wqpt?

Absolutely.

And it helps me feel better and and more supported having knowing that, Christy and the rest of the team has our back, and they, they believe in our mission.

They support our mission.

And they just want what's best.

And so they're also activating and contacting their legislators.

Christy being Christy, the president of the university in this institute.

Andrea Tolentino yeah.

What I mean, but to have the backing of Augustana.

Oh, yeah.

No, that's what I was saying.

Like, like to have their support and really, I mean, for decades since we opened in 1980, they've just been a great, license holder and, and director for, for, for W.Va..

So, yeah, we couldn't have a better partner in them.

Yeah.

And on day to day operations, we're, we're very involved.

You would never, like, see that on air, but, but the back side, yeah, they're very supportive.

So your message to WV, like, listeners.

Yeah.

Hang in there.

We've got like I said, we're trying to rain is optimistic as we can in this situation.

We know it's difficult.

But yeah, you'll never you won't be able to find better information about what's going on, whether it's at WV like or other places, any place other than on our air.

So keep listening, keep giving.

I keep supporting, and thank you so much for what you've done over the over the decades and your message to Wqpt viewers.

And thank you so much.

Keep watching and keep tuning in.

Let us know how we're doing.

Give as you can and, call your legislators.

Let them know how important we are.

Our thanks to Don Schmidt, the general manager of Wqpt TV, Quad Cities PBS, and Jared Johnson, the general manager and CEO of WV FM, Quad Cities, NPR radio.

Still to come, the civic spark that helped form the man who leads the Martin Luther King Junior Center.

But first, a look at area events.

Thanks to visit Quad Cities.

Check out the things to do this week in the Quad Cities.

Start your week off by checking out the German American Heritage Center and Museum for free all of July.

Then get ready to laugh at the Comedy Sports World Championship at the Spotlight Theater.

Next, head out to the Iowa 80 truck stop to enjoy the Walcott Truckers Jamboree, then cheer on the Backwater Gamblers while they compete in the 2025 Central Region Show Ski Tournament.

Finally, get ready for the quads seamless game as they take on the green Bay Blizzard.

For more events like these, check out our events calendar at visit Quad cities.com.

Next year marks 250 years since America declared its independence in 1776, and throughout the coming year and leading up to the 4th of July next year, we're asking people about their civic spark, why they chose their career and how it impacts our society.

We asked Jerry Jones, executive director of Rock Island's Martin Luther King Junior Center, about his civic spark, what drew him to be a part of the MLK center for more than 25 years.

It's really simple.

For me it is.

The concept of freedom of speech is the ability to be able to espouse different ideas in an open forum without being jailed or sequestered, especially during this incredible time of such polarization from left to right and even in the middle.

This is where we can find middle ground and really push our nation to be better than it is now, to really realize the potential that exist in this great experiment.

Our thanks to Jerry Jones, executive director of Rock Island's Martin Luther King Junior Center.

On the air, on the radio, on the web, on your mobile device and streaming on your computer.

Thanks once again for taking some time to join us.

As we talk about the issues on the city's.