Northwest Public Broadcasting announces cost reduction measures

Washington State University, the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, and Northwest Public Broadcasting (NWPB) leadership have announced plans to reduce annual operating costs by $1.8 million. The reductions will include the discontinuation of KWSU-TVand operational reductions, including impacts on employees, by the end of the calendar year.

"During this difficult time, we wish to thank all of our colleagues for their dedication, hard work, and the impactful contributions they have made to Northwest Public Broadcasting," said Bruce Pinkleton, dean of the Edward R. Murrow College of Communication. "As we carefully evaluate the impact on employees and negotiate with the respective union, WSU is committed to mitigating the reduction to the best of its ability."

KWSU-TVserves the Pullman/Spokane market, an area also covered by other public television providers. With the discontinuation of KWSU-TV, viewers will continue to have access to trusted public media content through these overlapping stations, remaining connected to the high-quality programming they value. Additionally, KWSU-TVviewers who are NWPB donors will continue to have access to their Passport account (TV streaming service) through NWPB's PBS station in Tri-Cities(KTNW). Northwest Public Broadcasting's radio operations, which covers many rural areas across the state, will not be impacted by these changes and will continue to serve listeners across the region with consistent, high-quality coverage.

As we carefully evaluate the impact on employees and negotiate with the respective union, WSU is committed to mitigating the reduction to the best of its ability.

In recent years, NWPB made investments to adapt to changes in the broadcast industry and to meet the needs of new, primarily digital audiences. These forward-looking investments, made ahead of projected revenue growth, have not produced the expected returns, leading to a necessary realignment of expenses. NWPB's net position decreased by $1.6 million in FY23 and $1.7 million in FY24.

Despite recent strong gains in both audience and philanthropic investments, projected revenue over the next three fiscal years will not be sufficient to keep pace with the rising costs of producing high-quality journalism. The financial challenge has been compounded by the loss of $1.95M in annual funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) as a result of the Congressional vote to rescind dollars that had previously been approved for FY26 and FY27, and included $1.2M in direct operational funding support from CPB's Community Service Grant.

With the reductions, it is expected that by FY29, Northwest Public Broadcasting's budget will end the fiscal year with a balanced budget. This turnaround goal is critical to sustaining trusted news, information, and cultural programming for communities across the Northwest.

Following the federal government's rescission, philanthropic investors generously donated, allowing WSU time to carefully evaluate NWPB's budget and develop a thoughtful, sustainable plan that does not rely on federal funding. This plan enables our enterprise to be budget-neutral in the next several years, a critical component for long-term stability and to ensure our commitment to deliver on NWPB's mission to create and serve a more informed public.

About NWPB

Founded in 1922, Northwest Public Broadcasting has been a trusted voice in the region for over 100 years. Today, NWPB has the potential to reach more than 3.6 million people in 44 counties through radio, television, digital platforms, and in-personevents. Approximately half of those NWPB reaches rely solely on NWPB to access public media.