Federal judge strikes down executive order defunding public media — what now

What does the court ruling about funding for public media mean for STLPR?

The judge's ruling that President Trump violated free speech does not change the current funding reality for stations. Congress already voted to claw back $1.1 billion in CPB funding. CPB has disbursed all remaining funds, closed its doors, and there is currently no active federal appropriation of funds for local or national public media organizations.

STLPR previously relied upon federal support for more than half-a-million dollars each year. In fiscal year 2025 we received $575,172. Federal support was a reliable source of annual funding for over 50 years.

We now must raise that money from ongoing contributions from our listeners. We need your sustaining support, year after year, to keep our public service strong. Our listeners ensure our independence.

Have you made any cutbacks in service in response to the funding cuts?

We have not made any cuts to our service. In fact, we have continued to invest in our local journalism at a time when other local news outlets are shrinking and cutting back. We received a wave of support from the St. Louis community after federal funding was rescinded. We need your continued support to make up this funding loss each year.

What's next for public media now that public funding is gone?

Public media stations provide critical information on a local level to help citizens make informed decisions. Nonprofit public media continues to provide a high level of service to communities.

Public media also abides by rigorous ethical standards to ensure our content cannot be influenced by commercial interests. In a time of gigantic media mergers, our journalism, grounded in rigorous fact-checking, continues to center the public interest over company profits. That distinction is more vital now than ever before. Professional reporting informs the decisions we all make that affect our health and safety, our finances, our democracy, and our future.

Now listerners like you are the "public" in public media. With your continued support, public service journalism can still thrive and grow in our region.