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.
WMFE and WUCF will both use Friday of this week for fund drives.
[MORE: What’s in the Republican bill cutting $9 billion from public broadcasting and foreign aid]
90.7 WMFE FM, the Orlando-area National Public Radio provider — as well as 89.5 WMFV FM in The Villages — will hold a one-day community fund drive that day. Its team will be 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 WMFE 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 reached over $100,000 in donation and hopes to have another $50,000 in donations 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 measure now goes to the president to be signed into law.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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