Charlotte NPR station plans job cuts after Congress approves funding rollback
Charlotte’s NPR affiliate station WFAE announced Friday it will reduce its staff by six people after Congress passed a $9 billion rescission package that could upend public broadcasting across the country.
WFAE’s decision is an immediate, local impact of the package that includes $1.1 billion in cuts to Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a key funding source for NPR and PBS stations across the country. Leaders at WFAE and WTVI say the federal funding rollback could upend the work of two of Charlotte’s longstanding public media stations, jeopardizing local news and programming relied on by thousands across the region.
The slashed WFAE positions come from various departments including news and business, according to WFAE. The station’s announcement came just hours after the house voted 216 to 213 to approve the package and send it to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it.
“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 that stations like WFAE provide,” WFAE CEO Ju-Don Marshall wrote in an email to listeners Friday morning. “This decision will force difficult choices.”
North Carolina Sens. Thom Tillis and Ted Budd both voted in favor of the rescission package. Charlotte Democratic Rep. Alma Adams voted against the package on Friday, while Charlotte-area Republican Reps. Mark Harris and Tim Moore voted to support it.
Marshall said in an email to the Observer on Thursday the station could lose up to $800,000 in annual support, 10% of its budget. The Charlotte-based NPR affiliate receives direct grants and indirect resources from CPB which helps fund operations, programming, emergency alerts and collaborations.
The cuts could also affect emergency response efforts like those after Hurricane Helene, Marshall said. Services such as live broadcasts during severe weather and dedicated local coverage could be more difficult to provide.
The Charlotte station raises money from public donations, but the package would remove two years of pre-approved funding without enough time to make up the losses. Marshall said building up funding for major initiatives typically takes two to three years.
What’s more, WFAE already reduced expenses and cut staff due to broader financial pressure. Marshall said the station has seen a decline in philanthropic support exacerbated by federal cuts in other nonprofit and public service sectors that also seek donations.
WFAE plans to increase outreach to foundations to help offset losses. Marshall said the station is also encouraging more listener support to help close funding gaps.
“We are working hard to ensure that no further reductions will be necessary, but it’s too early to say,” she wrote. “The majority of our support still comes from individual giving. That’s why we’re asking our community to continue standing with us – to help close the gap and protect the essential journalism and public service we provide for this region.”
Republicans who voted in favor of the package argue public media is biased and shouldn’t receive taxpayer dollars. But Marshall said WFAE regularly gathers feedback through surveys and community engagement and serves a politically diverse audience. Data shows the station’s audience is 33% Republican, 23% Democrat and 38% Independent.
“We are committed to meeting the news and information needs of this community by bringing more voices into the conversation, not pushing anyone out,” Marshall wrote.
CPB provides a quarter of WTVI’s budget annually, according to Catherine Butler, a spokesperson for Central Piedmont Community College which holds the license for Charlotte’s PBS affiliate. Butler wrote in an email to The Charlotte Observer that the station is reviewing what specific impacts the funding cuts could have.
WTVI has not made any announcements about the package since it was approved.
“We are closely monitoring this topic. We believe WTVI (PBS Charlotte) provides significant value to our region – and has for nearly 60 years,” she wrote Thursday. “Our programming, which reaches more than 1.3 million households, is powered by our community members – and our largest source of revenue comes from individual donors and we greatly appreciate their support.”
This story was originally published July 17, 2025 at 5:32 PM.
