Pubcaster Weta makes plea for donations amid US public media funding cut

Washington DC-based pubcaster Weta, a PBS member station, has made a public plea for donations following Congress approval of Donald Trump’s plans to cut over US$1bn in funding to PBS, radio broadcaster NPR and their station affiliates.

Miguel Monteverde

Miguel Monteverde, senior VP and general manager of Weta, posted a video online in which he called for “essential” donations to help protect the future of the station.

Alongside the video, which contains a donation hotline, he wrote: “This [the funding that has been cut] is money that goes directly to support operations of hundreds of local stations across the country. Without it, many will simply cease operations and for the rest, services may have to be significantly reduced.

“If you believe, as I do, that the citizens of this great nation should have access to free, educational programming that is unencumbered by commercial interests, then please consider donating to your local station. We’ve never needed your support more than we do now.”

In a statement published on the home page of Weta’s website and streaming platform, the pubcaster’s president and CEO Sharon Percy Rockefeller called the loss of funding a “serious blow” which would result in Weta losing US$9m in this fiscal year and a further US$9m in the next fiscal year.

While Weta said it “isn’t in danger of closing its doors,” it said it will be forced to cut programmes viewers “count on” unless it can make up the gap in funding.

Rockefeller said: “Although Weta will deeply feel the impact of this funding cut, this institution remains vibrant and enduring. We will move forward to do our important work to inform and to educate and to make lifelong learning available and accessible; and we will continue to deliver outstanding content to our audiences.”

The funding cuts have been championed by Trump, who has accused PBS of being a liberal mouthpiece and a waste of federal funds. The cuts, which are part of a larger “rescission bill,” have now been approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives and are now headed to the White House to be rubber stamped.

PBS president and CEO Paula Kerger said last week that the cuts will be “especially devastating to smaller stations and those serving large rural areas. Many of our stations which provide access to free unique local programming and emergency alerts will now be forced to make hard decisions in the weeks and months ahead.”