You may have learned earlier this month that President Trump plans to ask Congress to cut all federal funding to public media. While national news outlets have framed this proposal as a cut to NPR and PBS, the reality is this proposal, if approved by Congress, will take money from local public media stations like KUNR Public Radio.
KUNR is among the 1,500 locally focused, independently managed public media stations across the U.S. While about 70% of KUNR's budget comes from direct listener support and business sponsorships, the annual investment we get each year from the federally-funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is a critical foundation to our ongoing participation in the United States’ public media ecosystem.
If Congress agrees with the White House to cut funding for the CPB, it would risk the programs, reporting, emergency broadcasting services and community outreach that make local public media a trusted part of Americans’ daily life. At KUNR, it would cut about 15% of our funding — or about $267,000. Losing this annual funding would negatively affect KUNR’s public service mission.
The overall appropriation of federal funding to the CPB is less than .01% of 1 percent of the total federal budget. On average, the total federal funding for public media comes out to $1.60 for each American each year.
That federal funding supports public media’s ability to:
- Serve as our nation’s emergency communications infrastructure, providing critical alerts and coverage when disaster strikes.
- Keep rural communities across the nation informed, including right here in Nevada.
- Offer news, educational and cultural programming for free to all Americans — there are no paywalls in public media.
What federal funding means for KUNR Public Radio
Federal grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) are an essential investment in our community and nation. KUNR qualifies for annual grants from CPB that are unrestricted and can be used in any way to support our operation, including emergency infrastructure, rural outreach and programming.
This funding allows us to leverage the federal investment into support from local sources, including listeners donating to the station, businesses, and foundations. For every federal dollar invested through the CPB, public radio stations raise on average $7 locally — a successful public-private partnership.
The CPB also directly supports reporting across the country, including here at KUNR. The CPB is currently supporting the salaries of KUNR’s two state government reporters. Their coverage is free for any Nevada news outlets to use in order to boost awareness about state government in Nevada.
CPB also makes collaboration possible. That includes KUNR’s participation in the Mountain West News Bureau, a regional collaborative newsroom that includes reporters from KUNR, Las Vegas, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. CPB funding directly supports the Mountain West News Bureau by supporting a managing editor position and other editorial resources. In turn, KUNR directly supports one reporter through local fundraising efforts to ensure our audience hears stories from urban, rural and tribal communities throughout our Mountain West region.
KUNR’s Public Safety Mission
Public radio, including our station, is a critical part of the nation’s civil defense and public safety infrastructure.
KUNR uses infrastructure to serve the community and state with emergency alerting services.
In 2024, KUNR issued dozens of alerts for major weather events, such as thunderstorms or blizzards, as well as wildfires. Our newsroom also covers and provides regular updates when major emergencies happen, such as live coverage the Davis Fire that affected South Reno in September 2024.
Here’s what you can do to help
While federal funding plays an important role in KUNR’s budget, the most important piece of our financial future has always been — and always will be — the direct financial support we get from our listeners and community organizations.
We believe local support is by far the biggest reason we’re able to support our mission. It’s why we have a thriving news team and hosts to keep you informed about our state and community. It’s why we offer the region’s only classical music and jazz station with KNCJ. It’s why we’ve been serving Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra since 1963 from the campus of the University of Nevada, Reno.
For Concerned Citizens
- Visit ProtectMyPublicMedia.org — a national group that helps facilitate messages to Congress about the importance of public media — to stay informed, access resources, and contact your legislators
- Reach out to family, friends, and neighbors and share why KUNR and public media matter to you and your community
- If you've considered becoming a member, now is the time to act. Make a one-time gift to KUNR or become a sustaining member today at KUNR.org/make-a-gift
For Current Members
- Thank you for supporting KUNR Public Radio and for making our work possible! Your continued support is vital
- During this critical time, consider increasing your monthly or annual membership or make an additional one-time gift to the station at KUNR.org/make-a-gift
For Business Sponsors
- For new, current or past business sponsors, consider renewing or starting a new contract with KUNR. Head to KUNR’s Business Support page to get started
For Major Donors and Foundations
- Please consider strategic investments in our public radio station by supporting our rural outreach, KUNR's coverage of state government, or our ongoing educational programs with the Reynolds School of Journalism and KUNR Youth Media through the Washoe County School District.
Please reach out to KUNR General Manager Brian Duggan with any questions at bduggan@kunr.org or 775-682-6055.
What is KUNR Public Radio?
KUNR Public Radio is an FCC-licensed nonprofit organization that’s owned by the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents and is dedicated to continuously providing community news and information, celebrating local music and culture, and providing public safety services. It was founded in October 1963 on the UNR campus where it continues to operate to this day.
Our station provides 24/7 programming on the air and online to more than 722,000 people in Northern Nevada and the Eastern Sierra for free. Our station includes KNCJ Nevada Classical & Jazz, the only classical and jazz music station in Reno- Sparks, as well as KNCC Elko, which provides all of KUNR’s programming plus locally produced, original broadcast journalism to Northeastern Nevada.
With 16 full-time staff, which includes journalists, on-air hosts and business support staff, as well as 12 part-time staff, KUNR is deeply rooted in our community and committed to our public service mission. As a unit of the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno, KUNR prides itself on being a living laboratory for training the next generation of journalists throughout the year. On average, KUNR employs four paid interns each spring, summer and fall semester.
All editorial decisions about programming for our audience are made at the station by us — people who know and live in our community.
We produce local programs that provide news about our community, promote dialogue among civic leaders, and highlight artists and performances in our area. That includes daily newscasts that air during the morning and afternoon rush hours, shows like Purple Politics Nevada with Lucia Starbuck, Al Aire con KUNR and the Biggest Little Concert Series.