News team that provides content to Indiana public broadcasters to be dismantled
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With Indiana’s state budget providing zero dollars to support 17 public radio and television stations for the next two years, a news team that provides content for the stations is being dismantled.
Indiana Public Broadcasting News, made up of eight reporters, is part of Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations Inc.—a nonprofit that historically distributes appropriations from the state budget to stations that are affiliates of PBS and NPR.
According to an email obtained by IBJ, Indianapolis Public Broadcasting Stations Inc. informed Indiana Public Broadcasting News reporters and editors Tuesday that their positions will be terminated at the end of December with possible exceptions for bargaining unit employees.
Although Mark Newman, executive director of Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations Inc., told IBJ he’s unable to comment on personnel matters, he said the news team is reducing its output after the Indiana Legislature removed $3.675 million earmarked to support public stations in the fiscal year that began July 1.
“The elimination of $3.675 million is something that our stations feel directly,” Newman said. “It prevents those stations from being able to pay dues [for Indiana Public Broadcasting News]. As a result, we find ourselves in a situation where we have to reinvent, streamline and come up with ways to still produce statewide news.”
Newman said public stations will rely more heavily on news shared by reporters who work for fellow stations.
The Indiana Public Broadcasting News staff includes Brandon Smith, a Statehouse reporter who hosts “Indiana Week in Review” on WFYI-TV Channel 20.
“Obviously not news I’m happy to share,” Smith posted on social media Tuesday afternoon. “Really proud of our team and all the work we’ve done. If you know of any job opportunities, send them my way!”
Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations Inc. also cited “the threat of potential federal funding cuts” in a statement issued Tuesday.
In June, members of the House of Representatives approved legislation to eliminate upcoming federal funding for NPR, PBS and other public media outlets. The Senate has yet to consider the proposal.
Indiana Public Broadcasting Stations Inc. was founded in 1979, and Indiana Public Broadcasting News debuted in 2015.