What does a federal funding Executive Order mean for Delmarva Public Media?

Dear Friends,

Since 1987, Delmarva Public Media has been a trusted source of news, music, and information—curated specifically for our local community. Our three stations—WESM, WSCL and WSDL—are among the few truly local broadcasters in the region. We deliver local news, original music programming, and thoughtfully selected shows that reflect the unique voice of Delmarva.

Federal funding has been a stable and important source of funding for these stations over those 38 years. On May 1st, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order titled Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media. The order instructs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to cut both direct and indirect federal funding to National Public Radio (NPR) and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).

From a legal standpoint, it's important to note that executive orders are no different than a press release for practical purposes. In fact, CPB issued a statement this morning stating that they are "not a federal executive agency subject to the President’s authority. Congress directly authorized and funded CPB to be a private nonprofit corporation wholly independent of the federal government."

Here's what we believe this order is attempting to do:

• The Executive Order targets federal dollars only. Private donations, foundation grants, university support, corporate sponsorships, and member support continue to be the foundation of Delmarva Public Media’s near and long-term sustainability. (This means YOU keep us going strong!)
• The order leaves public media's overall congressional appropriation unchanged—at least for now. How any federal funds are reallocated after removing NPR and PBS is not yet defined but is sure to have significant impacts on Delmarva Public Media and all local public media organizations who rely on these national-to-local partnerships to provide some of the content you know and love.

How federal support fits into Delmarva Public Media’s budget:

Federal dollars flow to Delmarva Public Media through an annual grant from CPB that underpins our broadcast infrastructure supporting the emergency alert system, programming, and local journalism. This grant accounts for about 20% of our annual operating budget. In FY 2026 that would create a gap of about $200,000. The remaining 80% of our funding comes from members, foundations, business sponsorships, and other earned revenue.

If those funds are affected, we have to close that gap, which would include some cuts to programming. But we aim to keep that to a minimum. That includes maintaining our investment in local content including award-winning news with Don Rush and our newly launched Intergenerational Beats initiative where we pair a seasoned journalist with a student who wants to be a journalist.

We would also need to boost revenue, especially listener support. We have accelerated initiatives to increase membership, community philanthropy, business partnerships, and digital revenue. But it is individual support where we have the most potential. If every listener gave just $35, we could fully fund all three of our stations for an entire year. It starts with you—right here.

What happens next?

As soon as we have more clarity on the order, CPB’s reallocation plan or any legal challenges to the executive order, we will share updates here on our website. As you likely know, the actions coming out of DC are fluid and can change daily.

Otherwise, we keep our heads high and carry on – Delmarva Public Media has served Delmarva for almost four decades, through changing technologies and political climates. This executive order presents real challenges, but our commitment to providing trusted local content and experiences, opportunities for lifelong learning, and community connections is unwavering.

Thank you for standing with us. We need and appreciate you, always.

Judy Diaz
Delmarva Public Media
General Manager