Local National Public Radio affiliate KUT could face funding cuts after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to eliminate over $1 billion in federal funding over the next two years on June 12.
The federal cuts will affect multiple publicly funded media outlets, including NPR and Public Broadcasting System.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order on May 1, tasking Congress with cutting $1.1 billion allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, or CPB, citing “biased and partisan news coverage.” Stations such as PBS and NPR partially rely on federal funding from the CPB to operate, along with support from listeners and businesses, according to their websites.
“Today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse and innovative news options,” Trump wrote in the executive order. “Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.”
KUT is an NPR-affiliated station for Central Texas and a nonprofit news organization. During the 2024-25 fiscal year, CPB funding accounted for 6% of KUT station’s revenue, according to the KUT website. Debbie Hiott, KUT station general manager, said CPB pays for music licensing and satellite distribution.
“There are always reasons to question funding different things in government,” Hiott said. “I’m really sorry that the motivation for this is less about the money and more about people feeling like we’re not giving them the news they want to hear.”
Hiott said the decision taken by Congress calls into question the integrity of public media. Despite scrutiny of public media outlets, Hiott said KUT membership revenue since the same time last year has increased by around 3% or $120,000.
“People are finding it hard to trust lots of institutions these days, whether it’s the government, local law enforcement or media,” Hiott said. “Those are things that make us weaker as a democracy.”
KUT intern Felicity Guajardo began working at the station this summer. Although her professional radio career started during a time of uncertainty, she remains focused on telling people’s stories.
“Public radio is essential for anybody,” Guajardo said. “Radio has always been there in times of crisis and in times of uncertainty.”
Maile Caraballo, KUT and KUTX graphics producer, said the uncertainty of the future for public media is disheartening, but she remains hopeful because of the station’s long-standing commitment to serving the community.
“I’m very thankful and very fortunate and proud to be a part of public media in Austin because of the community that we have here,” Caraballo said. “I know that people will pull through.”
