ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) board has voted to dissolve following Congress’s decision to cut $9 billion in federal funding last summer, eliminating support for public media. The CPB funds thousands of public media stations across the country, including WXXI in Rochester.
WXXI President Chris Hastings said the station has mainly relied on audience engagement, adding 1,600 new members last year through successful fundraising efforts.
Despite the loss of CPB funding, WXXI only laid off two employees. Hastings said the station is also focusing on corporate sponsorships, such as partnerships with The Little Theatre and CITY magazine.
Hastings shared his mission is to innovate, revealing plans to release a new podcast next week and increase investments in podcast production. He said evolving into a more audio/visual entity will help WXXI expand its reach by distributing content across all social media platforms.
“We are a vital resource for folks and how we serve within information. And I think the audience understood that,” Hastings said. “They understood that if they wanted us to continue to be a vital part of their community, that they were going to have to step up, and they did.”
Hastings said the community really stepped up last year when the station lost CPB funding, and audience members are the station’s largest income source, accounting for over half the station’s revenue last year.
Hastings is hopeful that the community continues to contribute, and that will sustain the station while it explores other ways to make money. He also says while its unclear whether there will be more layoffs, the station definitely won’t shut down anytime soon.
Rochester’s WXXI adapts after losing federal public media funds WHEC.com.
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