Tallahassee’s public radio and television station, WFSU, known for its statewide political and emergency storm coverage in the state’s Capitol, is laying off employees and cutting almost two dozen positions across all departments amid state and federal funds being cut from its budget.
The blow to a prominent public media outlet in Florida comes months after President Donald Trump signed legislation that canceled about $1.1 billion in grants meant for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for the next two fiscal years. Florida’s public media also lost state funds when Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed about $5.7 million for radio and television stations.
In a news story posted on Facebook, the station said it had to cut “several full-time and part-time staff positions” effective Jan. 30.
“Over the past several months, we have shared with our listeners and viewers that the loss of government funding this year and next will have a major impact on our organization,” said David Mullins, WFSU’s general manager. “From the beginning, our message has been consistent – we remain committed to doing our best to provide the programming and services our community has always received.”
Comment is pending from WFSU about how many employees were specifically impacted and how this would affect its coverage. The station is often leading in emergency coverage during storms and hurricanes, since it works with the state’s emergency operations center to stream these briefings.
“We have a strong, resilient, and deeply dedicated team,” Mullins said in the WFSU news story. “We will continue to serve our community, navigate new challenges, and embrace new opportunities ahead.”
The public radio and television outlet also operates the Florida Channel, a programming service funded by the Florida Legislature, which went unscathed by the governor’s vetoes this fiscal year.
WFSU’s statement included that its funding loss is estimated to total about $2.8 million next July. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting announced Aug. 1 that it’d be shutting down, and in a statement at the time the corporation said it disbursed $2.3 million to WFSU in federal funds in 2025. The station lost $470,000 from the state.
Since Trump approved the federal cuts and DeSantis vetoed the state dollars, these stations have urged communities to donate with many pledge drives hitting their goal earlier with more donations. But it hasn’t been enough to make up the gap.
WFSU is one of seven public media outlets affiliated with a university in Florida, and 2024 financial audits report that Florida State University granted the highest number of funding of $2.4 million to its affiliated outlet, WFSU. Comment is pending from the university on the employee cuts at the station.
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with Freedom Forum and Journalism Funding Partners. USA Today Network-Florida First Amendment reporter Stephany Matat is based in Tallahassee, Fla. She can be reached at SMatat@gannett.com. On X: @stephanymatat.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: WFSU forced to enact layoffs amid state and federal funding cuts
Reporting by Stephany Matat, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Tallahassee Democrat
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
