State funding for public TV, radio on chopping block

Virginia’s public radio and TV stations would lose all state funding under the $76.7 billion budget approved by the House of Delegates.

If the $3.28 million cut is included in the final version of the state’s spending plan, it would essentially zero out taxpayer support of public broadcasting in Virginia — a move that station managers say would almost certainly lead to cuts in programming, educational offerings and local news and arts content.

“At cuts of this level, you’re looking at core services,” said D.J. Crotteau, station manager of WHTJ, the Charlottesville region’s PBS affiliate. “There’s no way that services would not be affected.”

Community Ideas Stations, WHTJ’s parent corporation, stands to lose roughly $700,000 from the House budget reductions.

Lawmakers in the GOP-led House added the public broadcasting budget cut into the spending plan proposed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine. The amendment, which was approved with no debate, was part of the legislators’ effort to close a more than $3 billion revenue shortfall.

Del. R. Steven Landes, a Republican from Weyers Cave who represents part of western Albemarle County and sits on the House Appropriations Committee, said lawmakers did not want to eliminate taxpayer support of public broadcasting, but were faced with little choice.

“It’s not a statement on the work of public television and radio,” Landes said. “It’s just a matter of the state of the budget. It was a matter of prioritization.”

Landes said the House sought to minimize budget cuts to K-12 education and restored funding to the Commonwealth Center of Virginia, a 48-bed mental health facility for children in Staunton that Kaine had recommended closing to save $10 million.

When the state is struggling through a dismal financial climate, Landes said, the funding of core government services must come before any grants to non-state agencies, such as public TV and radio stations.

The House budget cut would carve some $100,000 out of the annual budget of Roanoke-based WVTF and companion station Radio IQ, both of which air in the Charlottesville market.

Glenn Gleixner, general manager of WVTF, said the radio station has not yet planned specific reductions, should the House version of the budget prevail. If approved, he said, the cuts would likely mean deferred maintenance and reduced programming.

“I may have to cut some programs that we get from National Public Radio or American Public Media,” Gleixner said.

Government funding of public broadcasting should continue, Gleixner said, because it helps keep the community informed and offers programming — such as classical, jazz and opera shows — that aren’t available on commercial stations. “It adds to our quality of life,” he said.

WVTF and Radio IQ have a combined Arbitron rating of 11.5 in the Charlottesville market, meaning that 11.5 percent of radios are tuned to the stations at any given moment. “That’s pretty huge. That’s like the heydays of radio,” said Rick Mattioni, WVTF news director and Radio IQ program director. “People are listening. Who’s getting anything out of this? Well, a lot of people.”

The Senate will consider its version of the budget today. As of Tuesday, the Senate’s spending plan cut funding of public broadcasting by only 10 percent. After the Senate approves its budget, the two chambers will meet in conference to hash out the differences.

The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities at the University of Virginia would also be affected by the House budget cuts, albeit indirectly. The foundation produces such radio programs as the new history-focused call-in show “Backstory” and the weekly interview show “With Good Reason.”

Sheryl Hayes, the foundation’s director of development, said public radio stations might be slower to add “Backstory” as they cope with dwindling funds. And “With Good Reason,” she said, might find itself on the chopping block at public radio stations in Virginia.

“As the fortunes of public radio stations decline, it might affect us as well,” she said.