In face of Trump’s cuts, Idahoans need to support public media | Opinion

Idaho Public Television will lose about $2 million in revenue after Republicans in Congress voted with President Donald Trump to eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

That $2 million loss represents a quarter of the private funds raised by Idaho Public Television, which includes $6 million from, as they say, “viewers like you.”

To make up for that loss, Idaho Public Television is having to make serious cuts. Eight positions are being eliminated through attrition — four people who have found other jobs and four who are retiring. Those people simply won’t be replaced, and Idaho will lose the product and output that those employees helped to generate.

That will save about $800,000 in salaries and benefits, according to Jeff Tucker, general manager of Idaho Public Television, who put on a happy face when he presented to the Legislature’s budget-setting committee in November.

The good news is that the cuts won’t take effect until the 2026-27 fiscal year, which begins in October, so Idaho Public Television will have a “glide path” to the cuts, Tucker said.

“We’re pulling back hard on the reins, the horse is slowing down,” Tucker told the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee. “Hopefully, we can let the horse maybe trot as we get further in.”

To put it in perspective, here’s a general breakdown of Idaho Public Television’s finances:

• $8 million in contributions (which includes $2 million from CPB)
• $3.4 million from the state general fund
• $1 million from the Millennium Fund, which comes from legal settlements with tobacco companies
• $12.3 million total.

The loss of $2 million from CPB and a little less expected from the state general fund means the total budget would go to just under $10 million.

Even though Tucker kept a stiff upper lip when reporting to the Legislature, he conceded viewers are going to notice some differences in quality.

“Word of note, here: It sounds like we’re not going to feel this,” Tucker told JFAC. “We are.”

But Idaho Public Television is in a bit of a Catch-22: cut programming too much, and viewers will be less likely to donate, which means less funding for programming.

Tucker said Idaho Public Television is going to “stick to its knitting,” continuing popular shows such as “Outdoor Idaho,” “Idaho Experience” and “Idaho Reports.”

Let’s hope legislators recognize the value that Idaho Public Television provides and acknowledge the strain that a nearly 20% budget cut will have.

No other entity can provide the breadth and depth of broadcasting coverage maybe provided by Idaho Public Television and, for that matter, the series of public radio stations across the state, which also lost funding when Republicans killed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

About 20% of Boise State Public Radio’s annual funding came from CPB.

Private, for-profit companies simply aren’t going to spend millions of dollars on transmitters to reach every nook and cranny of Idaho’s mountainous region, as Idaho Public Television and public radio seek to do.

It’s time for Idahoans to step up and fill that gap.

In particular, it’s time for Idahoans in counties that voted overwhelmingly for Trump to step up.

We’re looking at you, Idaho County, where 83% voted for Trump; Boundary County (82%); Gem (82%); and Owyhee (83%). You voted for this; time to pay up.

And arguably, rural counties benefit the most disproportionately from the free, over-the-air services provided by Idaho Public Television and public radio — and probably stand to lose the most if there’s an emergency in their rural county, with little to no cell service or internet coverage and no other means of communicating emergency information to the general public.

If a transmitter dies, Idaho Public Television would have to use private funds or ask the state for more money, Tucker told JFAC.

The cynics among us would say, “Too bad. If a rural county loses Idaho Public Television, that’s their problem; they voted for this, let them suffer the consequences.”

But we recognize we are all one state, and we must all pull together to help all Idahoans.

That likely means that counties like Ada and Blaine and Teton, which voted in greater numbers against Trump, will have to shoulder a little more of the burden wrought by Trump and enacted by Republicans in Congress who went along with the cuts, including, sadly, Idaho’s delegates.

Idaho Public Television set a goal of increasing fundraising by $600,000, asking viewers to either step up and donate for the first time or increase their donations by 10% to fill the gap.

But perhaps more important is the need for sustaining members. Sure, viewers may step up this year and meet the additional need, with news of the cuts still fresh. But what about next year?

So instead of just giving $60 or $120 this year, Idaho Public Television is asking that you sign up to give $5 a month or $10 a month — or more, of course — on an ongoing basis.

Same thing for your local public radio station.

Otherwise, when the Corporation for Public Broadcasting money runs out, viewers and listeners are likely going to notice a big difference.

Statesman editorials are the opinion of the Idaho Statesman’s editorial board. Board members are opinion editor Scott McIntosh, opinion writer Bryan Clark, editor Chadd Cripe, assistant editor Jim Keyser and community members John Hess, Debbie McCormick and Julie Yamamoto.

This story was originally published December 30, 2025 at 4:00 AM.