KBUT radio impacted by federal cuts to public media

Station management confident it can push through…hey, it’s pledge drive week!

By Mark Reaman

The United States Congress last week approved a $9 billion rescissions bill that will “claw back” $1.1 billion in Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding. That will be a punch to the gut to hundreds of local member stations across the country, including Crested Butte’s KBUT.

According to KBUT news and program director Kate Gienapp, CPB funds account for a whopping 26% of KBUT’s operating budget. The station has been receiving grants from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting for 34 years since 1991. That first grant was for $25,000.

“In 2025, KBUT received approximately $181,000 in CPB funding,” she explained. “The funding levels differ each year based on CPB’s appropriations and internal calculations, always going up to reflect the ever-increasing cost of broadcasting, but we have historically received over $100k annually since 2010. That accounts for approximately 26% of the station’s annual operating budget. About 23% of our annual Community Service Grant is earmarked specifically for providing national news and programming to our rural listeners. This doesn’t even cover the total of what it costs to bring NPR to the valley, let alone all the other syndicated programming we carry.”

Gienapp said KBUT’s Fiscal Year starts October 1, “and our budget for that year unfortunately needs to account for the loss of CPB funds. We are focusing on increasing revenue from inside and outside the Gunnison Valley before exploring potential cuts, which may be necessary as well.”

If the money is not made up, some cuts are likely for KBUT. Probably one of the first things on the chopping block is broadcasting national programming like National Public Radio.

KBUT executive director Jackson Petito said the station is pivoting with finances to deal with the new reality. “KBUT is, of course, disappointed that Congress has voted not to honor the CPB appropriations it previously passed through 2027, but we’re well positioned in the Gunnison Valley regardless of what happens in DC,” he said. “KBUT’s Summer Pledge Drive starts July 28, and early-bird giving is going on now. We’re confident that our major donation and individual giving efforts, especially during the pledge drive, will step up to the plate and cover a large portion of the loss of federal funding. But our plan is to tailor our budget process to account for every possibility. Because we’re such responsible stewards of our members’, grantors’, and underwriters’ support dollars, we will be able to weather the loss of CPB funding without any immediate impact on our operations, and we’re committed to a responsible path forward.”

KBUT is a member of Rocky Mountain Community Radio Coalition. That group sent a letter to all its federal representatives, including Congressman Jeff Hurd who represents Crested Butte and the Western Slope of Colorado, advocating for the continued support of public media. In part the letter stated, “…we urge you to understand and appreciate the vital role of our local public radio stations, and what will happen to your constituents if this essential service is lost. Public radio reaches 99 percent of the American population with free over-the-air and online programming and connects communities with national, state, and local news and information, as well as emergency alerts and warnings… We are counting on you to stand up for this vital public service.”

Hurd and the three other Colorado Republican representatives to Congress didn’t agree with that and voted to defund the grants for local stations.