One week after Congress passed a federal budget cut eliminating all funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), Blue Ridge Public Radio General Manager and CEO Ele Ellis sat down with BPR’s Helen Chickering to explain what’s at stake — and what comes next.
What is the CPB?
Ele Ellis: “The CPB is actually not a government agency. It's funded by Congress and it was funded until this by a two-year forward appropriation. So, when the Congress is doing their budget, they fund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting two years ahead and that was intended to keep the politics out of it. And it has worked for many many years.”
“So what would happen is the CPB would get that money and then they would decide how it goes out. And stations like BPR and all the other stations you named that I worked at, including WNCW, would fill out a grant application.”
“They give you the money, but our grant application is for community service. It's a community service grant. And so you have to have a certain number of full-time people that work at your station. You have to tell them what you're doing in your community.”
“It's an arduous process because you also have to have an audit. So, we wouldn't have to have an audit if we weren't doing CPB funds.”
What does CPB do that people may not realize?
Ellis: “The CPB gives money to local stations and they also do a couple things that I think are really important - and the big one for BPR is they negotiate for and then pay for our music rights.”
“So, our classical music station — every classical, every jazz piece that we've played — the copyrights have been handled by that CPB agreement. And now, if [CPB] are not there on Oct. 1, they won't be able to negotiate that agreement for us.”
What was the reaction to the funding cut - inside BPR?
Ellis: “The first thing that I want to make everybody really clear on is we're not firing people. Like, this is not — it's $330,000, which is a huge amount that we have to raise and find from other sources. But we're not going to panic.”
“And it's important for people to remember, BPR has staffed up to have a newsroom, which is fairly new to us. I mean, three years, four years — I wasn't here obviously — but I mean, when I left Asheville, that is not what BPR had. And when Helene hit, you needed that. And it bore itself out. Like, it is a proven thing now.”
“People are really sad. It makes people really frustrated. It makes people really angry. All the emotions that you would expect when somebody's taking away something that is so important to you.”
“They're worried about taking away this vital community service.”
“We're going to fight this. We're going to figure it out on the other side. We're going to tighten the budget, but we're not out of this. We're going to continue to bring the community the news and information, and classical, and jazz that you love.”
How does CPB funding fit into BPR’s overall budget?
Ellis: “Well, the CPB funds are about 9% right now and we use them as part of our general operating funds. So, some stations say CPB is going to pay for X employee or Y show on the air, but we don't do it that way."
“It could have paid for any employee. It could have paid for classical music last year. It could have paid for the microphone you're talking into.”
“So, it's $330,000 we have to make to put back into general operating.”
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Where does the rest of BPR’s funding come from?
Ellis: “When we were getting $330,000 from the CPB, 80% of our budget was still coming from the local communities of Western North Carolina — and that is so important.”
“Almost 50% of listener support, almost 30% of business sponsors. And when we talk about that, that's not Asheville. That is Western North Carolina. That is all 14 counties coming together to make BPR strong.”
What’s your outlook moving forward?
Ellis: “I mean, I think the message for listeners is we are here in the long term, and we hope that you'll be here for us in the long term. And that's thinking about us as a sustaining member.”
What can listeners do to help?
Ellis: “We love one-time donations. They're amazing — and by the way, we got a lot of one-time donations this year, I think because of the Helene work. And because so many, many people used us — you know, crank radios out at the end of the driveway.”
“But it's a long-term situation. So we have to do long-term things, and sustaining memberships.”
“Right now, if people want to give, they can go to BPR.org, where we have our donation form up - always. And also, we're in the middle of a car raffle. So if you want to win a Subaru, you should get into that. But if you don't, feel free to just donate.”
“Also, listen and tell your friends. And this is going to come back around with Congress. So, when it does — call your representatives. Tell people what you think about what we do.”
