Los Angeles classical music station KUSC-FM (91.5) has laid off staff after Republicans lower federal funding from the Corp. for Public Broadcasting.
James A. Muhammad, president of Classical California, the entity that operates the nonprofit KUSC and its sister station, KDFC in San Francisco, confirmed the workforce discount in a observe despatched Thursday to its listeners.
“Regardless of our greatest efforts, the actual fact is that Classical California has skilled a discount of $1.1 million in help from the Company for Public Broadcasting,” Muhammad wrote. “This, together with different impacts, requires us to make tough choices throughout KUSC-FM and KDFC-FM.”
A consultant for Classical California didn’t reply to questions on the variety of staff lower. An individual briefed on the transfer who was not licensed to remark publicly stated it was eight positions, together with two division managers, all primarily based in Los Angeles.
Not one of the announcers on the two stations have been included within the cuts.
Classical California is among the many many public media shops which might be scrambling to fill the funds gaps attributable to the choice by the Trump White Home and the Republican Congress to claw again the $1.1 billion in federal cash allotted to the Corp. for Public Broadcasting.
The nonprofit entity administered the funds for public radio and TV stations, principally associates of NPR and PBS.
Conservatives and libertarians have lengthy known as for the top of public funds supporting media organizations, particularly ones they view as politically left-leaning. Trump has known as NPR and PBS government-funded “left-wing propaganda.”
The Corp. for Public Broadcasting was additionally a significant income supply for cultural and nice arts programming that usually struggles to maintain itself within the industrial media market.
Each KUSC and KDFC, that are owned and operated by the College of Southern California, play classical music 24 hours a day and aren’t NPR associates. They’re the most-listened-to classical radio stations within the U.S.
Muhammad’s observe to listeners included a plea for contributions to make up for the shortfall attributable to the cuts.
“We stay dedicated to persevering with to be your property for classical music,” Muhammad stated. “As a listener-supported station, we’d like your help of KUSC and KDFC, now greater than ever.”
