What Happened
Last‑minute vetoes: On June 30, 2025, ahead of the new fiscal year, DeSantis used line‑item veto power to remove about $5.7 million in recurring state funding from public radio and TV stations .
That breaks down to roughly $100,000 per public radio station and $370,400+ per public TV station .
Funded programs remained intact: Emergency broadcasting—like the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network—and The Florida Channel continued to receive state support .
️ Reactions & Impact
Local station concerns:
WUFT (Gainesville) highlighted the cut’s impact on public-safety efforts: “the loss of these operational funds … does undermine our public safety work” .
WGCU (SW Florida) and WJCT (Jacksonville) described the cuts as an existential threat to local journalism, educational programming, and emergency content .
Financial consequences:
WJCT reported losing nearly $470,000 per year, with CEO David McGowan urging listeners to increase donations: “This is not just a budget cut. It is a direct blow … educational programming for children, non‑partisan local journalism, public safety …” .
️ Political Context
Aligned with national GOP push: DeSantis echoed former President Trump’s proposals to defund NPR and PBS at the federal level, endorsing that approach on social media .
Trump had called them “worse than CNN,” and issued a rescission bill targeting CPB funding directly .
Not an isolated action: This isn’t Florida’s first cut—similar vetoes occurred in 2011 under Rick Scott and again in 2024–25 for arts funding .
What It Means
Consequence Description
Local airtime reduced Smaller stations may need to scale back programming, fundraising drives, or staffing.
Emergency info still prioritized Basic public safety broadcasts remain funded, but stations lose flexibility in operations.
Shift to donor support Stations are relying more on listener donations and corporate underwriting—Jacksonville’s WJCT specifically asked supporters to gift more .
✅ What’s Next
Negotiations possible: Florida Public Media plans to meet with the Governor’s office and Department of Education to explore partial restoration while maintaining standards of governance .
Federal threats loom: The U.S. Senate is debating clawing back $1.1 billion in CPB funding, which already supports nearly 1,500 stations .
Public response rising: Supporters and station leaders are mobilizing fundraising campaigns and public appeals to sustain operations.
Final Take
Governor DeSantis’s veto effectively pulls a stable $5.7 million/year from Florida’s public broadcasters. While emergency communications remain funded, the cuts significantly undermine local journalism, culture, and education. Stations are now scrambling to fill funding gaps, and this aligns with broader Republican efforts—in Florida and nationally—to defund public media.