President Donald Trump’s recent executive order aimed at stopping federal funding for National Public Radio and Public Broadcasting Service could have significant impacts on local stations across the U.S., including Spokane Public Radio.

“It’s not going to kill us, but it’s going to hurt,” says John Decker, president and general manager of Spokane Public Radio, which includes stations KPBX 91.1, KSFC 91.9, and KPBZ 90.3.

The rescission of federal funding is not guaranteed—the leaders of both NPR and PBS released statements suggesting they will challenge the executive order.

Even so, Decker says Spokane Public Radio, an NPR member station, is planning its budget under the assumption it won’t have the federal funding it receives from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, or CPB.

The CPB, a nonprofit, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. Trump’s May 1 executive order instructs the CPB to cease direct funding to NPR and PBS.

About 10%, or $250,000, of Spokane Public Radio’s funding comes from the CPB, in the form of a community service grant, which doesn’t have to be paid back.

“I am committed to not laying anybody off and not canceling any shows,” Decker says. “I’m very confident that we can make ends meet by tightening our belt and by raising money in other avenues.”

Over half of Spokane Public Radio’s funding comes from donations and memberships. Roughly 15% to 20% comes from corporate sales.

“Every revenue stream we have is going to have to increase,” says Decker.

To make up for the potential 10% loss, Decker says Spokane Public Radio will have to cut back on some discretionary spending. That may mean fewer travel expenses or a cutback on office supplies, among other sacrifices.

“We just have to be smarter about how we spend money,” he says. “I don’t want it to diminish our service. The last thing I want to do is … lay anybody off or do anything that’s going to impact our product.”

Decker also plans to increase efforts to grow Spokane Public Radio’s audience and bring in more members. Through “sustaining memberships,” donors select how much they give to Spokane Public Radio, and that amount is transferred electronically each month.

If Spokane Public Radio isn’t able to make up for the loss of federal funding, however, the operational cuts could be more dire than less traveling and supplies.

“Without that money, and if we’re not able to replace it in some way, shape, or form, then yes, we would have to let people go,” Decker says.

A smaller staff—Spokane Public Radio has 15 full-time employees—would have a negative impact on the organization’s ability to produce content.

“It would look like less news, less arts interviews, and performances here in the studio,” Decker says. 

There are some reasons for optimism, however.

“We had a lot of success just recently during Public Media Giving Days,” says Decker.

During the two-day, on-air campaign this month, which is done annually in coordination with other public media organizations across the country, Spokane Public Radio raised $95,000. The organization's goal was $70,000.

Decker says that the accomplishment was in large part because people have been hearing about the possible cancelation of federal funding.

“People have really reacted positively,” he says. “We had a lot of people call in and increase their gift. We had some people call in and become members for the first time. Some people give additional gifts or one-time gifts.”

While Decker is confident that Spokane Public Radio will persevere, he says he’s worried about what will happen to the public radio system as a whole if federal funding disappears.

“Most people don’t understand how interconnected the stations really are,” he says. “If you listen to 'Morning Edition' or 'All Things Considered' on our station here in the Inland Northwest, oftentimes you’ll hear stories from local reporters at other local stations.”

Decker’s concern is that some stations throughout the U.S. may have to make some tough decisions about personnel and programming, and that could negatively impact the audience in the Inland Northwest.

The impact may be even greater in rural communities, he adds.

“In a lot of rural parts of North America, radio and TV are mostly the way people get their news, because they don’t have broadband internet, they’ve got spotty cell coverage,” Decker explains.

Although the executive order didn’t come as a surprise for Decker, he says he hopes elected officials will support public media and ensure federal funding for it continues.

“I just hope that they decide to stand for public media because they, as Americans, benefit from it, and their family does, and their friends, and the rest of their constituents benefit from it.”

The executive order lists multiple reasons for the proposed stoppage of federal funding for NPR and PBS.

“Unlike in 1967, when the CPB was established, today the media landscape is filled with abundant, diverse, and innovative news options,” the executive order states. “Government funding of news media in this environment is not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence.”

The order also alleges that NPR and PBS don’t present “a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.”

In response, NPR’s President and CEO Katherine Maher says in a statement, “We stand by our high standards and our colleagues in their pursuit of factual reporting, their work to present issues fairly and without bias, and our effort to seek the humanity and human consequence of every story. We will strongly defend our work and our editorial independence and will continue to tell the stories of our country and the world with accuracy, objectivity, and fairness.”

Maher also says NPR will challenge the executive order using all means available.