PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh’s public television station announced multiple layoffs after the federal government approved cuts to public broadcast funding.
On Wednesday, WQED announced that 19 employees lost their jobs because of the recent approval and said it was a step toward finding long-term financial stability. The positions were primarily in the Marketing, Membership and Production departments.
WQED said it is offering severance pay and company-paid benefits to those employees through the rest of the calendar year.
“This was a very difficult decision,” said Jason Jedlinski, WQED’s President and CEO.“We value the contributions of every departing colleague and thank them for their commitment, creativity, and meaningful service.”
WQED said the cut to funding will cost them $1.8 million annually. They also expect to have to pick up extra expenses, like music licenses, that would have otherwise been covered by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
The station is also working to make repairs to the building’s infrastructure.
WQED leaders said the 72-year-old station has been debt-free for the past eight years and plans to maintain that status, if they can. For more than 20 years, the cost of WQED’s local productions has exceeded the revenue they’ve brought in.
“As I’ve said, ‘WQED is not going anywhere,’” Jedlinski continued. “We will continue broadcasting PBS shows, even though the national schedule will inevitably change. We will continue sharing classical music and celebrating this region’s remarkable cultural scene as southwestern Pennsylvania’s Voice of the Arts. We will continue educating and inspiring learners of all ages with free, trusted, and accessible content.”
WQED said it hopes to make sure community voices are heard and stories are amplified. They intend to continue to provide a platform for colleges, museums, performing arts organizations, social service agencies and sports teams so they can connect with broader audiences and benefit the people who want to learn more about their community and what is happening in it.
The station is best known for programs like The Children’s Corner and Pittsburgh’s beloved Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.
President Donald Trump and the White House said public media is politically biased and unnecessarily expensive.
Despite the loss of funding, the station plans to keep fighting, get back to its roots and remain in place for the people of the Pittsburgh region.
“To ensure WQED endures not just for 20 years—but 50, and another 70—we must find new ways to become more relevant to more people,” Jedlinski said. “The organization may become smaller, in terms of revenue and employees, but our impact and service must expand.”
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