Journalist Roundtable: Public Media Reports on Itself as Federal Funding Disappears

With federal funding for public broadcasting officially eliminated, reporters at public media stations now face the unusual challenge of covering a story that hits close to home—their own financial future. On this week’s segment, we spoke with Sydney Roach from WPSU and Carmen Russell-Sluchansky from WHYY about how their newsrooms are navigating the tricky balance of objectivity and personal stake.

“Public media doesn’t often become the subject,” said Roach. “So we’re leaning into transparency—letting audiences see how these changes impact not just us, but the communities we serve.” Russell-Sluchansky echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the importance of continuing to hold power accountable, even as the ground shifts beneath their feet: “We have to report the facts, even if we’re one of them.”

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