Colorado public broadcasters explore merger Rocky Mountain Public Media and the operator of KUNC have signed a nonbinding agreement to consider a merger.

The agreement is “not a formal merger agreement yet, but a process to determine how the two organizations can work together more effectively and efficiently while protecting and expanding local services,” the announcement said. current.org/2026/03/colo...

PBS, ITVS partner on YouTube channel for long-form documentaries PBS Documentaries, a rebranding of the PBS Voices channel, serves as a hub for independent films.

“While we have always called ourselves the home for documentary storytelling and documentary programming at PBS, this really puts a definitive stake in the ground,” said Maribel Lopez, head of PBS Digital Studios. current.org/2026/03/pbs-...

How Mister Rogers tackled Cold War fears and why it still resonates Removed from distribution since the '90s, the Reagan-era "Conflict" series examined the dangers of geopolitical paranoia.

“I thought it a brilliant metaphor for the very young who were being subjected to scary images of war every night on the news,” said Betty Aberlin, who portrayed Lady Aberlin on “Mister Rogers‘ Neighborhood.” current.org/2026/03/how-...

PBS proposes FY27 budget that would continue dues relief for stations The budget includes investment in PBS Kids shows and “distinctive general audience content.”

A proposed PBS budget would prioritize co-productions and digital-first series that “deepen engagement and reach.” current.org/2026/03/pbs-...

‘Wowsabout’ PBS special seeks to inspire awe in preschoolers The 22-minute live-action special follows puppets Roxy the hedgehog and Ronald the pig as they explore Sequoia National Park.

“It speaks to the moment in the sense that awe is collaborative and causes people to see each other’s opinions a little bit more openly, which is obviously something we are very much in need of,” said Dorien Davies, a co-creator and co-EP of "Wowsabout." current.org/2026/03/wows...

Arkansas TV commission pauses plan to drop PBS membership “Going down a path” to disaffiliation provides “no motivation” for viewers to donate, warned PBS CEO Paula Kerger.

Following yesterday's vote, the commission will use the next 180 days to “evaluate other resources that may be available” to support the retention of PBS programming. current.org/2026/03/arka...

NPR underscores mission with national advertising campaign The multimedia campaign reimagines NPR’s iconic logo in several phases that will roll out over the coming weeks.

The campaign draws on real questions from NPR listeners to reflect inquiries from “everyday people … about what’s going on in their communities,” NPR CMO Mishka Pitter-Armand said. current.org/2026/03/npr-...

PBS chief calls for Arkansas public TV commission to ‘take a pause’ on leaving national network Two former Arkansas first ladies and PBS CEO Paula Kerger plan to attend a commission meeting Thursday to show support for keeping PBS programs widely available in the state.

“I have been in this job for 20 years — Friday will be my 20th anniversary,” said PBS CEO Paula Kerger. “I have never been in a circumstance where someone has made a decision this big and never even talked to us.” (Via @arkansasadvocate.com) current.org/2026/03/pbs-...

How four public media workers are navigating life after layoffs Losing a job is “all the emotions you could possibly feel, and you’ve got to work through it and get through it somehow.”

“It was very abrupt,” one former public media employee said. “You don’t get any closure. … You don’t have any way to say goodbye.” current.org/2026/03/how-...

What our survey of laid-off pubmedia workers reveals about cuts and their fallout Respondents to our survey reported abrupt notice and a toll on their mental and financial well-being.

Getting laid off appears to have soured at least half of our survey respondents on working in public media — 53% said they were very or somewhat unlikely to work in the system again. current.org/2026/03/what...

BTPM unveils dual-format NPR-classical lineup alongside new commercial station The commercial station will present a primarily news-based format that features some nationally distributed shows but not NPR's newsmagazines.

Audiences “understand why we had to do this, but there was this thing bugging them a little bit about having commercials next to Mozart and Bach,” BTPM CEO Tom Calderone said. “We always respect our audience, so that’s why we made the switch.” current.org/2026/03/btpm...

Vision Maker series features shorts by young filmmakers “First People, First Stories” presents stories of contemporary Native American life as captured by early-career creative talents.

“Native people from different tribes all have their unique characteristics and stories that all need to be heard,” said filmmaker Josiah Jones, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. current.org/2026/03/visi...

Court dismisses CPB lawsuit against FEMA over NGWS funding Since FEMA began administering the program, stations have been cut off from funds for their public safety upgrades.

Democrats in Congress aim to guarantee that with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting shuttered, FEMA’s Next Generation Warning System program “can operate as intended and directly support local public broadcasters.” current.org/2026/02/cour...

WNYC and Gothamist refresh local news podcast with new format The show’s new format focuses on dissecting the stories that matter most to New York City residents.

“It’s allowing us to tell stories in so many different ways,” said WNYC/Gothamist Interim Editor-in-Chief Stephanie Clary. “Now there’s a way to put some more effort into stories that we have strong tape for, … that we have strong interviews for.” current.org/2026/02/wnyc...

Wyoming Public Media birthday party turns into funding rally The outlet’s supporters gathered Tuesday while state lawmakers debated crucial funding for the nonprofit yards away in the Wyoming Capitol.

“It’s a very treacherous journey to make sure that this funding stays in place,” said Wyoming Public Media supporter Richard Garrett. (Via @wyofile.com) current.org/2026/02/wyom...

PBS Kids official visits Arkansas as campaign aims to keep public television affiliation The newly formed Friends of Arkansas PBS is urging the Arkansas PBS Commission to reconsider its vote to disaffiliate from the network.

“I, as a financial supporter of PBS, am more than willing to increase my pledge," said former Arkansas first lady Gay White. “I know I’m not alone. Surely we can figure this out.” (Via @arkansasadvocate.com) current.org/2026/02/pbs-...

How YouTuber Johns Hopkins brings stories of Baltimore history to WYPR Editing his histories to broadcast length requires “a lot of discipline,” says Hopkins. “Every word has to be useful because we don’t have that much time.”

WYPR President Craig Swagler saw Johns Hopkins' short YouTube videos about Baltimore history and “realized that there was a narrative there that could really translate into a bigger audience.” current.org/2026/02/how-...

FCC approves reassignment of UEN-TV license within Utah university system PBS Utah plans to program the station with the 24/7 PBS Kids channel.

UEN and PBS Utah began discussing reassignment of the license following the rescission of federal funding for public media in July. current.org/2026/02/fcc-...

Wisconsin News Collaborative launches with environmental focus In response to the loss of federal funding, three public radio stations are partnering to better meet audience needs.

“These systems of sharing exist throughout public media, and we thought we should be doing this in service to Wisconsin,” said WPR Director Sarah Ashworth. current.org/2026/02/wisc...

Detroit PBS receives $2M for initiative focused on faith in community The station will produce programming representing the Detroit community’s diverse array of religions as part of the four-year initiative.

The “Faith in Detroit” initiative seeks to amplify stories of faith within the community through events, mixed-media art and video content over the next four years. current.org/2026/02/detr...

Opinion: It’s time for public radio to reclaim its educational identity In a post-CPB world, embracing our original purpose as a “school of the sky” is not nostalgia — it is strategy.

Indiana Public Media director Mike Arnold recently shared his thoughts about what the future of public media can be. Take a look! ➡️ current.org/2026/02/its-...

Buffalo Toronto Public Media applies to make classical station commercial The move is part of the station’s efforts to address its loss of CPB funding.

Listeners would notice “maybe a bit of a difference, but we’re going to make sure that it’s as seamless as possible,” said Buffalo Toronto Public Media CEO Tom Calderone. current.org/2026/02/buff...

Opinion: It’s time for public radio to reclaim its educational identity In a post-CPB world, embracing our original purpose as a “school of the sky” is not nostalgia — it is strategy.

"Journalism alone is not an institutional justification for sustaining a publicly supported media institution. ... Education needs to be a key component of both TV and radio’s future." current.org/2026/02/its-...

‘Phoebe & Jay’ teach literacy skills for everyday life The new PBS Kids series aims to address a literacy learning gap that develops before children enter school.

The goal of the new PBS Kids show “Phoebe & Jay” is for “children to see the world as full of possibilities,” said Adriano Schmid, VP of PBS Kids content. current.org/2026/02/phoe...

Comings and goings: Sarah McCammon to leave NPR, WVTF hires chief advancement officer … McCammon, a correspondent for NPR’s Washington Desk, said she’ll “have much more to say about my next steps very soon.”

As she leaves NPR, Sarah McCammon says she's making "a pivot that will include writing and thinking about issues that matter." current.org/2026/02/comi...

How AI-assisted workflows are unlocking California police records An AI-powered database offers a model for extracting and structuring police records for public accessibility and accountability reporting.

Using AI, colleagues sorted through thousands of police misconduct records to increase transparency and fairness in California. This work benefits both the community and police, creating a more open and accountable system. Our piece for Current: current.org/2026/01/how-ai-...

KCUR stays on air after quick move from longtime studios The University of Missouri-Kansas City announced in December hat the station’s building would close no later than Jan. 31 due to foundation problems.

The structural issues that closed @kcur.org's studios ”would have had potential effects on mechanical systems ... and could have rendered the building uninhabitable with minimum notice,” according to the University of Missouri-Kansas City. current.org/2026/02/kcur...

In farewell remarks, Pat Harrison looks beyond CPB’s end to public media’s future “You've got to muster up the courage to fight for what you believe in and to ensure that our democracy really prevails."

"We really are a nation of neighbors," Harrison said. "And for the future, I’m sure we’re going to be telling and shaping America’s story through a fully funded future for public media." current.org/2026/01/in-f...

Former CapRadio GM Jun Reina charged with embezzling $1.3M from station Reina was charged with felony counts of embezzlement, grand theft and forgery.

“These charges allege a serious breach of trust,” said Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho. current.org/2026/01/form...

The latest edition of OIGO's newsletter, focusing on public media and Latino audiences, is set to be released tomorrow. In the meantime, you can catch up with the first edition of the year for insightful information. oigo.us/p/kcur-lisa-rodriguez