FY 2026 Local PUblic Media Station Funding Not Restored; WHUT Forges ahead

Feb 6

Congress has finalized nearly all Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding bills. A final FY 2026 minibus did not restore core funding for our local public media stations, but preserved funding for stations’ early educational services.

A program that supports stations’ reliable delivery of life-saving emergency alerts and warnings was extended through a short-term funding measure as the Homeland Security Appropriations bill awaits final passage.

The loss of core funding has tangible consequences for local public media stations, shaping what services they can sustain and, in some cases, whether they can continue operating at all. Restoring local station funding remains critical to ensuring every community continues to have access to local information, educational support, public safety services, and stories that connect communities to their history and culture. To learn more about why station funding matters and how to stay informed, visit ProtectMyPublicMedia.org.

WHUT Forges Ahead

Despite the lack of federal funding, WHUT, the nation’s only Public Broadcasting Television station licensed to and operated by a historically Black University, will continue to deliver educational, entertaining and intellectually stimulating multi‐cultural and intergenerational programming to the public in the Metro DC region. The station endeavors to underscore Howard University’s commitment to excellence in Truth and Service.

WHUT Black History Month Program Highlights

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