Federal funding cuts threaten high school sports coverage on PBS stations, causing uncertainty and budget concerns.

From CNBC: 2025-05-29 10:23:00

“I’ve seen a lot of political shifts and changes in funding levels. When I started, we were funded 100% by the state, then it dropped to about 50%.” Overgaard said that federal funding makes up about 15% of SDPB’s budget, and they rely on that money for programming and operations.

South Dakota’s PBS station provides extensive coverage of high school sports, including football, basketball, and volleyball championships. The station also produces shows like “Dakota Life” and “Prairie Musicians.” Overgaard emphasized the importance of federal funding in allowing them to continue offering these programs to local viewers.

Despite the challenges posed by potential cuts in federal funding, PBS stations across the country are committed to finding ways to continue serving their communities.

“We’re constantly looking for new revenue streams, new ways to monetize what we do,” said Huffman of Georgia Public Broadcasting. “We’ve gotten good at it, but certainly losing federal funding would be a big blow.”

As the future of federal funding for PBS remains uncertain, stations are exploring all options to ensure they can continue providing quality programming to their viewers. The potential impact of these funding cuts extends beyond just sports coverage, affecting the diverse range of content that local PBS stations offer to their communities.

SDPB faced a potential $3.6 million budget cut proposed by former Gov. Kristi Noem, but the legislature’s budget committee voted against it. SDPB receives $2.2 million in federal funding and $5.6 million from the state, covering infrastructure and production costs. SDPB has been airing high school sports championships for over 20 years.

SDPB director Overgaard has been a trailblazer in adding sports content, inspiring other state directors to follow suit. PBS stations see a spike in viewership during games, with the ability to stream games online for extended family members to watch. Overgaard believes streaming hasn’t hurt networks, providing more viewership and accessibility.

Traditional TV broadcasts remain important for viewers in rural areas without broadband, while digital platforms attract new viewers to PBS. Overgaard jokes that public broadcasting is the only thing on in every South Dakota bar at certain times of the year. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting sued the Trump administration over the move to fire officials.



Read more at CNBC: High school sports on PBS are at risk with Trump federal funding cuts