The loss of federal funding and next steps for KUCB
The White House’s rescission request was recently approved by Congress, despite tens of thousands of Alaskans reaching out to congressional representatives in Washington, in support of public media. Thank you for your efforts to protect that funding. While we made our voices heard, not everyone chose to listen.
The passage of this bill will have a profound effect on our budget. The projected federal grant for KUCB in FY26 was $283,000.
Over 40% of KUCB's funding comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Here’s what federal funding helps us provide in Unalaska:
- Award-winning local news content.
- A comprehensive community calendar telling Unalaska and our visitors what’s happening in town.
- Emergency alerts, health and safety information, and details about local service providers.
- Volunteer training in audio and video production.
- Government accountability through live broadcasts and streaming of municipal meetings.
KUCB now faces some very challenging choices. Changes are happening behind the scenes right now. We’re making cuts everywhere we can in our budget to try to bring you local information and news coverage you rely on.
We know that with staff reductions and more cuts on the way, KUCB isn't going to sound the same, and we will have to make changes with our community leaders and our board of directors.
This is not just an assault on the free press; it’s an assault on public safety, especially in rural areas like Unalaska.
Efforts are underway to restore federal funding. In the meantime, donating to KUCB is more important than it has ever been. If you know of a business or foundation with the ability to support community media, email us.
Every dollar helps us to offset this massive attack on our ability to serve the community.