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IPBC: Illinois Public Broadcasting Council

IPBC: Illinois Public Broadcasting Council

The IPBC is an association of state public media that meet to improve service through collaboration.

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Federal defunding = state funding is more important than ever

When Congress stripped public broadcasting of its federal funding, stations in Illinois lost between 5 and 30 percent of their annual budgets, with smaller and rural communities hit the hardest. That means fewer journalists and local events and degraded ability to warn and communicate before, during, and after emergencies.

Public Media’s Reach

Free service for everyone in Illinois, regardless of ability to pay — NO paywall!

Educational and non-partisan outlets for state and local government, including interviews with elected officials

Vibrant arts & culture coverage

Crucial emergency communications role

Public Media’s Vitality

Public media is filling the gap left behind by the decline of print newspapers

Illinois is in the top 10 for decline of newspapers

Illinois journalism jobs at print newspapers declined by 86% since 2005

Illinois local journalism task force report January 2024

Decline of Local Media = Decline of Civic Engagement

An informed citizenry is essential to the health of our government on both the national and local levels. Studies show communities lacking robust local journalism have lower levels of voter participation and higher levels of corruption. And, of course, misinformation flourishes. Less measurable but still important is the sense of community that local news fosters.

Northwestern University study

Illinois is in the bottom half for state funding (T-26)

State funding for public media in Illinois is among the lowest in the Midwest.

Current.org: Public media funding per capita
  • More than $2

  • Between $1-$2

  • Less than $1

  • No funding

$12.5 million in state funding would put Illinois at $1 per capita

It would also put Illinois closer to the average public media support adjacent states provide — raising Illinois to 22nd out of the 33 states providing funding for public media.

Illinois Public Broadcasting Council

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