Illinois becomes first state to enshrine press protections for public media employees at state institutions
The Illinois Public Broadcasting Council announces the passage of HB 4420, an amendment to the College Campus Press Act. The Act passed by the Illinois General Assembly now extends robust editorial protections to professional (non-student) public media employees affiliated with state institutions of higher learning. This is the first law of its kind in the nation and establishes Illinois as a leader in insulating public media from undue political influence and pressure.
WEIU-TV leaves airwaves after loss of federal funding
Ten months after Congress voted to rescind federal funds for public media, the former PBS affiliate at Eastern Illinois University will cease its televised broadcasting service today, May 15, 2026. For more than 40 years, WEIU has served eastern Illinois as a public television and radio station and a training ground for student journalists at Eastern Illinois University.