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Trump's proposed 2018 cuts public broadcast funding

President Donald Trump's proposed 2018 budget includes eliminating four arts and cultural agencies.

TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) - President Donald Trump's proposed 2018 budget includes eliminating four arts and cultural agencies.

The $971 million allocated for many non-profit groups across the country includes theaters, orchestras and public broadcast media.

Without the $1.35 a year Americans pay for public broadcasting one of Toledo's staples for half a century would be in serious danger.

Providing public broadcast services for 65 years, WGTE in Toledo will take a big hit if President Trump's proposed budget is passed.

"We are in for a fight for our life is what it amounts to," said President and CEO of WGTE Marlon Kiser.

In 2016, WGTE got nearly 25 percent of its revenue from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, one of the agencies in this proposed budget set to be eliminated.

"If I lose close to a million dollars in revenue, I'm not going to be able to pay $1 million dollars on the other side," Kiser said.

This means losing paid content from PBS (Public Broadcast Services) and NPR (National Public Radio). This would include telveisions shows like "Sesame Street," "Thomas the Tank Engine" and "Arthur," and radio shows like "Fresh Air," "Car Talk" and "A Prairie Home Companion."

"We also do public affairs," Kiser explained. "We also do our town all series. Community engagement. All of those things, and I'm not understating the case, will simply disappear if the funding is it not there."

This means public groups like local libraries and museums could need more donations from citizens.

"The community right now as it stands, I don't think that the financial capacity is there to make up a million dollar loss for WGTE," Kiser said.

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