Prairie Public urge Senate to protect public broadcasting funding

Supporters of Prairie Public are asking lawmakers to keep state funding for the organization. They urge Senate members to defeat a bill that would remove taxpayer support.

Even if the bill is defeated, Prairie Public still needs to convince lawmakers to add state funding back into the state budget.

House Bill 1255: A threat to public broadcasting

House Bill 1255 was passed in February. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jorin Johnson, R-Fargo, passed the House with a vote of 48-41. It would stop state and federal tax dollars from supporting Prairie Public.

The bill has already been voted down by two House committees. Now, the Senate has the chance to weigh in on the bill.

Rep. Johnson believes Prairie Public can survive without state funding. He says donors will help support the organization without using state tax dollars.

Rep. Johnson’s views on public broadcasting

Rep. Johnson says public broadcasting is outdated. He claims digital media, streaming services, and content creators offer plenty of free or low-cost content. He believes this makes Prairie Public unnecessary.

Governor’s budget proposal

Governor Kelly Armstrong’s preliminary budget includes nearly $2.9 million for Prairie Public in the 2025-27 biennium. This includes about $1.7 million for transmitter maintenance and replacement.

But House lawmakers removed this funding from the budget after passing House Bill 1255.

Prairie public’s financial standing

Rep. Johnson says Prairie Public has plenty of resources. The organization has $36.2 million in assets, with $16.8 million in reserves. It is one of the largest charitable gambling beneficiaries in North Dakota.

“I think they are doing OK,” Johnson said. “They will survive without state dollars.”

John Harris, president of Prairie Public Broadcasting, agreed with Johnson that the organization would not close due to the funding loss. However, he said local programs would suffer.

National programming would continue, but local programs, like the work done by the educational team, would disappear.

“If we lose funding, we will become just a pass-through for national content,” Harris said.

The bar purchase controversy

Rep. Johnson also criticized Prairie Public for trying to buy a bar in West Fargo. He argued they should not need state money if they were making such a purchase.

Harris explained they did not follow through with the purchase. The goal was to ensure security for their gambling site, so other businesses could not replace them.

Prairie Public’s towers and community service

Harris highlighted Prairie Public’s work across North Dakota. The organization runs 39 radio and TV towers. These towers reach about 98% of the state’s residents.

Some of these towers also host emergency warning sirens and weather equipment, helping residents stay safe.

Recently, Prairie Public installed a new $3.5 million tower in Minot.

Support for Prairie Public from lawmakers and the community

Sen. Judy Lee, R-West Fargo, a Prairie Public donor, spoke in favor of the organization. She said, “I can’t imagine ignoring the good Prairie Public Television has done over decades.”

She stressed the importance of it’s work for everyone in North Dakota.

More than 170 people sent written testimonies opposing the cuts. Paul and Ann Nyren, from Garrison, drove to testify in person. They shared how their daughter learned sign language from children’s programming. She used this skill to communicate with a couple at a mall food court.

Paul Nyren said the experience showed how important educational programming is for children. His family supports Prairie Public because of its positive impact.