We can’t control the chaos, but we can control the planning and response.   

Uncertain financial conditions in public broadcasting are nothing new.  Public Broadcasting has a lengthy history of weathering storms and fighting for survival.  

Since its inception, public broadcasting in America has faced numerous funding threats, each time proving its resilience through strategic communication, financial, and organizational adaptations. As we navigate today’s uncertain funding landscape, these historical lessons offer valuable guidance for modern public broadcasting financial management.  

The first major funding crisis came early in the history of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). President Johnson created CPB in 1967, and just two years later, President Nixon proposed significant cuts to it. What might have been the end for the fledgling public broadcasting system’s ability to pay for PBS, and public radio stations’ ability to pay for NPR programming instead became a pivotal moment when Fred Rogers, from the beloved PBS show “Mister Rogers”, testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Communications. His passionate defense of public broadcasting’s educational value not only persuaded lawmakers to maintain funding, but to increase it.  

“What do you do with the mad that you feel? When you feel so mad you could bite. When the whole wide world seems oh so wrong, and nothing you do seems very right. What do you do? Do you punch a bag? Do you pound some clay or some dough? Do you round up friends for a game of tag or see how fast you go?” ~ Fred Rogers – Testimony from Senate Subcommittee  

The early funding crisis established a pattern of rounding up friends and taking immediate action to advocate. As each threat arrived—in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s —public broadcasting responded. The current climate indicates a potential storm is brewing. Some organizations may begin to focus on advocacy once again.  

Immediate Actions Public Media Organizations May Take: 

• Mobilize grassroots support: urge viewers and listeners to contact their congressional representatives to protect public media funding. Provide easy-to-use tools like pre-written letters or call scripts. Engage local leaders and educators to speak out in support of public media

• Share personal stories: encourage supporters to record short videos explaining what public media means to them. These personal narratives can be powerful in demonstrating the impact of public broadcasting
• Leverage social media: use social platforms to spread awareness about the importance of public media and the potential impact of funding cuts

Past funding storms didn’t just sharpen public broadcasting advocacy skills, they pushed organizations to get creative with their money, address long-term sustainability, and create the patchwork of revenue that keeps public broadcasting afloat. Using these historical scenarios and responses, your organization can employ data-driven financial management and long-term strategic planning to help weather the storm.

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Financial Strategies

• Audit Your Financial Systems: Train staff to ensure the details of your transactional entries support accurate budgeting and scenario planning. Introduce efficiencies in transactional and reporting systems to save time and provide reliable data for strategic decision-making   

• Diversify Revenue Streams: Explore new funding sources such as digital revenue streams, events, branded merchandise, and creative partnerships  

• Enhance Donor Programs: Develop targeted philanthropic programs for major donors, focusing on investigative journalism or community-focused initiatives. Philanthropic donors give more when they can see the impact of their gift, and unlike smaller “retail” donors, they tend not to seek coffee mugs or golf umbrellas or other gifts in return. 

• Explore Crowdfunding: Launch specific project-based crowdfunding campaigns to engage the community and raise funds  

• Optimize Resource Allocation: Use data-driven budgeting to allocate resources effectively and create benchmarks to evaluate performance  

• Implement Scenario Planning: Develop multiple financial scenarios to enhance strategic thinking and increase resilience to actual or potential funding changes

Strategic, data-driven budgets and financially viable scenario plans take historical information and turn them into a roadmap of actionable insights that will chart your course ahead and help you weather the current storm.  

Long-term Sustainability

• Invest in Digital Infrastructure: Utilize data-driven financial dashboards. Develop capabilities for interactive advertising and explore technologies like NextGen TV for new revenue opportunities  

• Collaborate: Strengthen partnerships with other public media outlets, libraries, schools, and other nonprofits to create educational content and diversify funding partners 

• Develop Community Impact Reporting: Use your financial systems to understand and report the value of public broadcasting, and publish reports highlighting the societal benefits of public broadcasting to attract individuals and corporations that value the impact 

• Explore Innovative Business Models: Invest in AI tools and other technologies to enhance competitiveness and create new revenue streams. Look to other public media organizations for ideas and inspiration

Strong financial strategies are the foundation for understanding how to foster long-term sustainability. Financial strategies should be incorporated into all aspects of operations and planning to support organizational resilience.  

Organizational Resilience

• Improve Stakeholder Alignment: Foster constant communication and financial transparency with board members, staff, and supporters to ensure a unified approach to achieving strategic objectives  

• Educate Leadership: Provide training for existing staff and leadership on financial processes and data interpretation to support informed decision-making  

• Strengthen Internal Controls: Implement robust financial controls and be ‘audit ready’ to maintain transparency and donor trust  

• Develop Contingency Plans: Create detailed plans for various funding scenarios, including potential service reductions or restructuring if necessary   

• Enhance Financial Expertise: Consider outsourcing financial services to access specialized skills cost-effectively and gain fresh perspectives on financial management

Each public media organization has its own unique strengths and challenges and merits individually tailored strategies. Looking for help establishing systems, collecting or translating financial data, educating your board, and fostering organizational resilience? There’s a way to tap into these resources without needing to hire full-time staff. 

Leverage Experts: When Outsourcing Makes Sense   

There’s an advantage to fractional accounting services. You only pay for what you need, it’s a controllable expense, and you can leverage highly skilled people. You may already be using services like web hosting, IT support, HVAC, legal, and other technically skilled individuals or companies.  Proactively looking at outsourcing as a solution before you need it prevents the pressure of reactive decision-making.  It also keeps payroll and benefits costs down.  

External experts help organizations form a strong internal finance department. They can help recognize financial red flags and ask questions to investigate. At YPTC we create an environment where challenging questions are welcomed, as they often lead to better financial decisions and long-term sustainability.   

YPTC’s expert team specializes in guiding public media organizations through the storm of uncertain financial times. Don’t let funding challenges hold your mission back.  

Contact us today to get started!