Stand for independent news. Protect public voices. Save My WBOI.
Why WBOI Matters
Public radio delivers vital news, cultural programming, and life-saving emergency alerts — free to all.
It ensures every community, no matter how small or remote, has access to fact-based, nonprofit journalism and the resources they need.
But now, this essential service is under threat, at both the state and federal level — with budget cuts totaling $200,000 (the equivalent of an entire membership drive).
When you take a stand to save WBOI, you’re protecting far more than a radio station — you're preserving a trusted source for truth, inclusion, and connection in an increasingly divided world.
"Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost."
– Thomas Jefferson
What's at stake?
WBOI is facing a loss of $200,000. Our future depends on continued federal and state funding + community support. Recent budget cuts could:
- Eliminate original, local programming
Reduce access to trusted national programs from NPR
- Diminish capacity to serve rural listeners or provide emergency alerts
- Prevent adoption of new formats that keep WBOI technologically relevant and help us reach more people
How You Can Help
Support nonprofit journalism that serves everyone -not just those who can afford it with a monthly donation.
-
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/Getty Images North AmericaNPR and three Colorado public radio stations are suing the Trump administration over the president's executive order seeking to ban the use of federal money for NPR and PBS. -
Julia Meek/WBOINearly $13 million in total state and federal public funding accounts for about 30% of the combined budgets of Indiana’s public media stations, according to a WFYI analysis of budget and funding data. -
Charles Dharapak/APIn an executive order, President Trump directs the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding NPR and PBS. They say he can't. PBS chief Paula Kerger calls it "blatantly unlawful". -
Lauren Chapman/IPB NewsLawmakers ended the 2025 session early Friday morning by passing a new state budget that Republicans say takes care of Indiana’s priorities — and Democrats argue moves the state backward.
The Local News Crisis
Without WBOI, parts of our region could become news deserts — leaving communities isolated, uninformed, and vulnerable to disinformation.
Evidence shows that when local news declines:
- Fewer candidates run for local office
- Voter turnout drops
- Government accountability weakens
- Public polarization deepens
Local newsrooms like WBOI inform voters, scrutinize power, and encourage civic engagement.
When you support WBOI, you're protecting:
- Community voices from all walks of life — often those not heard anywhere else
- A pipeline to local government, education, and other civic matters
- Connection to the arts, music, and local culture that brings us together
- Watchdog journalism that holds power accountable and safeguards democracy
- Rural communities that risk becoming news deserts
Additional Resources
- Protect My Public Media: Nation-wide campaign dedicated to protecting federal public media funding
- American Journalism Project: Learn how nonprofit news is solving the local news crisis
- Learn more about the NPR network and why member stations, like WBOI, are so important
- Subscribe to our newsletter to hear updates from President & General Manager Travis Pope
- Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates. Share this cause with your friends and followers!