The elimination of federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting is forcing WEIU Public Television at Eastern Illinois University to end its affiliation with PBS.
Currently, PBS accounts for about 25 percent of the station's programming. But, the elimination of federal funding cuts nearly 80 percent of the station's overall annual operations budget of roughly one million dollars.
EIU leaders say the decision to cut ties with PBS will ensure students retain access to critical components of their broadcast journalism and news media production learning opportunities.
WEIU's affiliation with PBS officially ends on September 30.
The school points out the change with PBS does not impact the NPR station at WEIU-FM.
