SDPB supporters sound alarm on public media cuts

Rep. Dusty Johnson’s House vote draws response from Friends of SDPB; spokeswoman says it’s early in the process

Correction: An earlier version of this story had an incorrect committee assignment for Rep. Dusty Johnson.

South Dakota Public Broadcasting’s donor network is warning that a recent U.S. House vote could jeopardize one-third of the network’s funding, threatening local news coverage, educational programming and emergency alert services.

In a public email sent to supporters, Ryan Howlett, chief executive officer of Friends of SDPB, called on South Dakotans to contact their elected officials. The message followed a vote by the House to cut funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, part of a broader bill that rescinds money that had been previously approved.

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