National News

Fordham’s WFUV Works to Meet Catholic Mission, Provide Public Services Following Federal Cuts to Public Media Funding

August 12, 2025
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At WFUV, an NPR affiliate based out of Fordham University in the Bronx, listeners and employees alike are worried about the cost of operations for the station now that it has lost $500,000 in federal funding. (Photo: Courtesy of Raquel DeLuca)

In July, the U.S. Senate approved a request from the White House to rescind $9 billion in previously appropriated funds for international aid programs and public broadcasting.  

This followed an executive order signed in May by President Donald Trump, which called for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other government agencies to cease federal funding for organizations such as NPR and PBS.  

WFUV, an NPR public radio station based at Fordham University in the Bronx, is just one of the media organizations that have been impacted by the decision to roll back the already promised federal funding. 

The New York radio station is losing $500,000, which accounts for 7% of its nearly $7 million budget. Additionally, the station is now tasked with covering additional fees like music licensing, previously covered by NPR. The added costs could raise the total financial impact to around $900,000.   

This summer, WFUV has been intensifying its fundraising efforts to fill those gaps, with a particular focus on increasing listener contributions through a membership drive where listeners can pledge a one-time donation or become a WFUV “sustaining member” by donating a set amount monthly.  

WFUV’s General Manager, Chuck Singleton, estimates that the station has raised $270,000 to date through the drive. While he says that WFUV is not currently at risk of shutting down, the legislative move has created significant setbacks for the station and the people it serves. 

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“The unfortunate thing is, I don’t think there was a lot of time spent thinking about the consequences for stations across the United States with this legislation,” Singleton said. 

When it comes to WFUV, those consequences are widely felt — musically, spiritually, and even professionally.

Through its operations, the station aims to follow Fordham University‘s Jesuit mission centered on intellectual development, service, and justice. 

“Fordham University makes a great home for us, and it’s supportive in a number of directions,” Singleton told The Tablet. “There are components of our mission that are less apparent to listeners and supporters.” 

In the past, funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting has helped WFUV connect with listeners and showcase up-and-coming artists from underserved communities, “which we see as being a great fit with Fordham’s mission, to provide that service to pull people forward,” Singleton explained.  

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Behind the mic, the funding would also help support up to 40 Fordham students who are holding long-term paid internships at the station. Working in every department, they get hands-on experience that sets them up for a career in broadcasting.  

But without adequate funding, the opportunity for more Fordham students to get their foot in the door is dwindling. 

The risk of losing programming created by staff and students is what makes Carol Frisch Villeneuve, a longtime WFUV listener, sure of what she needs to do: renew her membership status amid the budget cuts.  

“Our listeners, our members, are concerned with the loss of this funding and its impact on our station and all of the stations in the area,” Singleton told The Tablet. “And people are stepping up and saying, ‘I want to help.’ ”