Lehigh Valley Public Media slashes workforce, posts $1.8 million loss midway through fiscal year

BETHLEHEM, PA. — Lehigh Valley Public Media (LVPM) announced Friday it will undergo significant organizational and operational changes in response to mounting financial pressures, including declining revenues, rising costs, shifting audience habits and reductions in federal funding for public media.

The nonprofit media organization said the combined impact of these factors has forced decisions across the organization, including deep staff reductions and changes to how its journalism and programming are delivered.

Friday’s layoffs affected 16 employees across all departments, reducing the organization’s workforce from roughly 50 to 20-25.

LVPM leaders said it will continue to operate as a community-focused public media hub, providing local journalism and storytelling across broadcast, digital platforms and in-person events.

As part of the shift, LehighValleyNews.com will move to a newsletter-led model, supported by podcasts, video and other digital formats aimed at providing context and fostering community engagement.

“Federal support has long played a critical role in sustaining local journalism, educational programming, and essential community services,” said Laks Srinivasan, chair of LVPM’s board of directors. “The loss of CPB funding, and the cascading effects it has triggered across the public media system, has fundamentally altered the financial foundation for stations of all sizes, including those serving the Lehigh Valley.”

The loss of Corporation for Public Broadcasting funding amounted to roughly $1 million annually — approximately 20% of LVPM’s overall budget.

While federal funding makes up only a portion of LVPM’s overall revenue, the organization said its reduction has had an outsized impact. Public media stations often rely on federal dollars to help secure philanthropy, underwriting and partnerships that depend on a stable national public media system.

The financial strain has been building for years. According to documents from ProPublica’s nonprofit explorer database, LVPM reported revenue of $6.34 million in 2024 against expenses of $13.5 million — a deficit of $7.1 million.

Halfway through the current 2025-26 fiscal year, the organization has already lost more than $1.8 million, despite earlier cost-cutting measures that included ending broadcasts of PBS39’s World and Create channels, a move that saved $400,000.

LVPM has historically relied on a significant investment fund, largely funded by proceeds from the Federal Communications Commission’s 2017 broadcast spectrum incentive auction. That fund has helped sustain operations at PBS39, WLVR radio and LehighValleyNews.com.

“The intent of the investment fund is to supplement revenue streams to ensure we live within our means and support public media for generations to come,” said Luis Campos, LVPM’s finance chair. “At the current rate of spending, the fund could be significantly diminished within the next decade, placing our future service to the community at risk.”

Srinivasan said the financial strain comes as audience behavior continues to evolve, with more people consuming media through digital and on-demand platforms.

“While these shifts have been underway for years, the loss of federal support accelerated the need to adapt our operating model,” he said.

The staffing reductions will also affect LVPM’s education programming, with the organization scaling back some education initiatives as part of its broader cost-cutting measures. This includes the Book Nook program, where educators on staff provide free books to underprivileged children.

“These decisions were not made lightly,” Srinivasan said. “They reflect both the financial realities facing public media and our responsibility to be careful stewards of the public spectrum and resources entrusted to us.”

Hasanna Birdsong, CEO of Lehigh Valley Public Media, said the changes are intended to protect the organization’s long-term ability to serve the region.

“The steps we are taking now are about protecting the future of public media in the Lehigh Valley,” Birdsong said. “We see this as an ongoing process, not a finished product. Our responsibility is to ensure this community continues to have access to trusted journalism, impactful education programs and local storytelling that reflects life here today and for the long term.”