The District Board of Trustees of Pensacola State College meets tomorrow at 5:30 p.m. in the PSC boardroom. WSRE-TV’s affiliation with the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is on the agenda. Read the September 16 Board Agenda.
- The PSC Board of Trustees includes Gordon Sprague (chair), Chief Deputy Andy Hobbs (vice chair), Dr. Troy Tippett, Ed Fleming and Zach Smith. Fleming and Smith also served on the University of West Florida Board of Trustees.
The agenda lacks backup material that explains what will be discussed; however, the board will likely consider whether to drop its PBS affiliation.
Background: PBS is a nonprofit, private corporation funded by federal and state government grants (mainly via the Corporation for Public Broadcasting), viewer donations, dues from member stations, and support from foundations and corporations. It is well known for shows such as “Sesame Street,” “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood,” “NOVA,” “Frontline,” “PBS NewsHour,” and “Masterpiece.”
Dig Deeper: In May 2025, President Trump signed an executive order and legislation that directed the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and other agencies to cease all federal funding for PBS and NPR. Gov. Ron DeSantis used his line-item veto to eliminate nearly $6 million in recurring state funding for public television and radio stations, affecting every PBS affiliate in Florida…