KET announces staff reduction due to the elimination of federal funding

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky Educational Television (KET) announced staff cuts on Thursday.

In a release, KET states it will eliminate 36 positions, reducing its staff by 22 percent, citing a budget shortfall from the elimination of federal funding for public broadcasting.

15 staff members will be laid off, and 21 positions will be eliminated.

In July, Congress eliminated $1.1 billion in federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

“Unfortunately, with the loss of federal funding, there is no way around the need for significant budget reductions. It is a sad but unavoidable situation for our dedicated team, and the loss will affect operations throughout the agency,” said Shae Hopkins, executive director and CEO.

“However, even during this difficult time, KET remains as committed as ever to serving Kentuckians across the Commonwealth,” said Hopkins.

KET says it began operational changes to save costs earlier in the year.