Tri-States Public Radio General Manager Heather Norman sent a letter to listeners Tuesday to provide them with a look at the year ahead.
Norman recapped the ups-and-downs of the 2025-2026 fiscal year, which included the clawback of federal dollars, dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and a lawsuit filed by National Public Radio.
“Through it all, you were there with us,” she told the listeners. “You have made this past year the second most successful fundraising year in our history.”
The general manager said that courts have ruled that federal funding should be restored, but that it may take several years. Norman said Tri-States Public Radio would need to raise $500,000 in the 2026-2027 fiscal year.
“New opportunities have been prioritized on a national level,” Norman wrote, “and we will be evaluating these opportunities as they present themselves.”
She said that TSPR is working with other Illinois public radio stations to reduce costs and improve service.
