Tuesday, July 22, 2025 – Tribal broadcasters scramble; Native higher ed leaders fight to keep funding

After Congress approved President Donald Trump’s clawback of funds distributed through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, tribal stations are frantically searching for money to keep from going dark. Tribes are stepping up in some cases, audiences are responding with increased donations, and the stations are scaling back their operations. In the meantime, higher education officials are worried about a Trump budget plan to cut federal funding to tribal colleges and universities by nearly 90%. Representatives from some of those institutions say they will have to significantly scale back their operations. Others say they will have to close outright. We’ll get more detail on both of these major funding changes.

GUESTS

Stephen Wall (citizen of the White Earth Nation and a descendent of Cattaraugus Seneca Community), interim president for the Institute of American Indian Arts

Sean Chandler (Aaniinen [Gros Ventre Nation]), president of Aaniiih Nakoda College

Aziza Smith (Eastern Shoshone), senior at Haskell Indian Nations University

Marina Decora (Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska), sophomore at Haskell Indian Nations University

Lenora Ward (Iñupiaq), general manager of KOTZ and Kotzebue Broadcasting

Karl Habeck (Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa), general manager of WOJB

 

Break 1 Music: Navajo Radio (song) Arigon Starr (artist) Meet the Diva (album)

Break 2 Music: Steamboat Akalii Song (song) Jay Begaye (artist) Horses Are Our Journey World (album)