GREENFIELD — In a grassroots effort to support local public media, organizers with the progressive advocacy group Gill Indivisible are hosting a fundraiser at The People’s Pint on Sunday to benefit New England Public Media (NEPM).
The fundraiser seeks to raise money for the Springfield-based National Public Radio (NPR) and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member organization that provides the Pioneer Valley and beyond with local news and programming.
The event comes following the disintegration of the Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB) after $1.1 billion in federal funding was cut as part of President Donald Trump’s spending package, signed into law in July. Since the package was signed, public media outlets have announced staff reductions, revenue loss and intentions to cease operations across the United States, according to the CPB.
Locally, NEPM is losing $875,000 in federal funding via its Community Service Grant, which represents more than 10% of its budget, according to NEPM President Matt Abramovitz.
To help bridge this gap, NEPM is reaching out to the community for support.
“Now we are 100% community-funded, and we’ve been talking to the community about the importance of keeping public media strong here in western Mass,” Abramovitz said. “People have been responding.”
With NEPM facing these challenges, Gill Indivisible, a progressive citizens group established after Trump was elected, decided to organize this fundraising event as part of its larger goal of finding ways to defend the Constitution.
On Sunday, Nov. 2, from 4 to 7 p.m., activities at The People’s Pint will include First Amendment Trivia for people to test their knowledge and learn about freedom of speech and the press. The People’s Pint will serve drinks, with the first drink included in all guests’ ticket purchases. NEPM’s radio host Christopher “Monte” Belmonte and Abramovitz will be in attendance, and state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, will be the trivia quizmaster.
“I just have a deep concern about our democracy right now and I’m looking for meaningful ways to defend it,” Gill Indivisible organizer Dorothy Storrow said of the inspiration behind the event. “Freedom of speech and of the press are essential freedoms, and that’s true for all of us, regardless of what party or what politics we have.”
Presale tickets, which are $30, can be purchased at tinyurl.com/NEPMFundraiser. Tickets are $35 at the door, though Storrow advised advance ticket sales are encouraged. Appetizers, soup, bread and dessert, along with one free drink, are included in the price.
As reported by NPR, federal funding to the CPB was established through the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, and Congress previously allocated $535 million to the CPB for this fiscal year. That money is then provided to NPR and PBS. NPR typically receives about 1% of its funding from the federal government, and federal funding makes up 15% of the PBS budget through Community Service Grants.
To offset some of the impact, NEPM has been raising money. Abramovitz said NEPM finished its fall membership drive and gained 500 new members, which he said exceeded expectations by a “tremendous amount” and demonstrates the value residents see in local public media.
“What it tells you is that there are people who, for all sorts of reasons, have never given to a public station before, but after hearing, understanding the need now, and recognizing the threat to what we do, are stepping up to make sure we survive and thrive,” he said.
Speaking personally, Abramovitz said he thinks public media is important for expanding community knowledge and the way people can problem-solve. Moreover, he thinks there are a lot of indisputable rights that people should be able to take for granted, like access to clean air and water. Access to quality information and to trusted journalism should be another one of these rights.
“It’s so important for all of us to have a shared sense of what’s going on in our communities, what the truth is about the big issues that we’re facing together, so we can solve them together,” he said.
As for Sunday’s fundraiser, Abramovitz said it’s a combination of the best of a few worlds.
“Civics and fun,” he said, “and drinking.”