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State public broadcasting tells Finance Committee of lost federal grants, warns gap in emergency broadcast investments
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Summary
Louisiana Public Broadcasting told the Senate Finance Committee that several federal grant awards are on hold and that NOAA/FEMA staffing and grant uncertainty may strain the state’s emergency‑warning and documentary production capacity.
Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) and the Senate Fiscal Division briefed the Senate Finance Committee on April 7 on FY26 operating structure and a set of federal grants currently on hold.
LPB Chief Executive Officer Michael Copeland and deputy director Matthew Cheslier described LPB’s early‑childhood programming, statewide Dolly Parton Imagination Library administration and statewide emergency‑broadcast functions. Copeland said LPB deployed 750 iPads with early‑learning content to homeless shelters and has grown the state Dolly Parton program to roughly 33,000 enrolled children across 46 parishes since taking administration responsibility.
LPB also disclosed that several federal grant awards and grant draws are on hold: a FEMA Next Generation Warning System (NGWS) grant of about $1.9 million that would have funded a transmitter upgrade for Lake Charles is paused because of national FEMA/CPB actions; a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) production grant that funded a large documentary project was also cited among paused awards. Copeland told senators the NGWS grant pause leaves the Lake Charles transmitter at risk because parts for the existing transmitter are obsolete and the station is cobbling parts to stay on air.
Senator Jackson asked whether NOAA and FEMA staffing changes were affecting early warning and whether the state had contingency plans; the LPB and fiscal witnesses said they were in contact with GOSEP and the governor’s office and that congressional and executive‑branch correspondence was under way seeking federal remedies. LPB said it will request state assistance if federal grants are not available before hurricane season.
No appropriation votes were taken at the hearing; senators asked LPB for a costed estimate to replace critical transmitters and to list specific grant draws that are paused.
