Prairie Public Eliminates 12 Staff Positions

(Photo by Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor)

(North Dakota Monitor) – Fargo-based Prairie Public said it has cut 12 staff positions in response to the elimination of federal funds for public broadcasting and a reduction in state spending from North Dakota.

Prairie Public laid off seven employees and eliminated five positions that were open, reducing staff by 18%, Prairie Public President and CEO John Harris said in a statement.

“The loss of federal and state funding has resulted in approximately a 25% reduction in our revenue,” Harris said. “Like most every public media organization in the country, we were forced to make hard choices – that included the difficult decision to part with valued members of our staff.”

Prairie Public estimates a loss of about $2.5 million per year in government funding, primarily due the federal cuts, Harris said in an interview. The positions eliminated were spread across all departments, he said.