Schools

WUSB, Other Campus Media Outlets Struggling Amid Budget Cuts

Stony Brook's Student Government reduces radio station, newspaper budgets, has them scrambling for funding.

Following the student government's decision to slash about $9,000 from the WUSB radio station's budget, WUSB – and other campus media outlets in a similar position – are struggling to make ends meet, according to a report published this week in The Stony Brook Press.

The radio station, popular both on and off campus, has had to rely on donations to pay its bills and keep it afloat. But donations are down, too. And sometimes the DJs wind up using their own money to purchase new equipment.

“We already run on a shoestring. Cutting our funding prevents us from doing our job,” Ari Davanelos, WUSB program director, told The Press.

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According to the report, the student government cut about $66,000 from the seven campus media outlets' budgets this year. "My concern is, if this keeps happening, then there will be no more campus journalism," said Isobel Breheny-Schafer, assistant director for student media.

Student government treasurer Thomas Kirnbauer told The Press that student media groups weren't specifically targeted for cuts. "We do not cut clubs/organizations based on the service they provide to the campus,” he said. “Therefore, to say we are doing so or to ask if media groups will get their budget cut further is completely under false pretenses.”

Find out what's happening in Three Villagewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Click here to read the full story from The Stony Brook Press.


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