PBS Charlotte at a crossroads

Recorded live Jan. 5, 2026, at The Sharon at SouthPark.

PBS and public media have been in the spotlight lately — and not in a way anyone asked for. When federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was eliminated, NPR and PBS stations across the country faced sudden cuts and hard choices.

In this special live episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast, Ledger editor Tony Mecia sits down at The Sharon at SouthPark with Amy Burkett, general manager of PBS Charlotte, to talk about what that shift has meant locally — and what it’s forcing public media to do differently. Burkett, a former commercial TV reporter and anchor, shares how PBS Charlotte has rebuilt itself since nearly going dark in the early 2010s, how the station is adapting after losing $1.2 million overnight, and why she believes public media is more valuable in an era when trust is harder to come by.

They also dig into what PBS does best (history, long-form storytelling, local documentaries), what it struggles to compete on (reality-style programming), and how the station is trying to reach viewers across platforms — from broadcast to Passport streaming to YouTube.

Today’s episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast is sponsored by Child Care Search, a service of Child Care Resources Inc. Looking for child care? Our team provides guidance every step of the way! Search online at www.FindChildCareNC.org or call 1-888-600-1685 for live assistance and free, customized referrals.

This episode of The Charlotte Ledger Podcast was produced by Lindsey Banks. For more information on The Charlotte Ledger, visit TheCharlotteLedger.com.

This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thecharlotteledger.com/subscribe

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