Petition in Support of NPR at WUWF (UWF)
To: The University of West Florida Board of Trustees                                                                                                                   

Edward Fleming

Eli Schatz, SGA President & Trustee

Janice Gilley

Kevin Mason

Rebecca Matthews

Dr. Rachel Moya

Kishane Patel

Heather Riddell, Faculty Senate President & Trustee

Chris Roney

Ashley Ross

Zack Smith

Gordon Sprague

Chris Young 

Date: July 28,  2026
Subject: Preserve the WUWF–NPR Partnership and Unbiased Local News for Our Community

We, the undersigned residents, listeners, students, faculty, and community members, urge the University of West Florida Board of Trustees to maintain WUWF’s affiliation with National Public Radio (NPR) and to reject any proposal to end this long-standing partnership.

NPR has been a part of the WUWF legacy since its first broadcast on January 15, 1981. This 45-year partnership has allowed the residents of this area to get unbiased, fact-based news and high-quality cultural programming.

The new conservative leadership at UWF has said that NPR is too left-leaning and wants to end their affiliation. This follows the path the PSC took with WSRE no longer being a PBS station. NPR leadership has always maintained that their coverage is guided by journalism standards, including fairness, accuracy, and independence.

We believe that:

💠Ending the NPR affiliation would diminish access to trusted, nonpartisan news for our region.
💠Public media plays a vital role in supporting an informed citizenry, especially in underserved and rural communities.
💠Claims of bias should be addressed through transparency and engagement—not by severing ties with a nationally respected news organization.
💠The UWF Board of Trustees has a responsibility to uphold the First Amendment values of free press and diverse viewpoints.

The UWF Board of Trustees will gather to discuss this matter on August 13th at 9 a.m. at the Museum of Commerce, 201 E. Zaragoza St. This is our opportunity to speak out and up for this First Amendment staple and keep it in our community at 88.1!

To speak at the meeting, you must sign up 15 minutes before the meeting starts or 24 hours earlier for virtual participation. We encourage all community members who value independent journalism to attend, speak, and make their voices heard.

We respectfully request that the Board:

1. Affirm WUWF’s continued affiliation with NPR.
2. Commit to preserving unbiased, high-quality public broadcasting for the Gulf Coast region.
3. Engage in open dialogue with listeners and stakeholders about the future of WUWF.