LAFAYETTE PARISH — President Donald Trump’s latest executive order, which halts all federal funding for PBS and NPR, is already reverberating through Acadiana.
One of the local institutions bracing for impact is KRVS, a long-standing public radio station based in Lafayette.
“Louisiana—Southwest Louisiana culture—is different, and it’s home for me, now,” says KRVS General Manager Cheryl Devall. Originally from California and raised in Chicago, Devall has found a sense of belonging in Acadiana.
“Working here is a way to share that with the universe. Nothing makes me happier, even though I can’t play a thing but the radio.”
KRVS, which turns 62 later this month, became an NPR affiliate in the 1980s. Devall herself is a former NPR journalist, now committed to preserving local voices through public radio.
The executive order, signed Thursday, left her deeply concerned.
“It would appear... that the present administration and its allies have a hard time valuing anything that the market doesn’t determine is... valuable,” she said.
The order, described by the White House as a move to cut “outdated, unnecessary, and corrosive” spending, will eliminate a significant source of funding for KRVS—roughly a third of its annual revenue.
Assistant General Manager Megan Constantin, a University of Louisiana at Lafayette alumna, emphasized the broader community impact. KRVS is located inside Burke-Hawthorne Hall on UL's campus.
“Really, all of these smaller organizations who can’t pay to publicize their event—they’ll all lose that resource,” she said.
KRVS plays a vital role in the region by promoting local music, sharing community announcements, and supporting Louisiana’s cultural economy.
“We announce community events, we interview bands, we play local music,” said Devall. “Losing public radio impacts the economic and the travel aspect of Louisiana.”
Now, with federal support in jeopardy, KRVS is turning to the community it serves.
“It’s becoming quite clear that federal money may go away,” Devall added. “And we are going to have to pull together and make this station thrive in ways that... perhaps we haven’t before.”
For information on how to support KRVS or learn more about their mission, visit krvs.org.
