November 20, 2025
The donation is the most important of its sort within the public media station’s historical past.
WABE has acquired a landmark $3 million reward from Atlanta resident Richard “Rick” Bortle, who handed away from esophageal most cancers.
The donation is the most important of its sort within the public media station’s historical past, based on the Atlanta Journal-Structure. Bortle was a Florida-native who spent the ultimate twenty years of his life within the Atlanta space. The brand new station was the only real beneficiary of the 72-year-old’s property.
WABE CEO Jennifer Dorian described the donation as “a historic dedication that strengthens our capacity to report with depth and care.”
She added that Bortle’s beneficiant reward will enable the station to “spend money on journalism that serves all components of Atlanta, particularly communities that deserve extra constant native protection.”
The contribution is a well timed reward that may assist the station’s long-term plans for stronger native journalism and expanded group programming.
Dorian referred to as the shock donation “sudden, uplifting” and famous that typical particular person presents to the station vary from $10,000 to $100,000. With the sudden $3 million enhance, the station goals to offset the affect of funding modifications coming from the Company for Public Broadcasting.
The Trump administration reduce roughly $1.9 million from WABE’s 2025 funds. The reduce led to employees reductions and programming closures, together with the tip of its long-running arts present Metropolis Lights. WABE trimmed its workforce from 99 to 79 over the previous 18 months.
Station leaders stated the $3 million reward will help expanded investigative reporting, new digital storytelling initiatives, and extra coaching for early-career journalists. The funding will even assist strengthen the station’s expertise infrastructure and help viewers engagement applications that deliver reporters into neighborhoods for conversations with residents.
For employees members who’ve labored via years of speedy newsroom change, the reward indicators renewed confidence within the station’s mission. WABE has broadened its civic protection lately, including reporters centered on the Atlanta Metropolis Council, regional housing pressures, and shifts within the native arts sector. Dorian instructed the AJC the donation gives “the long-term stability wanted to serve listeners with readability and goal.”
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