News Collaborative of Central Florida members are working together on a joint voters guide to help create a more informed and engaged Central Florida.

Freedom of the press is a founding principle of American democracy, as enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution. To mark America’s 250th anniversary, the Orlando Sentinel published a commentary from Central Florida Public Media’s GM on the important role local journalism plays in civic life.

A one-hour radio special tracing some of the key stories that brought us to this moment. Tune in Friday July 3, 2026 at 1 p.m. and Saturday July 4, 2026 at 8 p.m.

Central Florida Public Media recently hosted an afternoon rooted in community, music, and connection at Ivanhoe Park Lager House for its second Pints for Public Media event. 86 attendees came together to raise funds for public media.

The Central Florida Public Media content team continues to be recognized for work done throughout 2025.

“Are We There Yet?” celebrated its 10-year anniversary of bringing listeners closer to all things space. In honor of this milestone, Central Florida Public Media is looking back at the big stories produced over the past decade like an episode that was produced from the stratosphere, host Brendan Byrne experiencing Zero-G and the many conversations with astronauts, science communicators, authors and celebrities.

Central Florida Public Media over the weekend earned 12 awards for work done in 2025 from the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists, including eight first place awards.

Central Florida Public Media hired Sam Stockbridge as its new elections and investigative reporter to arm voters with the knowledge to make informed decisions about who and what they are voting for. In this new role, Stockbridge will cover daily political news while also reporting on the issues shaping the 2026 elections. Before joining Central Florida Public Media, he was a legislative reporter at Reform Austin and a reporter at Ketchikan Daily News.

A court ruling blocking an Executive Order that barred federal funding for NPR and PBS has no effect on federal funds for Central Florida Public Media, which lost $400,000 in annual federal and state funding last year.

Central Florida Public Media hosted a sold-out, live broadcast of The Florida Roundup, bringing journalists, community members, and local leaders together to discuss key regional issues including education, space exploration, and local culture. More than 120 contributed questions, bringing added perspectives to the conversation.

The newly appointed trustees and officers will support Central Florida Public Media’s mission to connect and empower the region through trustworthy, independent journalism and thoughtful conversation rooted in fact.

Central Florida Public Media will soon launch “Talking Central Florida,” a new weekly Wednesday evening show, hosted by longtime Orlando journalist Steve Mort, that brings listeners inside the reporting process behind the region’s most important stories. WUSF’s “Florida Matters” will also join the weeknight lineup, creating a consistent weeknight block of Florida-based content.