PIERRE, S.D.  (MITCHELLNOW) South Dakota Public Broadcasting faces major cuts under Governor Kristi Noem’s proposed Fiscal Year 2026 budget. Todd Epp has more. VERBATIM: Officials told lawmakers Wednesday that reducing state funding could threaten local programming and federal grants. South Dakota Bureau of Information and Telecommunications Commissioner Madhu Gottumukkala says the cuts could mean losing $1.2 million in annual federal funding. The network currently operates with a $10 million budget, just over half of which comes from state funds.  SDPB runs 44 broadcast towers statewide and reaches thousands through educational programs and emergency alerts. I’m Todd Epp reporting. The Joint Appropriations Committee will hold another hearing on February 7th to discuss SDPB’s financial future.