Cascade PBS is restructuring its news operation and eliminating almost 20 jobs, the Seattle-based public media organization announced Monday, citing federal budget cuts and eliciting alarm from its journalists’ union.

Formed in 2015 by the merger of KCTS 9 TV and the nonprofit news website Crosscut, Cascade PBS will continue making video programs but will “cease production of long-form written journalism,” it said in a news release.

In other words, it’s laying off its news writers and their editors.

The organization is immediately losing $3.5 million annually due to Congress’ recent defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, it said.

“This unprecedented federal decision has had devastating effects on more than 300 public television and radio outlets across the country, and w

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