KRPS seeks members support

  Monday, October 24, 2016 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

For the past 28 years, the KRPS, 89.9 FM, fall and spring membership campaigns have been as regular as the changing seasons. But when the Public Radio station’s 2016 fall campaign began this morning, there seemed to be an unspoken sense that this campaign may be more significant than any that have preceded it.

Missi Kelly, general manager of the station, which is located on the campus of Pittsburg State University, said as financial support from the state has dried up, the support the station receives from its members has become crucial for its future.

“State support has gone from $171,000 to about $17,000. That’s a drop of nearly 90 percent in the past eight years or so,” Kelly said.

Kelly said the station has worked hard to deal with the cuts while at the same time protecting the quality of the programming the station offers. The result is that the station is now down to just five full-time employees, which is the minimum number required to receive federal funding.

“We’ve made all of the personnel cuts we can make,” Kelly said. “If cuts are our only option, there really isn’t anywhere else to turn, other than programming, which is why tens of thousands of people tune into KRPS, in the first place.”

That programming, including news shows like “Morning Edition,” “All Things Considered” and “Weekend Edition,” come at a price. Kelly said NPR programming alone costs KRPS about $186,000 a year.

“Our fall campaign goal is $80,000,” Kelly said. “That’s a lot of money, but that’s what it’s going to take to continue to provide the programming we do. This is a no-frills budget.”

Kelly said the fall campaign runs through Friday, Oct. 28. A pre-campaign push raised about a third of the money needed to make the goal and while there’s still a long way to goal, Kelly said she is optimistic about the future of KRPS.

“For nearly three decades, KRPS has provided objective, in-depth news, as well as music and entertainment that can’t be found anywhere else on the radio dial,” Kelly said. “We hear from our listeners every day who tell us how important KRPS has become in their lives. Many remember the days before Public Radio came to the Four-State area and I know they don’t want to lose something that means so much to them and to the region.”

For more information or to pledge, call 800-235-4899 or visit their website at www.krps.org.