Dear Friends,
In the past few weeks we have heard from some of you asking what the budget discussions in Washington, D.C. mean for KUNC and 105.5 The Colorado Sound.
Here is what we know at this time. President Trump’s budget calls for the elimination of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). A private non-profit agency which is funded by Congress, CPB distributes those funds to public television and radio stations, including KUNC and The Colorado Sound.
You’ve certainly heard us tell you that 95% of the money needed to keep KUNC going comes from the community. The other five percent is primarily funding we receive from CPB.
We can report that because support from KUNC members is the most important source of revenue for KUNC, we are financially stable and could continue with no public funding. However, our ability to provide many of the services that we’ve brought to our listeners would be affected. CPB grant money makes it possible for us to invest directly into programming and program creation. For example, the reporting from Harvest Public Media exists because of a start-up grant from CPB. Many other programs - Marketplace is an example - have benefited from similar start-up grants. It is worth noting that both examples I mentioned now operate without direct grants from CPB. The bottom line is our role in the community would change significantly.
Certainly the public-private partnership created with CPB funding (federal dollars through CPB combined with membership support) has created a strong public broadcasting system across the country. We recognize we are speaking to the choir here, but offer a few examples of how this partnership performs:
- Independent, fact-based journalism. From Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Marketplace to reporting from the KUNC newsroom, this partnership has created access across northern Colorado, and beyond.
- Critical communication during emergencies. When cell service and the power grid are disrupted by natural disasters, free public radio is there with information vital to the needs of the community. Additionally KUNC takes a leadership role in connecting the Emergency Alert System to other Colorado radio stations, ensuring communication of critical emergency information is shared with communities across northern Colorado.
The funding of CPB is roughly one one-hundredth of a percent (0.01%) of the federal budget. While we see many benefits from the federal funding of CPB, it is also important to acknowledge our country faces significant economic challenges, as well as the necessity to make difficult choices regarding the federal budget. Whatever your perspective, we would encourage you to be in contact with your Congressional representatives and senators and share your viewpoint.
Sincerely,
Neil Best
President & CEO
Karl Gills
Board Chair
