Daily Sitka Sentinel

KCAW Fall Drive Faces Challenge of State Cuts

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writers
    KCAW-FM had some of its biggest fundraising mornings ever during its current fall membership drive, but the public radio station still has some mileage to cover to make up for lost state revenue, station officials said.
    As of 1 p.m. today the fund drive had raised $72,805 on the way to the $100,000 goal. The drive is scheduled to end 6 p.m. Saturday.
    “This is more than we’ve had in past years,” Development Director Makenzie Rose said of this year’s goal. “This is high, but it reflects what this station needs to offer the quality radio service to our listeners.”
    Gov. Dunleavy vetoed this year’s funding for public radio, leaving KCAW with $76,000 less than expected, a figure representing 12 percent of the station’s total budget.
    “That’s a hole that exists in the budget,” Rose said. “I know a lot of organizations were hit really hard as well. It’s a tough position to be in. We’re working really hard to make up for the loss. What it means is bigger goals and stepping up fundraising efforts in other ways. With big cuts it’s hard to recover – we’ll just see.”
    The fall drive started with contributions exceeding some of the goals, but slowed down at midweek. Rose said staff and volunteers are hoping for a big finish tonight and Saturday to put them over the top.
    “We’ve been doing pretty well,” Rose said. “An increase in our goal along with other fundraisers will help close the gap. We want to be in the black, that’s obviously our goal.”

KCAW radio station volunteer phone answerers, at left, Tom Clarke and Chandler O'Connell chat with the station's development director, Makenzie DeVries, this afternoon. (Sentinel Photo)

    She said the radio station has received an “outpouring of support” from the community.
    “A lot of people have said to me and other folks that they know what’s happened, and they want to help keep us on the air,” Rose said. “They want to give extra, they want to give additional gifts because they realize how extreme these cuts are. They want to make sure we’re providing the services we’ve provided in the past.”
    Rose said KCAW is seeing additional support even from Sitkans who are struggling or whose programs also have been hit by state budget cuts and vetoes.
    “I’m sure they’re being affected,” she said. “But they’re still saying ‘I still want to support the radio station because I recognize how important it is.’”
    KCAW broadcasts local, national and international news, syndicated music programs and talk shows, as well as local music and entertainment programming. The station also provides emergency alerts, local and marine weather and a community calendar. The station has translators that extend the reach of its radio signal into some of the smaller communities in Southeast.
    Donations may be made by calling 747-5877, online at kcaw.org, or at the station at the end of Lincoln Street.
    “We’re doing great; we’ve got a ways to go but I feel really pleased with how things are going,” said Rose.