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7575459.pdf_kstk-scrambling-to-cover-loss-of-federal-funding

Congress giveth, and Congress taketh away.

Following congressional approval of President Donald Trump's request to rescind $1.1 billion in previously allocated federal funds for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, KSTK in Wrangell now finds itself facing a steep financial cliff.

"That decision blew a $167,000 hole in our boat," Station Manager Cindy Sweat said. "53% of our revenue for the year is now gone. It's extremely significant and we have to figure something out."

Sweat said she is aware the community firmly supports the radio station, but she believes it is unrealistic for the community alone to be able to keep the station afloat.

"Right now, we're making cuts where we can, but we're already in a bare-bones situation," she said. "We will be speaking with other managers in the CoastAlaska network about shared services. We already do share services, but we may have to share more. In the near future, things could sound very different on KSTK."

CoastAlaska, with staff statewide, holds the federal license for KSTK and provides shared news and administrative services for the public radio stations in Wrangell, Ketchikan, Sitka, Juneau, Petersburg and Unalaska.

Stations across Alaska are trying to survive the loss of federal money.

Ketchikan's KRBD ran a one-day emergency pledge drive on Saturday, July 26, to help fill the $172,000 gap in this year's budget.

The congressional action took away about $30 million from 27 public radio and TV stations in Alaska.

Kotzebue's KOTZ lost $240,000.

"The reality is, without figuring out how to fill that gap in funding, we'll have to shut the station down within probably the next year," Wil Wiese, president of the board of directors for Kotzebue Broadcasting, told the borough assembly on July 22, according to reporting by the Anchorage Daily News.

Sweat said the decision to rescind the federal funds was obviously motivated by politics.

"We heard a lot of talk about defunding Nation Public Radio, but that isn't us. That isn't what we do," she explained.

"We provide local news for our local residents. And we are also the local primary contact for emergencies. When the power goes down, or the lights and internet go out, the radio station still operates. During the landslide a few years ago, we were informed that we were the only source of information for some people."

Sweat said she is evaluating all possibilities of grant funds.

"I think that some people in Congress aren't being realistic. I heard of one representative who said stations that provide emergency warnings like ours could get funding from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)," Sweat said. "But funding from FEMA doesn't do anything if there is no antenna or no station to broadcast from."

Sweat said the station has scheduled fundraisers including its Beach Blowout live music event on Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Nolan Center. The event will feature Dara Rilatos and the Planktonics from Juneau.

One week after that will be the KSTK Golf for Radio Tournament sponsored by AP&T on Sunday, Aug. 17, at Muskeg Meadows. The tournament will be a nine-hole, best-ball format with cash and prizes. There will also be a putting contest after the tournament.

"Businesses who might be interested in being corporate sponsors are also welcome to talk with us," Sweat said. "Sponsoring us would get the business an announcement on the air, so it would be good for us as well as the sponsoring businesses."

Individual donations are welcome as well.

"If someone wants to donate, they are certainly welcome to call us or stop by the station and talk to us," she said. "If someone wants to, they could have a sustaining membership with a monthly auto-pay option. This hit was almost too much for us to take - especially when we're just trying to serve the community."