The following is an editorial message from Paul Hitchcock, general manager of Morehead State Public Radio – WMKY.
I want to take a few moments to talk to you about proposed federal budget cuts to eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the potential impact this could have on WMKY.
This year, WMKY is celebrating sixty years of public service to eastern Kentucky. Since 1965, WMKY has provided informative, educational, and entertaining programming from the campus of Morehead State University.
WMKY provides local and regional news, plus a variety of locally hosted music programs. Morehead State Public Radio also provides hands-on experience and training for MSU students. Since 1965, nearly one-thousand students have been involved as news writers and reporters, production editors, studio announcers, and music hosts.
The radio station’s operational funding is provided by four sources: Morehead State University, our listeners, local underwriters, and the CPB, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
When the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 was enacted, it created the CPB to offer funding for public media stations like WMKY, to provide content and services that educate and inform.
To qualify to receive CPB funds, WMKY must meet yearly requirements, including being fiscally responsible, providing significant public service programming, and meeting a variety of legal, managerial, staffing, and operational criteria. For many public radio and TV stations, CPB is a lifeline for station programming and operations.
On average, we receive about one-third of our annual operating budget from the CPB, and those funds pay for popular programs from National Public Radio, African American Public Radio Consortium, Public Radio Exchange, and WFMT Radio Network. CPB funding is also used for basic operations and services from the Associated Press and transmitter facility fees.
Right now, congress is considering proposed federal budget cuts to eliminate funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. While NPR and PBS are often in the spotlight, it’s local stations in rural communities that rely on CPB support to provide local news, music, and emergency information.
Federal funding helps WMKY serve eastern Kentucky with regional news, information, and real-time emergency alerts. In areas with limited broadband, public radio can often be the only source for news and information.
Today, I’m asking you to oppose eliminating federal funding for public media, jeopardizing our ability to operate. Contact your legislators and representatives and tell them to oppose any measures to rescind or eliminate funding to public media, specifically, eliminating federal support to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Thank you for your time and your thoughtful consideration of taking action to support public media. Most importantly, thank you for supporting Morehead State Public Radio, WMKY, celebrating sixty years of serving the communities of eastern Kentucky.
For more information, read more on our website at: www.wmky.org
Sincerely,
Paul Hitchcock, GM
Morehead State Public Radio – WMKY
132 Breckinridge Hall
Morehead State University
Morehead, KY 40351
Phone: 606.783.2334
E-mail: p.hitchc@moreheadstate.edu
Kentucky Congressional Delegates – U.S. Senate
Sen. Mitch McConnell – Washington Office
317 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2541
Sen. Mitch McConnell – Lexington Office:
771 Corporate Drive
Suite 108
Lexington, KY 40503
Phone: (859) 224-8286
Sen. Rand Paul – Washington Office
167 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC, 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4343
Sen. Rand Paul – Bowling Green Office
1029 State Street
Bowling Green, KY 42101
Phone: (270) 782-8303
Kentucky Congressional Delegates – U.S. House of Representatives
Rep. James Comer, 1st District – Washington Office
1513 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3115
Rep. James Comer – Madisonville Office
67 North Main Street
Madisonville, KY 42431
Phone: (270) 487-9509
Rep. Brett Guthrie, Republican, 2nd District – Washington Office
2434 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3501
Rep. Brett Guthrie, Republican, 2nd District – Bowling Green Office
996 Wilkinson Trace, Suite B2
Bowling Green, KY 42103
Phone: (270) 842-9896
Rep. John Yarmuth, Democrat, 3rd District – Washington Office
131 Cannon House Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-5401
Rep. John Yarmuth, Democrat, 3rd District – Louisville Office
Southwest Government Center
7219 Dixie Highway
Louisville, KY 40258
Phone: (502) 933-5863
Rep. Thomas Massie, Republican, 4th District – Washington Office
2453 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-3465
Rep. Thomas Massie, Republican, 4th District – Ashland Office
1700 Greenup Ave, Suite 505
Ashland, KY 41101
Phone: (606) 324-9898
Rep. Hal Rogers, Republican, 5th District – Washington Office
2406 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4601
Rep. Hal Rogers, Republican, 5th District – Prestonsburg Office
110 Resource Court, Suite A
Prestonsburg, KY 41653
Phone: (606) 886-0844
Rep. Andy Barr, Republican, 6th District – Washington Office
1427 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4706
Rep. Andy Barr, Republican, 6th District – Lexington Office
2709 Old Rosebud Road
Lexington, KY 40509
Phone: (859) 219-1366
Protect My Public Media
Protect My Public Media (PMPM) is an action network of Americans who are dedicated to protecting local public television and radio stations and the programming and services they provide. PMPM, in collaboration with local stations and partners, directs audiences to take action to protect the federal investment in public media.
Sign up for email alerts to find out how you can help save public media.
Learn more at: https://protectmypublicmedia.org