MARYVILLE, Mo. – KXCV-KRNW, 90.5 and 88.9 FM, based at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville and in Chillicothe, has joined with public television and public radio stations across the country in an unprecedented effort to harness the enthusiasm of the 170 million Americans who watch, listen to or use the services and programming of public media each month.
The 170 Million Americans campaign is a grassroots effort founded on the belief that the nation needs a publicly funded media system to offer non-partisan news, local cultural programming and non-commercial educational programs.
The centerpiece of the campaign is a website, 170millionamericans.org, established to engage the support and energy of listeners and viewers.
KXCV-KRNW is urging its members and listeners throughout northern Missouri, southern Iowa, northeast Kansas and southeast Nebraska to join the campaign.
Signing on the air in 1971, KXCV was the first full-power public radio service in Missouri. KXCV provides in-depth news and information with an alternative music format. In 1993, KRNW went on the air in Chillicothe, extending programming across most of the northern 25 percent of Missouri. All programming emanates from KXCV on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville.
Since its inception, KXCV has served as a training ground for Northwest students interested in broadcasting. The dual mission of serving listeners and training students remains foremost in the KXCV-KRNW mission.
Federal funding amounts to 10 to 12 percent of KXCV-KRNW’s annual revenue, or nearly $162,000. Losing that crucial source of operating support would be a blow to the station, its students, communities and the University, said Rodney Harris, KXCV-KRNW general manager and director of broadcast services at Northwest.
“The impact on our students and University would be substantial,” Harris said. “Currently we employ 20 to 24 student positions each trimester giving our students the hands-on opportunities to obtain real world training in the career of their choice. We have an exceptionally high placement rate of graduates who are placed in virtually all parts of the country from Hawaii to the Carolinas. Quality network programs from NPR and American Public Media as well as national news programming and some national music programs would be at risk.”
Individuals can pledge their support by going to www.kxcv.org and clicking on the 170 Million Americans banner or by going directly to www.170millionamericans.org.
For more information about KXCV-KRNW, contact Harris by phone at 660.562.1163 or by e-mail at rharris@nwmissouri.edu.
For more information about efforts nationwide, contact Bill Gray at American Public Media at 651.290.1543 or bgray@mpr.org, or Stacey Karp at the Association of Public Television Stations at 202.654.4222 at skarp@apts.org.
