This week, Baylor University announced it would no longer be providing financial support for KWBU as part of a reprioritization of its discretionary funds. Since the station’s origins, Baylor has been the largest individual cash donor.
Although they will continue to provide in-kind support – our office space, IT, and accounting – they will no longer be providing critical monetary funding to the station.
The change from Baylor will result in a funding shortfall of more than $200,000 (which is roughly 20% of the operating budget). To ensure continued operation, KWBU will responsibly utilize station reserves through the next fiscal year.
Currently, the station has 700 contributing listeners – that’s less than 5% of our 15,000 active listeners. That’s the gap that really matters.
Waco Public Radio remains committed to providing trusted news and cultural programming with NO paywall, ensuring broad access for all.
But to sustain this service now requires an even larger pool of donors.
To fill that gap, we are setting an ambitious new goal: 1,500 new members – remember that’s out of 15,000 listeners. We are now calling on listeners to step forward as donors, reinforcing the value of public radio in Waco.
We’re asking that YOU choose NOW to become a CONTRIBUTING listener – giving what you can – to show your support for broad community access with no paywall to vital news – local and worldwide – and other programming that you count on from Waco Public Radio.
Every new donor— every new DOLLAR – signals that KWBU is valued by our community.
For any questions, please email KWBU President Joe Riley.
Baylor Provided the below statement:
“KWBU is a community public radio station serving the Greater Waco area. Like other KWBU supporters, Baylor University does not direct KWBU’s programming, content or news coverage. As Baylor aims to be good stewards of students’ tuition dollars, we are reducing the direct financial subsidy and underwriting the University provides to the station as part of a campuswide strategic budget reallocation process. We are hopeful the community will step up and support KWBU at the level Baylor has for many years.”