PBS NewsHour has interviewed KFSK Petersburg's Tom Abbott about the CPB defunding issue:
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Alaska What The CPB Funding Cut Would Mean To Rural Alaska
- Thread starter SomeRadioGuy
- Start date
Is this you, SRG? I was listening to this on my local station, WKSU/Cleveland.
No, my name is Paul, not Tom.. and KFSK has several full and part time staffers. i dont im the only full timer
Coast Alaska, the station services and advocacy group sent out a final warning so to speak and urged us to reach out to Begich... so this is what i sent, some of it in direct reply to comments he made on this topic before
In rural Alaska, we dont have internet on cell phones, the network out here is 2G. Some still dont have.. or even want the internet for various traditional and cost reasons. But what do they have? A radio.
I manage a public radio station station in rural McGrath. We serve several very small, remote villages on the lower Yukon, Lower Kuskokwim and Upper Kuskokwim whos population is predominantly older and radio is a very important habit and tradition. They have formed a relationship with us over 40 plus years and TRUST US.
If the CPB funding is eliminated, it would devastate my station... KSKO. Why? We derive 60 to 70 percent of our operating budget from CPB funding and I am the only full time staff member but we still manage to offer exemplary service
We have been on air at all hours of the day and night when towns are flooding at river break up when the water starts moving again. We have been on air whenever needed to bring wildfire information to our residents when towns are being threatened.
When a town begins to flood at 10pm at night, I was on the air for several hours. People might be winding down the night or laying in bed but they have radios on. When people woke up the next day and realized how bad the flooding was and how it kept going, I was on the air on and off for 9 hours providing vital information as the situation changed.
In situations like that, even if people have internet and cell phones, they don't have time to be searching for stuff as they clean muck off their living room floor and move furniture or throw out stuff that was damaged.
When a wildfire is so close to a community, visibility is less than a mile, they don't have time to be looking stuff up, they have to protect their property but can listen to radio with earbuds or on a big speaker while they work.
When our community was dealt a one two punch with two deaths in the same weekend, one from the Bering Air crash and one from a 6 year old dying under questionable circumstances, we had a mental health professional on the air the next day to talk about coping with loss.
When phone service on landlines or cell phones fails, as it so regularly does out here, offering rendering cell and landlines inoperable, even to reach 911, KSKO plays a critical role in letting people know about the outage and what to do in the interim when an emergency may arise while also playing public megaphone and passing along urgent messages.
With the loss of CPB funding, my position would eventually be eliminated and so would all of our local programming and all of that life saving information. Residents would have nowhere to turn for any of that. Social media and the internet are great as ADDITIONAL TOOLS for us, but could never even come close to approaching what we offer.. mainly information that you can trust and know is accurate.
Please, please.... save our CPB funding. KSKO has a 44 year legacy of being the only source of information and despite having little staff, I continue that because PEOPLE DEPEND ON US.
Rep Begich or any of his staff are VERY WELCOME to call me anytime .. 907 **** that is my cell phone. I would be glad to share stories, answer any questions or even further explain why we are so vital.
I understand people who don't live or spend alot of time in rural Alaska may not understand just how vital we are, so I am more than glad to provide any info I can.
In rural Alaska, we dont have internet on cell phones, the network out here is 2G. Some still dont have.. or even want the internet for various traditional and cost reasons. But what do they have? A radio.
I manage a public radio station station in rural McGrath. We serve several very small, remote villages on the lower Yukon, Lower Kuskokwim and Upper Kuskokwim whos population is predominantly older and radio is a very important habit and tradition. They have formed a relationship with us over 40 plus years and TRUST US.
If the CPB funding is eliminated, it would devastate my station... KSKO. Why? We derive 60 to 70 percent of our operating budget from CPB funding and I am the only full time staff member but we still manage to offer exemplary service
We have been on air at all hours of the day and night when towns are flooding at river break up when the water starts moving again. We have been on air whenever needed to bring wildfire information to our residents when towns are being threatened.
When a town begins to flood at 10pm at night, I was on the air for several hours. People might be winding down the night or laying in bed but they have radios on. When people woke up the next day and realized how bad the flooding was and how it kept going, I was on the air on and off for 9 hours providing vital information as the situation changed.
In situations like that, even if people have internet and cell phones, they don't have time to be searching for stuff as they clean muck off their living room floor and move furniture or throw out stuff that was damaged.
When a wildfire is so close to a community, visibility is less than a mile, they don't have time to be looking stuff up, they have to protect their property but can listen to radio with earbuds or on a big speaker while they work.
When our community was dealt a one two punch with two deaths in the same weekend, one from the Bering Air crash and one from a 6 year old dying under questionable circumstances, we had a mental health professional on the air the next day to talk about coping with loss.
When phone service on landlines or cell phones fails, as it so regularly does out here, offering rendering cell and landlines inoperable, even to reach 911, KSKO plays a critical role in letting people know about the outage and what to do in the interim when an emergency may arise while also playing public megaphone and passing along urgent messages.
With the loss of CPB funding, my position would eventually be eliminated and so would all of our local programming and all of that life saving information. Residents would have nowhere to turn for any of that. Social media and the internet are great as ADDITIONAL TOOLS for us, but could never even come close to approaching what we offer.. mainly information that you can trust and know is accurate.
Please, please.... save our CPB funding. KSKO has a 44 year legacy of being the only source of information and despite having little staff, I continue that because PEOPLE DEPEND ON US.
Rep Begich or any of his staff are VERY WELCOME to call me anytime .. 907 **** that is my cell phone. I would be glad to share stories, answer any questions or even further explain why we are so vital.
I understand people who don't live or spend alot of time in rural Alaska may not understand just how vital we are, so I am more than glad to provide any info I can.
You betcha
This is the statement our station is releasing concerning whats going on:
Public Statement from Kuskokwim Public Broadcasting Corporation / KSKO regarding the funding rescission for public broadcasting
July 17, 2025
We are deeply saddened to share that the U.S. House of Representatives has approved a plan originally proposed by the Trump administration to rescind $9 billion in previously allocated federal funding. This includes a devastating $1.1 billion cut to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), effectively eliminating all federal support for KSKO Radio.
As a result, Kuskokwim Public Broadcasting Corporation will begin scaling back operations in a way that allows us to remain on the air for as long as possible.
This funding loss impacts every village we serve in the Upper and Middle Kuskokwim region, the GASH area and our listeners in the Ft. Yukon and Fairbanks areas. Your voice matters now more than ever. Our Community Advisory Board will be seeking your input as we make critical decisions about the future of our service.
How can you help fill the gap today?
Support KSKO today by signing up or renewing your membership online or by phone. Your contribution directly supports the local programming, news, and community connection we work hard to provide every day.
We remain committed to our mission of connecting and informing our communities and will do everything we can to preserve that service.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding during this challenging time.
— Kuskokwim Public Broadcasting Corporation / KSKO Radio
Public Statement from Kuskokwim Public Broadcasting Corporation / KSKO regarding the funding rescission for public broadcasting
July 17, 2025
We are deeply saddened to share that the U.S. House of Representatives has approved a plan originally proposed by the Trump administration to rescind $9 billion in previously allocated federal funding. This includes a devastating $1.1 billion cut to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), effectively eliminating all federal support for KSKO Radio.
As a result, Kuskokwim Public Broadcasting Corporation will begin scaling back operations in a way that allows us to remain on the air for as long as possible.
This funding loss impacts every village we serve in the Upper and Middle Kuskokwim region, the GASH area and our listeners in the Ft. Yukon and Fairbanks areas. Your voice matters now more than ever. Our Community Advisory Board will be seeking your input as we make critical decisions about the future of our service.
How can you help fill the gap today?
Support KSKO today by signing up or renewing your membership online or by phone. Your contribution directly supports the local programming, news, and community connection we work hard to provide every day.
We remain committed to our mission of connecting and informing our communities and will do everything we can to preserve that service.
Thank you for your continued support and understanding during this challenging time.
— Kuskokwim Public Broadcasting Corporation / KSKO Radio
What operations will be scaled back?
We dont have exact figures and facts yet
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
*shaking head* This just happened and already questions like that are coming up. Does anyone understand that this is creating crisis-level concern at the stations receiving CPB funding? Does anyone understand that a question like that is totally premature under the circumstances?
Breathing room, people. Breathing room.
If stations in any area (metro or rural) have to drop all their NPR programming because of the budget cuts, could they still stay on the air as independent non-commercial radio stations airing what they can to fill a schedule?
Carrying the national programming is cheaper than hiring local staff. My expectation is that many of these stations will have to carry more national programming. The question these stations have to ask is what programming will attract membership money. For many of these stations, the NPR News programming is what attracts the most money. That will be the determining factor.
On the other hand, there are a lot of these stations that never carried NPR programming, and always used the CPB money for local staff and expenses. They have tougher decisions to make. I'm expecting to see more talk about sharing resources among stations in order to economize.
I'm anticipating that NPR will be reassessing its fee structure in light of this. The NPR board is made up of station GMs, so I imagine they've already talked about a way forward that will work for everyone.
well eventually end up doign that if funding cant be secured... drop local programming, fire local staff
My question was rhetorical. The point was that Mr. Walker runs a one-man operation that hasn't many resources to be scaled back. I'm concerned that "scaling back" is tantamount to shutting down KSKO.
eventually, further down the line, that is a very very very likely possibility
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
Yes, but it sounded like you wanted to know, right now, what KSKO was going to do:
That does not sound "rhetorical". And I am sure Paul himself has a lot of uncertainty at this point.
There needs to be time for stations to formulate their plans before we can expect that they will have an answer to that question. The question sounded more premature than rhetorical.
KINU-FM/KOTZ-AM have already cut some staff and they will be signing off 12mid to 6am. They have enough money to operate until late late Spring/early early summer 2026
KCHU-AM has few if any reserves and if more funding isnt found, they may be off air around the same time as KOTZ. KCHU is also facing erosion at their tower site with the tower close to falling into the water.
KCHU-AM has few if any reserves and if more funding isnt found, they may be off air around the same time as KOTZ. KCHU is also facing erosion at their tower site with the tower close to falling into the water.
Paul, if I had Maurice J. Minnifield money, I'd bankroll your station and let you play whatever you wanted 24/7. You'd never have to play any showtunes in return.
I'm sincerely sorry this is happening to you, and to all the other vital, small rural stations like yours.
I'm sincerely sorry this is happening to you, and to all the other vital, small rural stations like yours.
Paul, if I had Maurice J. Minnifield money, I'd bankroll your station and let you play whatever you wanted 24/7. You'd never have to play any showtunes in return.
I'm sincerely sorry this is happening to you, and to all the other vital, small rural stations like yours.
Thanks.... we're doing everything we can to raise/find more money
There may be some hope..
Poor KCHU/Valdez had to drop their 770 kHz AM tower due to the river under-cutting the foundations. I hope they can re-build in time.
Poor KCHU/Valdez had to drop their 770 kHz AM tower due to the river under-cutting the foundations. I hope they can re-build in time.