WIU eliminating funding for WIUM/WIUW (our local public radio station)

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ST_Lawson
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Another couple of things:
- many of the grants that TSPR receives currently are "matching grants" which are contingent upon the university putting forth a certain amount of money. If that money goes away, the matching grants also go away.
- the university is frequently using the comparison of WQPT, which switched over to being entirely self-funded when the university purchase the station. Problem is, WQPT is in a metropolitan area with upwards of half a million people and total coverage of a population of around 1M people. TSPR...even including all transmitters and re-broadcasters...barely covers a quarter of that. The Quad Cities has John Deere, Modern Woodmen of America, Genesis Health Systems, quite a few other large companies, foundations, and other options for sponsorships. Macomb doesn't have anything close to that: MDH, NTN-Bower, Pella...and the university. There's just no way for a public radio station like WIUM to pull anything close to what WQPT does in terms of donations from viewers/listeners and corporate sponsorships.
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Tere North
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wiu712 wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 1:07 pm In today's Press Release from President Thomas about the funding-cut from Tri-States Public Radio, he says: "We must look at all areas in terms of budget. The University cannot be everything to everyone, particularly in these challenging budgetary times. Quite simply, the University cannot continue to operate as it has in the past."

The BIG elephant in the room is Athletics. The funding necessary to run Athletics far exceeds the $453,000 that WIUM receives.
From the 2017-2018 Appropriated (State) WIU Budget Book
Athletics - Acct # 2-07660 - $1,796,000
Tri-State Public Radio - Acct # 2-74600 - $371,408
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Opportunity knocks. I would set up a table at all the football games and ask for donations. I would also buy a few of these rather unique single station mason jar radios, pre-configured to WIUM, and raffle them off to lucky donor or two each game.

http://www.thepublicrad.io/
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ST_Lawson
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wiu712 wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 1:07 pm The BIG elephant in the room is Athletics. The funding necessary to run Athletics far exceeds the $453,000 that WIUM receives.
Right, that's an issue too. Should it come out of Athletics? Should it come from somewhere else...it's gotta come from somewhere.
There's no easy solution, obviously. Personally...I love WIU athletics (especially football)...and I love Tri-States Public Radio. Both are big recruiting draws for the university and the community. In terms of the students specifically, athletics maybe moreso than TSPR, but it also takes up significantly more funding.

And what about the reduced spending plan that TSPR put together already...why don't they consider that? Apparently they didn't even talk to anyone directly involved to see if they could cut a few things and reduce costs without sacrificing the entire thing.
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wiu712
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ST_Lawson wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 1:22 pm The university is frequently using the comparison of WQPT, which switched over to being entirely self-funded when the university purchase the station.
Another difference besides the population-numbers between WQPT and WIUM: WQPT is a television station.
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Letter to the Editor in today's McDonough County Voice:
De-funding of Tri-States Public Radio.
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/opinion/2 ... n-torreson
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Tere North
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wiu712 wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:21 pm Letter to the Editor in today's McDonough County Voice:
De-funding of Tri-States Public Radio.
http://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/opinion/2 ... n-torreson
While "the 20-county coverage area of our tri-state region is the natural recruiting ground for WIU students," how many prospective students do you really think listen to WIUM?
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Tere North wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:48 pm While "the 20-county coverage area of our tri-state region is the natural recruiting ground for WIU students," how many prospective students do you really think listen to WIUM?
Hard to say. I know I did...but I was a weird kid. When I was in jr. high and high school, my parents would take my sister and I to live recording sessions for Chris Vallillo's nationally syndicated program, Rural Route 3. I grew up listening to folk, zydeco, blues, and classic rock and knowing about half the musicians in the region.
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Tere North
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ST_Lawson wrote: Wed Aug 22, 2018 12:33 am
Tere North wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:48 pm While "the 20-county coverage area of our tri-state region is the natural recruiting ground for WIU students," how many prospective students do you really think listen to WIUM?
Hard to say. I know I did...but I was a weird kid. When I was in jr. high and high school, my parents would take my sister and I to live recording sessions for Chris Vallillo's nationally syndicated program, Rural Route 3. I grew up listening to folk, zydeco, blues, and classic rock and knowing about half the musicians in the region.
Well, Scott. Not that you admitted you were/are weird :lol: but heck, getting more like you should be the best reason ever to keep Tri-States Radio!
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Western_101
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ST_Lawson wrote: Wed Aug 22, 2018 12:33 am
Tere North wrote: Tue Aug 21, 2018 10:48 pm While "the 20-county coverage area of our tri-state region is the natural recruiting ground for WIU students," how many prospective students do you really think listen to WIUM?
Hard to say. I know I did...but I was a weird kid. When I was in jr. high and high school, my parents would take my sister and I to live recording sessions for Chris Vallillo's nationally syndicated program, Rural Route 3. I grew up listening to folk, zydeco, blues, and classic rock and knowing about half the musicians in the region.
Sounds like you were a well rounded young lad. I like the board that you made and administer so In my book that's worth A LOT of points. :D
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