FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — National Public Radio affiliate, KUAF
91.3 FM, will launch its spring on-air fund-raiser Saturday, March 24. With an
eight day goal of $140,000, this campaign will be one of the most ambitious in
the station’s 22-year history. The spring fund-raiser is one of two annual
on-air campaigns.
“Together with $125,000 raised during
last fall’s fund-raiser, these funds will provide KUAF with 22 percent of this
year’s $1.2 million operating budget,” said Rick Stockdell, KUAF general
manager. “We’ve conducted two on-air fund-raisers per year since spring of
1989, so this will be number 37.” In
addition to the semi-annual fund-raisers, in 1987 listeners responded to a special
on-air campaign by contributing $20,000 to fund the station’s conversion to
100,000 watts - the strongest signal allowed by the Federal Communications
Commission.
Volunteers, drawn from a pool of
approximately 75 people, will be on hand during the spring fund-raiser to
answer phones and take payments and pledges. Dozens of area restaurants have
contributed food and refreshments to feed volunteers throughout the eight-day
event.
Unlike most public television and
radio stations, KUAF does not use "premiums" - coffee mugs, tote
bags, and other trinkets - to entice donations. “We like to use the money we
raise on quality programming,” said Leigh Wood,
KUAF membership director. “Our listeners have told us that they contribute to
preserve good programming, and not for a tote bag they might receive.”
KUAF, with a weekly audience of
more than 55,000 listeners, broadcasts throughout northwest Arkansas,
and into southern Missouri, eastern Oklahoma
and the River Valley.
For more information about the
March 24-31 fund-raiser, or to volunteer, go to http://www.kuaf.com,
or call (479) 575-7259.