Congress recently voted to rescind about $1.1 billion in funding for public broadcasting, which includes a $175,000 funding cut for the only public radio station in our region – KPRG 89.3 FM.
KRPG General Manager Chris Hartig will go on air for a 26-hour marathon, from 7 a.m. Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday, to raise money for the station.
“KPRG has been part of the community for more than 30 years,” Hartig said. “Hundreds of volunteers and supporters have come together during that time to provide news, information and entertainment 24 hours a day in a non-commercial environment.”
During the marathon, KPRG will have volunteers and members of the community stopping by to go on-air and speak about their relationship with public radio and its role in our community. In addition, KPRG will be giving away T-shirts to those who donate and request them.
Hartig said he’s confident the community will chip in to keep the station on the air.
“If you look at the number of people in our broadcast area, it would take just 85 cents per person to make up for the federal funding cuts,” Hartig said. “Or 1,000 people could donate $175. Or 10,000 people could donate $17.50.”
Members of the community can give online at https://www.islapublic.org/contribute
Disclosure: This story was written from a press release submitted to Guam and CNMI media outlets by KPRG General Manager Chris Hartig. It was edited by News Editor Dana Williams. Under KPRG’s protocol for reporting on itself, no other KPRG or NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.