Radio is a tough business to be in, regardless of whether one’s station is a commercial or non-commercial enterprise. Bills keep coming in and donations and advertising dollars don’t always keep pace.
A few days ago, community/public radio station KZYX posted a dire message on its website with the headline “The Station is in Pretty Rough Financial Straits Right Now.” A posting on the KZYX Facebook page states, “…KZYX is still in a great deal of debt and our cash flow right now is extremely low. It isn’t clear whether or not we can pay our bills or make payroll this month, or even next month.”
The post goes on to explain that on August 25, KZYX will be holding a fundraising drive and that the stakes are high. According to the post, “…without either significantly raising income or sharply cutting expenses even further, KZYX may well cease to exist – and soon – if we cannot remedy things. This is not a joke, this is not a test. This is reality…if you can help, please donate now.”
KZYX is an interesting community radio station that airs a blend of syndicated and local programming from its rural studio in Philo, California. I visited the station back in 2010 and am a big fan of its folksy “Trading Time” program, which I included in my list of all-time favorite radio shows that same year.
I hope that with its upcoming fundraiser and with its current “not-so-silent-drive,” KZYX is able to reach its goals in order to stay on the air in Mendocino County.
