KOSU loses signal in northeastern Oklahoma because of thunderstorm; jeopardizes spring pledge drive

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Listeners Asked to Make a Difference to Reach 700 Pledges by Thursday at 6 p.m.

(STILLWATER, Okla., March 31, 2009) -- KOSU, the NPR station at Oklahoma State University at 91.7 in Stillwater-Oklahoma City, and 107.5 in Bartlesville-Tulsa, is unable to reach thousands of listeners in northeastern Oklahoma in the closing days of its spring pledge drive because of a Monday night thunderstorm that damaged its transmitter site at 107.5 near Nowata. 

107.5 also feeds the KOSU signal to translators in the Tulsa area at 107.3 and 101.9.  As a result, the station’s goal of 700 pledges during its eight-day Make a Difference campaign is in serious jeopardy according to KOSU Executive Director Kelly Burley, who provided details about the apparent lightning damage during the station’s first on-air fundraiser break Tuesday at 6 a.m. 

“Because we will be unable to reach thousands of our listeners in Tulsa and northeastern Oklahoma through the remainder of the Make a Difference Campaign, our goal of 700 pledges is in extreme jeopardy,” Burley said.  “We will need a monumental response from our 91.7 listeners in central Oklahoma to help us reach our goal.”

KOSU relies on listener contributions to pay for programming from National Public Radio, American Public Media and Public Radio International.  National programs include Morning Edition; All Things Considered; A Prairie Home Companion; Car Talk; Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me; This American Life, and American Routes. Because of listener support, KOSU also has a full-time state Capitol Bureau to cover the Oklahoma legislature and produces local stories featuring the voices of Oklahoma.

“Listener contributions are the lifeblood of KOSU, representing approximately 50% of our budget, and we can ill afford to fall short of our goal,” Burley said.  “Depending on where we stand at the end of the pledge drive, we may need to extend the fundraiser or come back to our listeners in the near future to ask them to help us make up for the air time that was lost with our 107.5 listeners during the fundraiser.”

There is currently no timeframe for KOSU to resume broadcasts at 107.5.  The station’s chief engineer has been on site evaluating the extent of the damage and determining what steps are necessary to return the station to the air in northeastern Oklahoma.  Although the tower and transmitter are insured, the out-of-pocket cost to the station could reach as high as $10,000.

To make a pledge during the KOSU Make a Difference Campaign, call 800-228-4678 or pledge online at www.kosu.org.