KRTU is an essential part of life in San Antonio and listener-support is an essential part of KRTU. As a non-profit, mission-driven radio station, donations from individuals play a vital role in the continued success and growth of KRTU. Almost 60% of the station’s annual operating budget comes from individual donations.
This year's Spring Membership Drive concluded on Friday, April 8th after raising $30,000 in donations from KRTU listeners from all over the country! Listeners called in from throughout the South Texas region, Boston, Miami, Seattle and everywhere in between. One of those remote listeners shared "you're not a small as you think you are."
KRTU's twice-a-year on-air membership drives are the culmination of a six month fundraising cycle that focuses on encouraging listeners of the station to make a financial contribution. The on-air membership drives are the best time for KRTU Members to make a donation to the station because they are the least expensive way for KRTU to reach supporting listeners, which increases the impact of each financial gift received.
Over 1500 individuals make up the KRTU Member base, which is part of a vibrant community which also includes six full-time staff, six student interns from Trinity University, twenty Department of Communication students, innumerous local musicians and artists, and forty volunteer on-air hosts.
Donations go toward covering the many costs of running a non-commerical, educational (NCE) radio station like
- Annual fees for KRTU’s web stream and mobile app services,
- Music royalties to songwriters for broadcast and streaming,
- Equipment upkeep and replacement, and
- Event production and audio recording costs.
Listeners donate to KRTU for a range of reasons, including most popularly, his or her love for listening to the station. First-time KRTU Member Gregory Barfell shares why he decided to start supporting the station during this Spring Membership Drive:
KTRU changed the way I looked at jazz and music in general. I really dislike commercials so I would just leave KRTU on the radio when I would drive. I've discovered so much music by listening, everything from traditional jazz, blues, funk, soul, indie rock, etc.... I started listening in while I did my studies at college because I didn't have to think about what kind of music to play, the music would just come to me. KRTU helped me get through those long college nights and now I continue to listen at my post-grad job. I use jazz as an escape. No matter what's going in my life, I'll always have jazz to use [as] a refuge."
KRTU's spring fundraising campaign continues through May 31, 2016 and we need to raise $6,000 to reach our overall goal. Keep KRTU strong by declaring your support today: trinity.edu/krtu
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