Legislative Community Media Funding Moving Forward
This legislative session community radio and public access TV have partnered to pursue state funding for what we do. Late last week the House passed the funding as part of the budget!
It's 1.89M, supported through the Secretary of State's general fund budget. $90K of that will support the 9 community radio stations annual operating budgets. The process continues in the state Senate next.
This legislative session we've partnered between community radio (9 stations around the state) and the public access TV stations (24 of them) via the Vermont Access Network to pursue state funding for our work. After a lot of work in the first half of the session, we are pleased to share that the House has passed our funding request! It's 1.89M, supported through the Secretary of State's general fund budget. $90K of that will support the 9 community radio stations annual operating budget, distributed proportional to their budgets. This is a very tough budget year and many worthy projects did not get funded.
We are so grateful for this support from the House. We aren't done yet, next we work with the state Senate to finish the budget process.
WGDH Upgrades This Spring
WGDH is getting upgraded with a new heat pump, repair to the antenna line, and a new transmitter (replacing the one that is 15 years old and showing its age!). You won't hear much of a difference, but these are investments in the durability and future for the station. This is thanks to last year’s state funding!
Remember our one-time state support from last year? Now that winter is thawing, we're able to work on the upgrades for both WGDH and WGDR, with the new antenna in May. WGDH's upgrades include a new heat pump that went in last week, to protect our broadcast equipment from the extreme temperatures now get, especially in summer. We'll also be fixing the antenna line and installing a new transmitter (replacing the one that is 15 years old and showing its age!). You won't hear much of a difference, but these are investments in the durability and future for the station.
WGDR is up in May for the very exciting new antenna and move to the new tower.
New Spring Schedule
Do you hear that? It's the sound of a new schedule just in time for spring. Welcome to all the new local programmers and don't miss out on the few new syndicated programs too.
Do you hear that?
It's the sound of a new schedule just in time for spring.
Welcome to all the new local programmers and don't miss out on the few new syndicated programs too.
The new local programmers are Aidan Gongloff-Piche, Ari Erlbaum, Fern Sutton-Smith, Nicole Valcour, Traven Leyshon (co-hosting a new show with Joseph Gainza), Walt Amses (co-hosting a new show with Steve Farnham), and Fia Prestigiacomo.
Find these new folks with their local shows on:
Ethan - Co-hosting with Curse of the Golden Turnip, Sundays, 7-9am.
Aidan - ALGO - Started February 18, airing Wednesday, 5-7pm on the 1st & 3rd of month.
Walt & Steven - Prodcast, Thursdays, 6am-8am
Nicole - Rebel Health, Sundays, 10am-Noon, 1st Sunday of month
Fia - Snail Music, Tuesdays 6-7pm, 1st & 3rd of the month
Ari & Iris - The Moment Given, 2nd Wednesdays, 3-4pm,
Traven & Joseph - Bread & Roses Too - Every other 1st Saturday, 9am-10am
DJ Citrus with Open All Hours at 2am on Wednesday mornings.
*New syndicated shows include:
Softpower and Fulstories - talk shows at 5am on Sundays
Spirit in Action - talk show 3rd Mondays at 11am and the 2nd & 4th Saturdays at 9am
Donne Del Mondo - overnight music show at 1am on Wednesdays.
The Kinetic Playground and THe Sonic Cafe - overnight music shows at 1am and 2am on Fridays.
This takes our schedule to more than 75% local and live programming. A huge milestone for the station, especially as we prepare to expand our broadcast reach this spring for WGDR and 91.1 FM.
The station is also has a far more diverse representation of our community - perhaps than ever before?
In 2021, we inherited a schedule of 23 local folks doing shows after the ownership change.
Age: None were under 30, 29% were under 65, and 55% were over 65.
Gender: 22% were women, none were trans, and 77% were men.
Sexuality: 3% were queer, 96% were not queer.
With this latest schedule, just over four years later, we hav 65 local folks doing shows.
Age: ith 6% are under 30, 70% are under 64, and 21% are over 65.
Gender: 27% are women, 7% are trans, and 64% are men.
Sexuality: 27% are queer and 72% are not queer.
We share these stats because representation matters on the air and inviting folks to be out about who they are matters, as we tell the story of our changing and diverse community on the air.
*Part of the need to add new syndicated shows is to adjust for the retirement of the long running show, Letters & Politics last fall, which aired Monday-Thursday, as well as a retirement of a few other syndicated local shows in the last few months.
Our Spring Fundrive…Most Donors Ever!
As of 3/23 we raised $23K, from a record number of donors, especially folks who stream us online. Holy cats folks! It’s the people, not just the funds, that make this station possible. Way to show up in both ways.
Because of you, community stays at the heart of everything we do. It keeps us local, independent, and focused on you.
From all of us here at CVCR—thank you so much.
Once again, the community has stepped up during our Spring Fundrive.
Wow, folks, once again you set records:
A record in most donors ever give during a drive: 251. Yes, that is the number of towns in Vermont, lol! We only had 500 donors total last year, so this is huge.
Another record with 104 streamers giving. That is double our goal of 53.
59 listeners became new donors. Way past our goal of 53.
13 listeners became new sustainers.
These records in donors are big for our future. It means as we increase listeners, we are also increasing donors. That is how we sustain this station!
As of March 23, we are at just about $23,000. The big goal was $25,000, but folks, with money so tight for all of us, getting this close is a win. Thank you all for giving what you could—some of you gave more than once! We see you, we appreciate you!
The day after a fundrive is a great time to also show our big, big gratitude to everyone who makes this place so special:
Thank you to our 65 programmers who poured their hearts into their shows, many doing longer or extra shows to keep us live and local for an extra 100 hours during the drive. You heard live music, special guests, karaoke, great music themed shows, bad advice call in shows, and so much more. Thank you to all who put the FUN in the fundrive!
Each drive we also give out a “Fundrive MVP (Most Valuable Programmer) Award” to thank the person(s) who stepped up in extra fun and drivin' ways. Congrats to Maura Quinn - host of Though Pasture and co-host of Quilting Hour - for showcasing the energy, the excitement, the engagement with fellow programmers in cross talks, and the many extra radio hours that helped inspire other programmers raise the bar for their shows and listeners to give. Thanks, Maura!
Everyone who gave to programmer show pages. Those notes you left folks raise spirits and remind folks why their shows matter. Thank you!
Our matching donors during this drive. With $8,000 in matching gifts, this made a huge difference! Thanks to our many generous anonymous major donors and to our underwriters Black Bear Biodiesel, Center for Arts & Learning, Buffalo Mountain Coop, Mad Taco, and Jake’s Carpentry and Painting, LLC.
We are back to normal programming this week! Phew!
You didn't miss your chance to give either. If you have the means to make a hero gift to get us the rest of the way to $25K, we’d love ya forever (still will even if you don’t give!).
Music Bingo at Charlie-Os! March 26
Come play Music Bingo Thursday, March 26 from 8 to 10pm. The night is hosted by Maura of Thought Pasture with DJ Emma of The Revel Level playing tunes.
We’ll have 6 rounds of regular bingo, with a championship round of music (like name that tune). A suggested donation of $10 to the station lets you play all rounds!
Central Vermont Community Radio is bringing you more Music Bingo!
Join us at the World Famous Charlie-Os in downtown Montpelier for a night of bingo, music, and fun on Thursday, March 26 from 8 to 10pm.
We’ll have 6 rounds of regular bingo, with a championship round of music (like name that tune). A suggested donation of $10 to the station lets you play all rounds! There are fabulous prizes up for grabs for each round too!
The night is hosted by Maura of Thought Pasture with DJ Emma of The Revel Level playing tunes.
We’ll see you there! 🎉
You’re Invited! Community Celebration of Fundrive at Tally
Come celebrate the last day of Spring Fundrive, Sunday, March 22 12-3pm at Tally pool hall in Barre. All listeners, supporters, and programmers are invited. There’ll be games, snacks, good company, and plenty of community spirit. It’s our way of saying thank you for supporting local, community-made radio.
As our Spring Fundrive wraps up, we want to celebrate everyone who makes this place so special — and who puts so much love and funding into the success of the fundrive.
This year we’re taking our Spring Fundrive party out into the community and inviting our listeners to join us. Come hang out with your favorite programmers, meet fellow community radio lovers, and celebrate another successful fundrive together.
Join us Sunday March 22nd from 12-3pm at Tally pool hall in downtown Barre.
There’ll be games, snacks, good company, and plenty of community spirit. It’s our way of saying thank you for supporting local, community-made radio.
Event Space Details:
Tally is at 224 North Main, Barre, VT. Parking is available on Main Street or in the back in city parking lots.
This is a pool hall, with a bar and non-booze drinks are available too.
We’ll have some free light appetizers to snack on.
Pool games cost $10 per hour. You don’t need to play, you can just hang out.
As this is during the day, anyone of any age is allowed to attend, but must be accompanied by a guardian or parent if under 21.
Special thanks to Tally for hosting us! We hope to see you there!