WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
Because of you, WFHB is celebrating our 25th year on the air! Thanks to your support, WFHB has been able to expand to four frequencies, providing more coverage in South Central Indiana, and allowing us to broadcast rich musical variety as well as local news and public affairs programs that enrich and inform. The voices you hear on-air are the people you see in your neighborhood, at your local co-op, or at your local music venue. This phenomenon happens because of your financial support. Please tune in during our 2018 Fall Fund Drive, starting on September 7th and consider contributing to WFHB. Our goal is to raise $48,000 by September 16th. With your generous support, we can reach our goal.
These are trying times for local, independent news organizations. Media has been dubbed the “enemy of the people” by the powers that be. But we are not the enemy. We are the people. Local news programs like Daily Local News, Eco Report, Interchange and Big Talk offer in-dept interviews and cover stories that directly impact our lives in South Central Indiana. WFHB public affairs programs like Bring It On!, BloomingOUT, and Hola Bloomington allow listeners to hear minority perspectives on current events. In addition, syndicated news programs like Democracy Now, Reveal, Counterspin, and Alternative Radio offer rare insight to the disenfranchised and lift the voices of those marginalized by national policy. Because of your support, we can broadcast these voices.
Our music programming continues to shine through nearly 70 hours each week of eclectic and specialty music programmed by over 90 volunteer DJs. Each one shares with you their own distinct flavor and passion for eclectic music programming. We continue to broadcast nearly a hundred live sessions each year – our weekly Local Live sessions with local artists, our annual Lotus Live sessions with Lotus World Music and Arts Festival performers and our Firehouse Sessions featuring touring artists coming to town. Your contribution to WFHB supports a thriving music culture amongst our community.
While WFHB has much to celebrate, we face a significant obstacle. Each of the last 12 years, WFHB receives a Community Service Grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This allows us to cover more stories, produce more content, as well as offer more nationally recognized syndicated programming. Our challenge is this: to receive the CSG we must raise a minimum threshold revenue. The threshold amount has increased dramatically in the past five years and WFHB struggles to secure the threshold each year. WFHB is facing the potential loss of 30% of its operating budget if we do not meet our financial goal of $48,000 during our Fall Fund Drive. Your continued support is crucial during this transition into our next quarter century as we move to operate with less reliance on the CSG. There is much work for us to do, but we know we can meet our goal with your support.
And to celebrate our silver anniversary, WFHB is hosting our very own block party on September 15! The 2018 WFHB Block Rocker will feature a musical lineup that mirrors our own musical variety on the air, plus live DJs, food trucks, beer, and other local vendors and friendly faces. See the poster included with this letter. Come, bring your friends and family, have a great time and support your community radio station, WFHB!
