New members power KUT and KUTX fall membership drive
AUSTIN, Texas — Oct. 30. 2014 — A record 50 percent of the donations made to KUT 90.5, Austin's NPR station, and KUTX 98.9, the Austin Music Experience, during the fall membership drive were from new members, surpassing the stations’ goal and raising more than $625,000 for programming.
The semi-annual fund raiser, which began Oct. 21, concluded this morning when the goal of 2,000 new members was met. This was thanks, in part, to several business and individuals creating matching grants to attract first-time donors to the stations.
New and sustaining members are the lifeblood of public radio, paying for the news, music and cultural programming the community relies on. The sustaining membership program has grown to nearly 14,000 members who care deeply about the services provided on KUT and KUTX and make continuous monthly gifts via credit or debit card — like a subscription — which allow on-air fund drives to focus on recruiting new supporters.
“As more people move to Central Texas they discover KUT and KUTX as a way to connect to the community, whether it’s learning about the transportation issues and new city council representation system on KUT, or plugging into the local music scene and discovering new artists on KUTX,” said Stewart Vanderwilt, director and general manager of KUT and KUTX public radio. “Fortunately, Austin is a community where citizens invest in public radio as a way of giving back to the community.”
KUT and KUTX depend on local individuals and businesses for more than 90 percent of their annual operating budget. Donations pay for programming and broadcasting expenses, such as KUT’s award-winning news staff, and paying for programs such as "Morning Edition," "This American Life," "Wait, Wait…Don't Tell Me," "Marketplace," "Fresh Air," and many others while helping KUTX deliver on its promise to bring the Austin Music Experience to the world.
About KUT 90.5 and KUTX 98.9, The Austin Music Experience
KUT 90.5, Austin's NPR station, uses the highest editorial standards to shed light on the city's civic challenges and opportunities. A founding member of NPR, KUT News has won more than 100 state, national and international awards for journalistic excellence. “Texas Standard,” KUT’s one-hour daily news program launching statewide in 2015, offers crisp, up-to-the-moment coverage of politics, lifestyle, the environment, technology, innovation and business —uncovering stories as they happen and spotting trends that will shape tomorrow’s headlines, from a Texas perspective.
KUTX 98.9, The Austin Music Experience, is the non-commercial, member-supported music service of KUT Public Radio. KUTX 98.9 features fresh, cutting-edge music, alongside iconic songs and established artists who continue to inspire. Programming includes live, one-of-a-kind performances in Studio 1A; the Austin Music Minute, the KUTX Song of the Day and the Austin Music Map featuring some of the unlikely places where music is being made in Austin.
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Contact: ErinGeisler (512) 475-8071