The Rio Grande Valley's Public Television and Radio Stations

Channel 60
DT 38

88.1 FM
88.9 FM

FM Membership Campaign Cancelled

RGV Educational Broadcasting announces the cancellation of its Public Radio 88FM-HD membership campaign for the week of February 11-17 due to the poor response from our audience in the Rio Grande Valley during the first three days of this campaign.

We understand the reasons for some listeners to hold up their support in the middle of so many technical problems and challenges through our digital transition. But this lack of financial support only aggravates our situation and may force us to make drastic changes on our service to the Rio Grande Valley.

We greatly appreciate the loyalty of the few who have renewed their financial support through Prime Circle and through regular membership and we beg for your patience and understanding.

This present campaign is the third fundraising event out of four in the fiscal year (July 2007-June 2008). So far, in eight months of the present fiscal year, we have collected only 15% of our needed income from local support (as established by the CPB this support should be $200,000.00 a year).

In three days of campaign we received only SIX calls with pledges, meaning a tremendous decline in local support. For some reason our audience in the Rio Grande Valley is sending the message that they want our service but they are not willing to give their money.

This money is absolutely necessary as is the money we receive from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, from underwriters, from the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville and from the University of Texas-Brownsville. The lack of money from listeners represents for Public Radio 88 FM-HD a painful decision to re-design our station in a direction that will ensure revenues but it will not necessarily be what some of our listeners want. Remember: those who HAVE NOT GIVEN THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT will not have any right to complain when their favorite radio station changes or even vanishes from the air!!!

Respectfully,

RGV Educational Broadcasting