Right now, proposed federal budget cuts threaten to eliminate $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which helps support local stations like KDNK. While NPR and PBS are often in the spotlight, it’s community stations—especially in rural areas like our listening area—that rely most heavily on this support to keep local news, music, and emergency information on the air.
If successful, this could gut hundreds of local radio and television stations, including more than 1,000 NPR-affiliated and 336 PBS stations across the country.
At KDNK, federal funding helps us serve communities across the Western Slope with independent reporting, local music, cultural programming, and real-time emergency alerts. In areas with limited broadband, public radio is sometimes the only reliable news source.
This funding accounts for less than 1/100th of 1% of the federal budget—but it makes a world of difference here.
Let’s make sure rural voices aren’t silenced. We urge you to contact your representatives and tell them to oppose any cuts to public media:
Also, please email megan@kdnk.org and let her know you have made a call or written a letter. Thank you!
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Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO) – Your representative in the House
Washington, D.C. Office
1641 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-4676
Grand Junction District Office
743 Horizon Court, Suite 112
Grand Junction, CO 81506
Phone: (970) 208-0455
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Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) – U.S. Senator for Colorado
Washington, D.C. Office
261 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5852
Toll-Free (Colorado): (866) 455-9866
Grand Junction Office
225 North 5th St. Suite 511
Grand Junction, CO 81501
Phone: (970) 241-6631
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Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) – U.S. Senator for Colorado
Washington, D.C. Office
316 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5941
Grand Junction Office
225 North 5th St. Suite 511
Grand Junction, CO 81501
Phone: (970) 241-6631
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Here is a sample script of what you can say when you call your representatives.
Hi, my name is [Name] and I’m a constituent from [City] and a supporter of KDNK Community Radio.
I’m calling to urge [Representative's Name] to oppose any cuts to public broadcasting, including the proposed defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Stations like KDNK rely on this funding to provide essential local news, emergency alerts, music, and cultural programming—especially for rural communities like ours, where we don’t always have access to other sources.
Public radio is a lifeline out here. Please help keep it strong.
Thank you for your time.
IF LEAVING VOICEMAIL: Please leave your full street address to ensure your call is tallied.
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Here is a sample scripts of what you can write to your representatives.
Jeff Hurd Template
Dear Representative Jeff Hurd,
I urge you to strongly oppose the rescission of funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This rescission would gravely impact — if not completely shutter — your local public radio station, KDNK, an essential community service organization in District 3.
As the representative for District 3 please understand and appreciate the vital role of our local public radio station, and what will happen to your constituents if this essential service is lost. Local public radio stations work continuously to serve rural communities with lifesaving public safety information, local journalism, and programming that contributes to cultural preservation and discovery among rural audiences. To ensure this reliable, indispensable service for rural and remote communities across the country, our station and others need sustained, robust federal support; dedicated funding for infrastructure; and resources for station partnerships and collaborations. Please stand up for rural America by supporting federal funding for public media.
As a member, I know first-hand how essential this funding is to supporting the services KDNK provides District 3. KDNK serves Garfield, Eagle, Gunnison, and Pitkin counties. KDNK is also a destination for musicians seeking to build an audience through broadcast interviews and performances. Our Public Service Announcements (PSA)’s provide real time announcements to countless nonprofit and community organizations free of charge. Finally, KDNK provides a daily radio broadcast of regional news, and without it there would be a void that adds to the “news deserts” plaguing rural, Western Colorado.
Across the country, public radio stations have deep service to rural communities, including parts of District 3. About 40 percent of public radio stations receiving federal funding through CPB are designated rural service stations, and many more serve rural communities. These stations are essential local news providers in areas where news deserts are growing and where communities may not have options for reliable emergency alerting. Maintaining this rural service is critical for supporting rural America.
[Add personal story about their work with or support of the station, and the value that they find in its service to the community]
I urge you to work with your colleagues to oppose this rescission. Lawmakers and the Administration must know how this dramatic action would harm rural America. We are counting on you in District 3 to stand up for this vital public service in our community and preserve federal support for the public media system to ensure its continued existence now and into the future.
[Name]
[Signature]
____________________________________________
Michael Bennet Template
Dear Senator Michael Bennet,
I urge you to strongly oppose the rescission of funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This rescission would gravely impact — if not completely shutter — your local public radio station, KDNK, an essential community service organization in Carbondale, Colorado.
As the representative for Colorado please understand and appreciate the vital role of our local public radio station, and what will happen to your constituents if this essential service is lost. Local public radio stations work continuously to serve rural communities with lifesaving public safety information, local journalism, and programming that contributes to cultural preservation and discovery among rural audiences. To ensure this reliable, indispensable service for rural and remote communities across the country, our station and others need sustained, robust federal support; dedicated funding for infrastructure; and resources for station partnerships and collaborations. Please stand up for rural America by supporting federal funding for public media.
As a member, I know first-hand how essential this funding is to supporting the services KDNK provides Western Colorado. KDNK serves Garfield, Eagle, Gunnison, Lake and Pitkin counties. KDNK is also a destination for musicians seeking to build an audience through broadcast interviews and performances. Our Public Service Announcements (PSA)’s provide real time announcements to countless nonprofit and community organizations free of charge. Finally, KDNK provides a daily radio broadcast of regional news, and without it there would be a void that adds to the “news deserts” plaguing rural, Western Colorado.
Across the country, public radio stations have deep service to rural communities. About 40 percent of public radio stations receiving federal funding through CPB are designated rural service stations, and many more serve rural communities. These stations are essential local news providers in areas where news deserts are growing and where communities may not have options for reliable emergency alerting. Maintaining this rural service is critical for supporting rural America.
[Add personal story about their work with or support of the station, and the value that they find in its service to the community]
I urge you to work with your colleagues to oppose this rescission. Lawmakers and the Administration must know how this dramatic action would harm rural America. We are counting on you to stand up for this vital public service in our community and preserve federal support for the public media system to ensure its continued existence now and into the future.
[Name]
[Signature]
____________________________________________
John Hickenlooper Template
Dear Senator John Hickenlooper,
I urge you to strongly oppose the rescission of funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. This rescission would gravely impact — if not completely shutter — your local public radio station, KDNK, an essential community service organization in Carbondale, Colorado.
As the representative for Colorado please understand and appreciate the vital role of our local public radio station, and what will happen to your constituents if this essential service is lost. Local public radio stations work continuously to serve rural communities with lifesaving public safety information, local journalism, and programming that contributes to cultural preservation and discovery among rural audiences. To ensure this reliable, indispensable service for rural and remote communities across the country, our station and others need sustained, robust federal support; dedicated funding for infrastructure; and resources for station partnerships and collaborations. Please stand up for rural America by supporting federal funding for public media.
As a member, I know first-hand how essential this funding is to supporting the services KDNK provides Western Colorado. KDNK serves Garfield, Eagle, Gunnison, Pitkin, and Lake counties. KDNK is also a destination for musicians seeking to build an audience through broadcast interviews and performances. Our Public Service Announcements (PSA)’s provide real time announcements to countless nonprofit and community organizations free of charge. Finally, KDNK provides a daily radio broadcast of regional news, and without it there would be a void that adds to the “news deserts” plaguing rural, Western Colorado.
Across the country, public radio stations have deep service to rural communities. About 40 percent of public radio stations receiving federal funding through CPB are designated rural service stations, and many more serve rural communities. These stations are essential local news providers in areas where news deserts are growing and where communities may not have options for reliable emergency alerting. Maintaining this rural service is critical for supporting rural America.
[Add personal story about their work with or support of the station, and the value that they find in its service to the community]
I urge you to work with your colleagues to oppose this rescission. Lawmakers and the Administration must know how this dramatic action would harm rural America. We are counting on you to stand up for this vital public service in our community and preserve federal support for the public media system to ensure its continued existence now and into the future.
[Name]
[Signature]
____________________________________
Thank you for taking the time to protect KDNK and public media stations all across the United States.